1 - Dairygold Agri

DAIRYGOLD/TEAGASC
DAIRY DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME
2014 – 2017
Farm Walk
On the Farm of
Robert O’Dea,
Ballyphilip, Kilteely, Co. Limerick.
Grass Focus Farm
Wednesday 22nd October, 2014
(By kind permission)
Focus of the Programme:
Delivering Profitable & Sustainable Dairying
Today’s Agenda
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Outline of Farm Details.
Farm Performance and Grassland Management in 2014.
Soil Fertility on Farm.
How Robert’s farm grew 13 ton grass DM/ha in 2014.
Herd Fertility and Young Stock Performance and Management.
Speakers and Contacts
Sean Ryan
Aileen Walsh
Billy Cronin
Dairygold Area Manager
Teagasc, Kilmallock
Dairygold Head of Transport & Milk
Management
Jack Cahill
Dairygold Milk Quality Advisor
John Maher
Teagasc Dairy Specialist, Moorepark
Adrian O’Callaghan
Teagasc Joint Programme Advisor
Scott Lovell
Dairygold Technical Manager
Dairygold Milk Quality and Quota Helpdesk
086 2461639
063 98049
025 24411
086 2628290
022 42244
087 9833679
086 2500137
1890 200 840
Farm Event Safety Notice
Please take care entering and exiting the parking area and while crossing the road.
Please take care during the Farm Walk, as you will be walking on farm roadways and concrete surfaces,
which may be slippery.
Be aware of livestock on the farm and avoid any unsafe movement in their vicinity.
Please take care with wire fences, gates and doors.
PLEASE DISINFECT FOOTWEAR
1
Dairygold/Teagasc Joint Programme 2014 - 2017
Delivering Profitable and Sustainable Dairying
OBJECTIVES:
1. To ensure long-term Sustainability of
Dairygold Co-op & Suppliers
2. To assist suppliers expand in milk
production profitably
3. To increase efficiency of milk
production
4. To ensure access to Teagasc
Research & Technologies
FH 2020





KPI’s
Soil Fertility
Grass Utilisation
EBI/Fertility
Financial Management
Sustainable Dairy
Assurance Scheme
(SDAS)
Programme Pillars:
1.
2.
3.
4.
Special Interest Events-Workshops
Discussion Groups
Demonstration/Focus Farms
Communication/Events
2
Farm Details
Land
Stock Details
Land owned (ha)
Land farmed (ha)
43
43
Milking platform (ha)
SR on milking platform (ha)
43
2.5
Dairy cows
0-1 replacements
1-2 replacements
74
39
32
Herd Performance
Milk Production
14/10/2014
Milk yield (litres/cow)
Milk protein %
Milk fat %
Milk solids (kg/cow)
Days in milk
SCC(,000 cells/ml)
Meal fed (kg/cow)
13.22
4.44
5.19
1.31
233
102
0
Financial Performance
Robert O’Dea’s Costs 2013
Average Profit Monitors 2013
Dairy Output
Feed
Fertiliser
Vet
AI
Contractor
Other Variable Costs
Total Variable Costs
41.09
5.05
2.96
1.6
1.14
1.79
2.09
14.63
40.42
6.7
2.89
1.17
0.59
1.81
1.94
15.08
Machinery
Car, ESB, Phone
Depreciation
Hired Labour
Other Fixed Costs
Total Fixed Costs
Total Costs
Milk Solids kg/cow
1.43
1.18
3.21
1.58
2.66
10.06
24.69
435
1.64
1.45
2.16
1.03
3.72
10
25.08
397
3
Calving and Fertility Performance
Year
Cows
Heifers
Calving Start Date
Median Calving Date
Calving Period
Calving Interval (Days)
Spr 6 wk. Calving Rate (%)
% Calved in Feb/Mar
Calves/Cow/Year
