There has been significant investment to improve grass and soil quality – in machinery and seed. “We reseeded 30% of the farm this year and the quality of silage produced has improved. Crude protein has increased from 14% to 17%, sugars from 1.9% to 3.0%, and D value from 500 MJ/kg DM to 600 MJ/kg DM.
“We have also started to cut earlier and have adopted a multi-cut system. Quality beats quantity,” adds Chris. When they first started feeding the dairy cows, this was done by simply loading round bales straight into feeding troughs and shovelling grains on top, by hand, four times per day. “Investing in a mixer wagon has given the diet consistency and increased milk yields, as well as reducing our workload,” adds Amie. “Feeding troughs are lined with bathroom tiles to encourage dry matter intake and are double sided to remove the need for pushing up.”
This autumn has seen average milk yields increase by 1,415 litres per cow and adding caustic wheat to the silage has increased rolling milk protein production by 0.07%.
The herd, which is housed and calves all-year-round, is fed molassed glycol alongside Performance 16 up to 21 days post-calving, and then concentrate to yield through the robots.
Amie carries out all the AI and cows are served using British Blue or sexed semen. “Beef-cross calves are sold, at around six weeks old, through the local market and we are aiming to produce all our own replacements in the future,” says Amie. “We are looking to breed a smaller cow compared to the traditional Holstein, which will better to suit our system.”
Norwegian Red sires are currently being used to serve the larger Holsteins in the herd and Holstein bulls are used on the smaller crossbreds to get the ideal genetic mix. “In our experience, the crossbreds require less feed for maintenance and still produce high yields.” She adds that fertility has improved since she’s taken on the role of AI technician: “Because we can serve cows at the optimum time.”