Low butterfat and urea levels

[jade35]

Has anyone any answers to the above connundrum. Since beginning of June the Urea level has fallen from 0.025% (26th May) to 0.016 (4th June) and 0.015(9th June). Butterfat has continued to drop from 3.48% (26th May) to 3.4(4th June) and 3.34(9th June). Protein has remained pretty static at 3.28%(26th May) to 3.27(4th June) and 3.24 (9th June). I know that we are not the only farm to have this problem in Devon and Cornwall. Cows fed 18% cake in parlour and fresh calvers have a buffer feed outside of 18% blend (2kgs). Paddock grazed. Dung mainly good consistency, Some low yielders looser than the high yielders/fresh calvers. Were giving the cows some hay as a buffer in May but now stopped.

Any ideas as to why this is happening and the best way to improve the butterfats.

Thanks

 

[Princess Pooper]

Any other signs eg cud balls, cows not chewing each cudball long enough? You might have some acidosis; do you still have any hay left, some fibre might help.

 

[whynot2]

could be short of rumen degradable protein. Low urea's usually indicate this deficiency or a very well balanced diet of degradable protein to fermentable energy can produce low urea's but probably not that. lack of rumen degradable protein can reduces potential digestion of fibre. It is the digestion of fibre that produces the goodies for butterfat (put in very simple terms)

 

[jade35]

Thanks for advice, no cudballs seen, salt always available in yard but have not seen a mad rush for it. Think we still have some bicarb, if so will try some tonight free access. Not enough hay left to buffer feed, structure of dung mainly good (making good dung pats) but feeling slightly slimey with some fibre still in dung, paddock grazing so hopefully getting enough rdp. The dry weather may have messed up the proteins the last couple of weeks but we have now had a reasonable amount of rain so the grass should start growing well again. Cows have been grazing the paddocks well this year.

Have been trying to find the grasswatch figures for 2013. Last year we were getting them e mailed to us but they seem to have forgotton us this year

 

[happycows]

I've been battling this too although mot quite as low as yours and we are just about to start calving lots. I have been feeding a bit of regumaize 44 to up ureas. I also fed 3kgs of nis pellets and soya hulls but they just went up in milk 3/4 litres!! now going to up the ndf levels in the blend and swapping megalac for megafat in the next load to see if this help. If you get results please share with us!!

 

[jimmer]

if you have changed nothing except the hay then that is most likely to be the problem we sometimes underestimate the feed value of what we think are second quality rough feeds

 

[Blue.]

Anyone got a price for c16 lately?