6 wk. Submission Rate (%)
Empty Rate (%)
2014
2014
2014
2014
2014
2014
2014
2014
2014
29-Jan-2014
22-Feb-2014
13 wk. 3 d
371
74
83
0.99
88%
9%
28-Jan-2014
09- Feb-2014
12 wk. 5 d
94%
0%
Main AI Sires used 2014
No. Straws
OCP
YGB
RPA
PBM
AFD
HKK
Weighted Average EBI
EBI (€)
20
14
14
13
12
10
95
Milk/Fert (€)
238
237
276
272
237
252
245
80/106
92/104
97/137
109/119
86/106
113/109
93/110
EBI Herd Summary
Animal Group
No. of
Cows
Milk Kg
Fat
%
Protein %
Surv
%
Milk
Fertility
Calv
Beef
Maint
Mgmt
Health
EBI €
€57
26.3%
€82
37.4%
€26
12%
€ -22
-10%
€23
10.6%
€3
1.2%
€ -5
-2.4%
€164
€65
28%
€81
35%
€ -23
-10.1%
€25
10.6%
€3
1.2%
€ -5
-2.2%
€174
€52
25.8
€78
38.8%
€30
12.9
%
€28
14%
€ -18
-9%
€18
9.1%
€2
0.9%
€ -5
-2.4%
€154
€58
25.7%
€81
36.1%
€ -25
-11.3%
€29
12.8%
€3
1.4%
€ -6
-2.4%
€164
€58
24.7%
€85
36.2%
€ -27
-11.4%
€31
13%
€5
2.1%
€ -5
-2%
€172
€50
25.7%
€90
46%
€23
10.3
%
€25
10.5
%
€18
9.1%
€ -16
-8%
€15
7.4%
€1
0.4%
€ -7
-3.3%
€73
29.5%
€93
37.5%
€ -20
-8%
€22
8.8%
€4
1.6%
€ -6
-2.5%
€70
28.7%
€89
36.7%
€30
12.1
%
€29
11.9
%
€ -22
-9.2%
€55
10.4%
€2
1%
€ -5
-2.1%
CI
Days
Cows with EBI
Missing EBI*
Total Cows
1st Lactation
2nd Lactation
3rd Lactation
4th Lactation
5th
Lactation(+)
74
0
74
23
21
11
11
8
-3
11.3
6.8
19
12.8
8.0
11
10.0
6.4
-30
11.0
6.6
-112
13.5
5.1
86
8.1
7.4
0.23
0.14
2.0
-4.7
0.23
0.14
2.0
-4.6
0.19
0.12
1.9
-4.4
0.25
0.15
2.0
-4.6
0.37
0.18
1.9
-5.1
0.09
0.09
2.2
-5.2
0.22
0.16
2.7
-4.9
€151
Dairy Young stock
14 Calves
Missing EBI*
Total Calves
13 Calves
Missing EBI*
Total Calves
39
30
55
13.0
9.8
17
14.6
8.5
0.28
0.16
2.3
-4.9
€197
€188
4
Grassland Management and Feed Budgeting
Land improvement, reseeding, liming and appropriate fertiliser use are all management practices that
can be applied on all farms to increase grassland productivity.
Grass measurement and budgeting are the key components for successful grass management on farms.
Teagasc provides grassland tools such as:
Spring Grass Planner
Autumn Grass Planner
Manual Grass Wedge and Budgeting Sheets
A Computer programme to generate grass wedges i.e. (PastureBase-Ireland).
Which are available to all farmers to assist with grassland management.
Robert is using both PastureBase-Ireland and Agrinet Grass computer programmes.
Average Farm Cover (Kg DM/Ha) 14/10/14
Grass cover per cow (kg DM) 14/10/14
Grass growth rate 14/10/14
Turnout to grass (Day and Night) 2014
End 1st Rotation 2014
Tonnes grass grown 2013
Average grass production per ha to date in 2014
971
381
28
18th Feb & 25th Feb
6th April 2014
12 tonnes DM/Ha
13 tonnes DM/Ha
The graph below gives an overview of grass production from paddocks on the farm during 2014.
Growth rate determines production and 29 grass measurements were taken so far this year on Robert’s
farm. After each grass walk an assessment is made of the grass supply and any actions such as baling
or pre-cutting may be taken. Growth rates have been good on the farm this year effects of drought has
reduced growth during August on the drier part of the farm. Grass supply and quality has been top
priority in this quota year.
