15 June 2011

2 minute read

Europe

Feed efficiency for housed cows has a major impact on the cost of milk production. The most important issue is the targeting of concentrate feeding to those cows which need it most. The Harpurs’ herd is housed 24 / 7 - 365 days a year. Cows are milked three times a day. The herd is diet fed and “topped up” in the milking parlour. During the “grazing season” 3 acres of grass is zero grazed per day. Current average herd yield was 28 kg milk on 7 kg of concentrate.

Points discussed at the event included:

Targeting concentrate feeding to highs/ peak lactation cows.

Batching cows into yield groups for TMR feeding.

Ensuring cows are not over fed in late lactation by:

• using in parlour feeding to top up above a planned M+ figure
• when using wagon feeding (TMR feeding) set the blend feed level in the wagon according to the lowest practical yield in the group The Harpur’s cows are managed in 2 groups. The farm policy is to move cows on the basis of milk yield. Cows that have achieved their peak yield and are no longer producing 33 litres are moved to the stale group.

At this point:

• the blend is removed from the stale cow diet;
• the level of appetizer fed per milking is reduced;
• the M+ for parlour feeding is lowered.

Current performance was:

Highs / Early lactation

33kg milk per cow per day on an average of 2.6 kg parlour meal and 7kg blend with a milk from forage of 12 kg of milk per cow daily.

Stales group 22.5kg milk per cow per day on 2.2 kg of average parlour meal with a milk from forage of 17 kg of milk per cow daily.

For improved Feed Efficency in housed herds

• Set a target production from forage based on your own situation.
• Identify cows into groups.
• Analyse your forage and know what your M+ figure should be. Top up cows in the milking parlour above this.
• Monitor milk yields frequently and move cows to the relevant group as necessary.

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