DO YOU KNOW YOUR GOOD SUCKLER COWS? · 2017-10-02 · of this early grass to your enterprise. The margins in beef are tight; do you know what the costs are associated with carrying

www.agritrading.ie March 2017

ALSO IN THIS ISSUE

THE BENEFITS OFSPRING GRAZINGPAGE 03

MAKING THE BEST QUALITY SILAGEPAGE 20

PREPARING FOR THE BREEDING SEASONPAGE 12

MANAGING BOUGHT IN CALVESPAGE 13

Issue 4 - March 2017 - www.agritrading.ie

DO YOU KNOW YOURGOOD SUCKLER COWS?

CONTENTSThe benefits of spring grazing ...03

First cut silage .............................05

Cost on suckler farm ...................07

Knowing the good suckler cow .08

Bought in calves .........................13

Testimonial ..................................18

Making the best quality silage ...20

Welcome to

DAIRYGOLD’S BEEF ADVISORY BULLETIN

Contact InformationTel: 022 52650Email: [email protected]: www.agritrading.ie

Dear Beef Business reader,

Welcome to the March edition of Beef Business,Dairygold’s beef advisory bulletin.

Within this edition of Beef Business we discuss some of the topic relevant to your beef farm from here to the summer.

We look at how to get early grass into your cow by using the spring rotation planner, and at the benefits of this early grass to your enterprise.

The margins in beef are tight; do you know what the costs are associated with carrying livestock through to finishing on your farm? Within this month’s edition we examine the latest profit monitor figures and projections for suckler cows, finishing steers and heifers.

Good quality silage has a massive impact on your production and profitability. Silage quality has been declining year on year. We look at the principles of making good quality silage.

Yours Sincerely,

Liam Stack M.Agr.Sc

RUMINANT TECHNICAL MANAGER, DAIRYGOLD AGRIBUSINESS

March 2017 www.agritrading.ie02

T: 022 47275

www.agritrading.ie March 2017www.agritrading.ie 03

Grass at a reasonable level of utilisation (75%) costs approximately 7.5c/kg utilisable dry matter compared with first and second cut grass silage at 18.5c/kg and 18.2c/kg utilisable DM.

Grazed grass is the highest quality feed on the farm in spring, better than silage and equivalent to concentrates.

Spring grazing increases grass growth and grass quality in later rotations. During the early grazing season (February or March), a balance must be found between feeding the animal adequately, to sustain high animal performance, and conditioning the sward for the late spring/summer grazing season.

Grazing management during the first rotation:The goal of the first rotation grazing is to remove all the dead/ poorer quality grass at the butt of the paddocks that has built up over the winter. Higher digestibility grass is higher in energy and will lead to increase animal intakes. It is this higher intakes of higher energy grass that maximises cattle performance on grass.

Performance benefits to early spring grass:

Research work has shown that animals turned out early to grass have 6% (+23kg) higher carcase weight than animals turned out later in spring.

With store cattle, the carcase weight of housed livestock is 4% higher with animals grazed in early spring than animals turned out in late spring.

The benefits of SPRING GRAZING

KEY POINT: Every additional day at grass in the spring is worth €1.54 per suckler cow per day or €540 per week for a 50 cow herd.

KEY POINT: During the first rotation paddocks should be grazed to 3.5 to 4cm (as low as a mower would cut), this will increase grass digestibility by 4 units in May and June.

1.20 ----

1.00 ----

0.80 ----

0.60 ----

0.40 ----

0.20 ----

0.00 ----

Post

Calver G

old

Grass s

pring

Grass s

ummer

Grass a

utumn

Grass s

ilage (7

5DMD)

Grass s

ilage (7

0DMD)

Grass s

ilage (6

5DMD)

Grass s

ilage (6

0DMD)

Maize sil

age (3

0% St)

Maize sil

age (2

5% St)

UFL DMENERGY DENSITY OF DIFFERING FEEDS

Prime Elite

Maiz

e Munch

THE BENEFITS OF SPRING GRAZINGBy MARY DEANE B.Ag.Sc Inside sales


THE SPRING ROTATION PLANNER

THE SPRING ROTATION PLANNER

THE SIMPLE RULE IS:

3 Turnout mid-February

3 40% of the farm grazed by 17th March

3 100%of the farm grazed by 10th April

3 Turnout early/mid-March

3 40% of the farm grazed by 31th March

3 100%of the farm grazed by 20th April

In practical terms, this means that priority animals are turned out first. This may only be a small group of animals (e.g. weanling bulls) but as time progresses,

more animals can be turned out.