Date Produced: 20-10-2014
PastureBase-Ireland
Grass Measurement Report
Group: Cultivar evaluation
Cover Date: 14/10/2014
Farm: Robert O'Dea
Management Decisions
Rotation Length (days):
Grass Allocation/Cow (kg DM/cow):
45
17.0
No. of Cows:
57
Concentrate Fed (kg/cow):
0.0
Silage Fed (kg DM/cow):
0.0
Residual Height (cm):
3.5
Growth Rate (kg/ha/day):
28
Farm Demand (kg DM/ha/day):
36
Cover Parameters
Grass Allocation/LU (kg DM/LU):
Total Livestock (LU):
14.2
111.5
Farm Cover (kg DM/ha):
971
Target Pre-grazing yield (kg DM/ha):
1629
Farm Cover (kg DM/LU):
381
Stocking Rate (LU/ha):
2.55
5
6
Overall Farm Stocking Rate Potential on Farms based on Grass
Grown
A Cow requires 5 ton of dry matter of feed per annum. If a cow consumes 0.5 tonne of
meal then she will eat 4.5 ton dry matter of forage (grass & silage)
At 2 cows per ha S.R
= 9 tons grass utilised per ha
= 11.25 tons grass grown per ha
At 2.5 cows per ha S.R
= 11.5 tons grass utilised per ha
= 14 tons grass grown per ha
How to Grow 14 Ton Grass DM/Ha
Soil Fertility
Reseeding
Nitrogen Use
Remove Young Stock
YOUR GRASSLAND MANAGEMENT SKILLS
The 14 TON MAP
Growth Period Grass Grown
(kg/ha)
1 Feb to 6
April
1 Oct to 15
Nov
1 Sept to 1
Oct
6 Aug to 1
Sept
7 April to 5
Aug
Total
Rotn
Length(days)
No. of
Rotations
Growth (kg/ha)
required/day
910
65
1
14
1350
45
1
30
1650
30
1
55
1625
25
1
65
1400
20
6
70
13935
287
10
7
Replacement Rearing and Management
Nationally a major focus has been placed on rearing of adequate replacements over the last 5 years. A
realisable target is 35 replacements per 100 cows in a herd. This farm has potentially 40%
replacements for 2015.
Successful actions taken on farms to improve heifer management have been:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Compact Calving.
Better calf rearing, plus separating and feeding light heifers
Extra effort on parasite control and dosing regimes.
Dairy calves and heifers have replaced beef cattle so more grass for heifers.
Weighing scale on farms.
Heifers were weighed on this farm on 4/10/14
EBI
Average
Weight
470 kg
In calf Heifers €188
Target
Weight
450 kg
Average
Age
19.4 months
ADG
from Birth
0.72 kg/day
Some individual heifer’s details are shown below
Tag No
DOB
794
798
834
835
843
853
863
870
872
31/01/13
01/02/13
14/02/13
14/02/13
19/02/13
24/02/13
05/03/13
13/03/13
15/03/13
Breed
37%
62%
43%
43%
37%
47%
50%
50%
JE
HO
HO
FR
JE
HO
JE
HO
JE
25% HO
37% FR
31% FR
34% HO
31% HO
31% FR
28% FR
50% JE
Sire
EBI
Kg
PYG
TFT
PYG
KRB
LXB
KRB
WSY
WSY
PYG
197
203
198
218
206
196
193
130
515
515
466
445
490
510
450
491
475
ADG
Birth
0.77
0.77
0.71
0.67
0.75
0.79
0.70
0.78
0.76
Weights for replacement heifers at different stages during 24 month rearing period
% Mature LW
Birth
3 months
6 months
12 months
15 months
21 months
24 months
30%
60%
90%
Hol. Fr
38
90
155-180
280 - 300
330-360
490-520
550
NZ/Br Fresian
36
85
148
267
315
470
525
Jersey x
34
80
138
250
295
437
490
A good target to remember is to multiply the age in months by the average weight gain needed
for a month and add birth weight.
For example
8 months old heifer (8months x 21kg) + 40kg birth weight = 208 kg
You cannot hope to get all your heifers bred in 1st 3 weeks if they are not at target weight.
8
Soil Fertility on Robert O’Dea’s Farm
P
K
Index 1 Very Low
Index 4
Index 2
29%
32%
Index 3
39%
Index 2 Low
Index 3 Medium
Index 3
Index 2 Low
30%
Index 2
70%
Index 3 Medium
Index 4 High
Lime: 140 ton required.
Steps to Soil Fertility Management
Soil Testing – Why?
 Indicator of background soil fertility levels
o Soil pH and Lime requirement
o P&K
o Extra 3 Ton Grass DM/Ha can be grown worth €400/ha
o Improves Nitrogen Fertiliser Efficiency
 Tool to help plan nutrient applications
o Fertilizer
o Slurry / FYM
9
Soil pH and Liming
Soil Index and Advice
10
Soil P and K build up – Grassland
P
K
10 kg/ha
30 kg/ha
(24 units/acre)
(8 units/acre)
Index 2
16% P
Muriate
50% K
25 Kg
25 Kg
20 kg/ha
60 kg/ha
(16 units/acre) (48 units/acre)
Index 1
Lost production in Index 1 & 2 Dairy
 Same Example
o Dairy – 2 cows / ha
o Index 3 advice (grazing) = 14 kg/ha P & 30 kg/ha K
 Production loss in Index 1 vs. Index 3
o Approximately 3 t/ha/yr of grass DM
o Worth €400 /ha/yr
 Additional P and K for build up = 20 kg/ha P & 60 kg/ha K
o Additional Cost = €100 ha/yr until soil P / K increases
o Long-term investment – benefits of increasing to Index 3
11
Slurry Value
1000 gallons =??
12

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