Increasing yeild per cow organically

[farmer notsurewhattodo]

Been running through some tough to read figures from last year. Ive been advised to bring things upto the mark we need to see yields per cow much nearer 8,000L
Currently doing around 6,800L with a herd of 115 Frieisan x Holstein with some other crosses to Swedish red and Montbeliard.
Calving all year round, We're on heavy land, typically turn out Mid April and bring them back in mid October.
Everything is down to grass, dabble in wholecrop . Feeding 1740kg of concentrates fed in the parlour.
Any ideas on how to squeeze a bit more out?!

 

[Rossymons]

Maybe do less...

Easier to cut back on that concentrate then push for more milk from it.

 

[ollie989898]

Been running through some tough to read figures from last year. Ive been advised to bring things upto the mark we need to see yields per cow much nearer 8,000L
Currently doing around 6,800L with a herd of 115 Frieisan x Holstein with some other crosses to Swedish red and Montbeliard.
Calving all year round, We're on heavy land, typically turn out Mid April and bring them back in mid October.
Everything is down to grass, dabble in wholecrop . Feeding 1740kg of concentrates fed in the parlour.
Any ideas on how to squeeze a bit more out?!

Told by who??

Maybe lower yields are more profitable as you hand less of your hard earned to a feed merchant?

 

[Kiwi Pete]

Get a better advisor

 

[dairyrow]

thats nuts. they are good figures especially for organic

 

[Beef farmer]

Fed to yield?

 

[Cows 'n grass]

What is organic cake now? £400/t?
Milk at 40ppl

That makes marginal litres very marginal.

 

[onesiedale]

Did your advisor tell you how much more profit you would make with your extra litres?
Your phrase "squeeze a bit more out" just implies putting more pressure on your cows and yourself..
Why not flip the question round?

Ask your advisor about 'reducing costs organically'.

 

[Barmyfarmer]

Definitely look at doing less not more, cut back a bit of corn, see what happens, aslong as your growing quality forage your definitely not going to be any worse off. More litres definitely doesn't mean more profit

 

[newholland]

Your advisor is 100% correct.
PM sent.

 

[organicguy]

Who do you supply?
Will they pay for more litres?
Organically I would suggest 6000l off 1 t conc is a good target but you need to have everything else spot on.
Do you need higher output to fund borrowing, high rents or something else?

 

[organicguy]

Your advisor is 100% correct.
PM sent.

How can you say that? (unless you are his advisor or know his business very well)

 

[Wes H.]

Like many of the others suggest - what is your motivation? It's worth working through options, feeding more concentrate is not necessarily the answer but what ingredients are being fed and forage/grass quality?

 

[betweenthelines]

Profit equals sales less cost of sales. Two sides to the equation. Quick way to reduce costs would be to get rid of useless advisor

 

[Ian j]

It can be done but all depends on herd genetics acarage available to all ow beans and red clover lays investment in tmr feeding rather than all conc being fed in the parlour I have been there as a herdsman on a 220 cow organic unit some years ago

 

[multi power]

Stick with the current yeilds
Reduce costs
Block calving would be a good start

 

[Horn&corn]

Old mills annual report can be downloaded here. It suggests cost control is possibly the biggest factor on profits
summary:

Dairy profits halve in 2019 - Old Mill

Dairy farmers’ earnings dropped sharply in 2018/19 and are only set to recover marginally in the coming year, based on our report of The Milk Cost of Production Survey for 2019.

om.uk

 

[Horn&corn]

Old mills annual report can be downloaded here. It suggests cost control is possibly the biggest factor on profits
summary:

Dairy profits halve in 2019 - Old Mill

Dairy farmers’ earnings dropped sharply in 2018/19 and are only set to recover marginally in the coming year, based on our report of The Milk Cost of Production Survey for 2019.

om.uk

 

[Beef farmer]

Old mills annual report can be downloaded here. It suggests cost control is possibly the biggest factor on profits
summary:

Dairy profits halve in 2019 - Old Mill

Dairy farmers’ earnings dropped sharply in 2018/19 and are only set to recover marginally in the coming year, based on our report of The Milk Cost of Production Survey for 2019.

om.uk

This job is more about what you can save than what you can earn