The spring rotation planner is a tool that divides the area of your farm into weekly

portions and takes the guesswork out of planning the first grazing rotation.

The only data you need to use is the date you want to turn out your animals and the

date when you think you are growing enough grass to supply all the grass you need (i.e.

supply = demand; Magic Day).

The spring rotation planner will not tell you if you are feeding the cattle enough

grass - you will have to gauge that by walking through your paddocks or fields and

assessing either visually or by measuring if you have enough grass.

The date you turn your cows out and the daily area needed to be grazed will be dependent on your soil type.

This year we can make the assumption that every farm is wet.

The spring rotation planner is a simple and effective tool to ensure that:

n Sufficient grass is grazed early enough to allow time for re-growth for the second rotation.

n Ensure that grass does not run out before the start of the second rotation.

DRY FARMS:

HEAVY FARMS:

All animals should be turned out by the time 40% of the farm is grazed to get 60% of the farm grazed off in three weeks.

www.agritrading.ie www.agritrading.ie March 2017

The spring rotation planner is a simple and effective tool to ensure that:

n Sufficient grass is grazed early enough to allow time for re-growth for the second rotation.

n Ensure that grass does not run out before the start of the second rotation.

Nitrogen Requirements100 units per acre

Sulphur Requirement16 units per acre

P + K RequirementsConsult your soil sample

P Allowance K Requirement

Index 1 32 140

Index 2 24 120

Index 3 16 100

Index 4 0 100

3000 gallons/ac Slurry -21 -90

Field Req = Req - Slurry

K RequirementsIt’s no secret and our recent soil samples have proven that Silage ground tends to be among the poorest ground for soil K indexes on Irish farms. Generally, Irish farmers are not getting enough Potassium (K) out on silage ground. But it’s not all about front loading K, timing is very important.

Timing x rate – The amount of Potassium x the timing of Potassium can have a huge bearing on silage yield and quality.

Much the same as the phenomenon which can cause grass tetany in grazing situations, heavy applications of Potassium early in the season on silage ground can lead to “luxury uptake” of Potassium in the crop and ultimately high levels of K in silage. This in turn can increase the risk of Milk Fever in the spring. Potassium levels in the silage should be <1.8%. A recent mineral analysis conducted by Dairygold has shown potassium ranging from 0.98% to 3.5%, with an average potassium of 1.94% in your silages.

KEY POINT: It is recommended not to apply in excess of 70 units of K per acre before taking a first cut silage.

FIRST CUT SILAGE - What should I use?By Matt Lawlee, Tillage and Beef Area Manager, I.A.S.I.S. • [email protected].

05


Farmers who are applying 3000gallons/ac of slurry will usually have this pre-harvest requirement covered. Any additional K requirements should be applied later in the season. As higher levels of K applied may be taken off in the plant, it may not result in soil K levels increasing.

Sulphur RequirementsIn a recent survey, sulphur has been identified as being deficient in the majority of 1st cut silage crops. Historically, with 24:2½:10 or CAN, no sulphur has been applied to these crops. Sulphur can have a dramatic effect on the quality of your silage so if possible make sure to spread some sulphur on your silage ground. Silage crops can use up to 16 units/acre/cut. ProductsWhere slurry is not being used: 1. Silage Boost 2. Selenicut 21:2:10 + 2% Sulphur + Avail 20:2:12 + 2% Sulphur + Selenium

Product Rate Nitrogen Phosphorus Potassium Sulphur Avail Selenium

Silage Boost 4½ bags/ac 94.5 9 45 ✔ ✔ ✘

Selenicut 4½ bags/ac 90 9 54 ✔ ✘ ✔ 24:2½:10 4 bags/ac 96 10 40 ✘ ✘ ✘

Silage Boost and Selenicut are 2 products specifically formulated for use on Silage ground. Their adjusted formulations along with the inclusion of Sulphur make them the best choice for any silage crop not receiving slurry.

