TMR DM

[Farmer_1994]

For those running a tmr what is your target dm? Weve been targeting our rations to be 40 dm for the last year and a half, moved it down to 36 dm over the last week. Intakes, milk, fat all up. Nutritionist is worried we might be walking a fine line that wet. I say push on, good results even by means not normally tried are still good results.

 

[Milkcow365]

For those running a tmr what is your target dm? Weve been targeting our rations to be 40 dm for the last year and a half, moved it down to 36 dm over the last week. Intakes, milk, fat all up. Nutritionist is worried we might be walking a fine line that wet. I say push on, good results even by means not normally tried are still good results.

Are you just adding water?

 

[Farmer_1994]

Are you just adding water?

Yes, We target most forage dm at 30-32 dm at harvest and then add water to the tmr to get our target dm once concentrates and dry ingredients have been added. We do daily dm on all forages being fed.

 

[Milkcow365]

Yes, We target most forage dm at 30-32 dm at harvest and then add water to the tmr to get our target dm once concentrates and dry ingredients have been added. We do daily dm on all forages being fed.

What you use to test the dm food dehydrator?

 

[Farmer_1994]

What you use to test the dm food dehydrator?

Koster tester, will be getting food dehydrator whenever that kicks the bucket.

 

[Milkcow365]

Koster tester, will be getting food dehydrator whenever that kicks the bucket.

I’ve got all the stuff just never got round to doing it, I just always add 10kg water to the load per head, I might start compact feeding but sees a lot of faf

 

[Farmer_1994]

I’ve got all the stuff just never got round to doing it, I just always add 10kg water to the load per head, I might start compact feeding but sees a lot of faf

I wont lie, it takes about a half hour in all to get the samples and start drying and change dm in the ration program. Split that 15 in the evening 15 in the morning after they’ve been dried all night. The consistency is the key though I have found. If dm on the whole ration is out 1-2% it shows in milk yields.

 

[Milkcow365]

I wont lie, it takes about a half hour in all to get the samples and start drying and change dm in the ration program. Split that 15 in the evening 15 in the morning after they’ve been dried all night. The consistency is the key though I have found. If dm on the whole ration is out 1-2% it shows in milk yields.

Very interesting how many cows you milking?

 

[Farmer_1994]

Very interesting how many cows you milking?

Milking 280, enough for now.

 

[Dead Rabbits]

Yes, We target most forage dm at 30-32 dm at harvest and then add water to the tmr to get our target dm once concentrates and dry ingredients have been added. We do daily dm on all forages being fed.

That’s dedication.

 

[WillM]

Low 40s. Adding 12 litres / head. On program says 41. In reality nearer 43-44. Nervous to go lower.

 

[stablegirl]

Ours is currently 47% DM, daily forage DM sound exhausting.

 

[Farmer_1994]

Low 40s. Adding 12 litres / head. On program says 41. In reality nearer 43-44. Nervous to go lower.

Yeah we were too, but at 40 the girls were still sorting. My father in law has been feeding at mid 30s for 2 years now without issue. So we took a week to pull us down from 40 to 36. Like any feed change you do have to watch and see what the cows are telling you. Milk and fat response from it right away.

 

[Farmer_1994]

Ours is currently 47% DM, daily forage DM sound exhausting.

Its like anything, once it becomes routine you dont even notice. Cows love consistency in everything so I think its worth it. My days are spent feeding, trimming, and field work. If I had to do everything else on the farm It probably would only get done once a week.

 

[WillM]

We DM test all forages and TMRs also but have abundance of staff which makes it easier.

I would be worried on intakes to go any lower than 41. When you say intakes up, are you taking fresh weights or DMI? Most research on pushing dry matter lower than 40 actually suppressed DMI due to the “fill factor” of the moisture.

 

[Farmer_1994]

DMI are up. Ive heard that adding to much water can do that, but if your silages are closer to 30-32 dm you can push that line on over all tmr dm lower than 40 we have found. Not all situations are the same, I know of other farms that cant push past a 45 dm.

 

[coomoo]

Interesting stuff but dangerously close to the ‘pence per cow per day’ mentality.