After the hottest and driest summer in a generation and feed stocks at an all-time low, cows are at risk of being too thin. Body condition scoring is the best way to measure cow condition and gives an indication of energy status.
Quality grass is a cost-effective part of feeding and regular reseeding ensures that the required nutritional value of the ley is maintained. New leys can help deliver a 33% increase in yield in the first year compared to a typical old sward, and in a drought year this can increase up to 50%.
Signs of heat stress include panting more than 80 breaths per minute, reduced laying times and activity, with cows seeking shade. Dry Matter Intake (DMI) decreases, 68-78 DMI will drop 9.6% (Bouraoui et al) and decline in milk production.
With the hot and dry weather reducing grass availability, producers are being advised to monitor and budget forage stocks now to avoid a shortfall come winter.
Widely grown in northern Europe, Hybrid Rye is proving to be an increasingly popular choice for improving the performance of AD (Anaerobic Digestion) plants and has potential as a high yielding wholecrop for livestock production.
Irfon Jenkins, along with his brother Eurig and father Aeron farm 94 hectares, milking 400 and supplying First Milk. All replacement heifers are reared, and Friesian bulls/Belgian blue calves are sold at 8-16 days depending on breed. This year the family have experienced tremendous calf health.
Getting your cows and heifers out of negative energy balance sooner and getting them gaining weight earlier is the key to improved conception rates. A large-scale study of over 1887 Holstein dairy cows by Professor Paul Fricke of Wisconsin University, looked at the effect changes in liveweight on conception rate to first service.
Calves should have access to clean, fresh, water from birth – not only is it a legal requirement, but it drastically increases dry feed intake and is imperative to rumen development. The myth that water makes calves scour is one we do hear from time to time. Water does not make calves scour, calves need water to balance their body systems flush out toxins and help secrete excess minerals.
Recent years have seen research turn toward calf rearing and capitalising on the genetic potential of the animal; with a particular focus on dairy calves.
There is limited information on feeding and rearing beef calves, with even less on how feeding calves can impact finishing age and carcass quality. We are now beginning to see supermarket requirements for beef changing, with a greater demand for uniform cuts, and as farmers we invest so much at the finishing stage to meet these requirements.
Trouw Nutrition GB Ruminant Specialist, Georgina Thomas, explains how the LifeStart Programme gives dairy producers the key to unlocking the full potential of their calves, leading to significant increases in herd productivity.