Where slurry is being used: 1. Selenigrass ± Sulphur 2. Sweetgrass -25:0:0 + 2% Magnesium ± Sulphur 23:0:0 + 3% Sulphur + 5% Sodium + 1.2% Magnesium Product Rate Nitrogen Sulphur Selenium

Selenigrass ± S 3½ bags/ac 87.5 ✔ ✔

Sweetgrass 4 bags/ac 93 ✔ ✘

CAN 3½ bags/ac 94.5 ✘ ✘

• Make sure to spread any additional P + K that may be required after the crop of silage has been harvested

FIRST CUT SILAGE - What should I use?

www.agritrading.ie www.agritrading.ie March 2017 07

WHAT ARE THE ASSOCIATEDCOSTS ON YOUR SUCKLER FARM?Cost to keep a suckler cow:Recent E-profit Monitor data, indicates the total cost (including both fixed

and variable costs), of keeping a spring-calving suckler cow to the point of

weanling is c. €715/head. With a range from c. €600/head to €850+/head.

Cost of bringing weanlings to finish: Stock Carcass (kg) Cost (€)

Steers 377 750

Heifers 296 438

*Teagasc budgets

i.e the total cost of calving a suckler cow and

finishing the progeny is €1,465 for the steer

finishing system and €1,153 for heifer system.

What output price is needed to return a €250/cow net margin for steers and €150/cow for heifers?

Stock Carcass Cost Cost of Carcass Price (kg) (€) Suckler Cow needed

(€/head) (€/kg)

Steers 377 745 715 4.54 +/- 30c/kg for low and high cost systems

Heifers 296 438 715 4.40 +/- 40c/kg for low and high cost systems

Ref: Teagasc

Suckler cows need to be 100% efficient:At such high costs and tight margins you cannot afford to be carrying cows that are infertile or that have poor mothering ability.As an industry we need to choose 4 and 5 star replacement bulls as the sires of our suckler cows. Our Dairy farming neighbours have made massive genetic advancements of late. This is fuelling increase productivity, profitability and sustainability. As an industry we need the same.Of course these are only industry averages and estimates. To get a handle on your farms level of profitability you need to examine your own level of efficiency and associated costs.

COST ON SUCKLER FARMBy LIAM LEAHY • [email protected]

March 2017 www.agritrading.ie

How do I measure the milk yield of my cows?

- Weigh the calves when they are still under the

cow.

Weight them early (150 and 250 days of age) before

they start eating a lot of grass and when they are on

little, if any, meal.

The ICBF provides a weighing service for all

farmers, and they will also record the weights on

their database so that they can be used to assess

the breeding value of the cows. If you are using

your own weighing scales make sure to enter the

weights online. The more weights that are recorded,

the more accurate the star ratings of your cows will

be.

The benefits of knowing cow yield:

- Poor yielding cows can be culled and replaced;

- high yielding cows can be identified to keep

replacements from; and,

- the accuracy of the breeding indexes for your cows

and heifers can be increased.

Knowing the good suckler cowStudies in Teagasc have demonstrated the importance of milk yields when it comes to maximising

the weaning weight in calves.

How do I measure the milk yield of my cows?

WEIGH THE CALVES WHEN THEY ARE STILL UNDER THE COW.

Weight them early (150 and 250 days of age) before they start eating a lot of grass and when they are on little, if any, meal.

The ICBF provides a weighing service for all farmers, and they will also record the weights on their database so that they can be used to assess the breeding value of the cows. If you

are using your own weighing scales make sure to enter the weights online. The more weights that are recorded, the more accurate the star

ratings of your cows will be.

The benefits of knowing cow yield: Poor yielding cows can be culled and

replaced;

high yielding cows can be identified to keep replacements from; and,

the accuracy of the breeding indexes for your cows and heifers can be increased.

KEY POINT: A suckler cow that does not have good milk yields has no place on a suckler farm and, more importantly, should not be providing any replacement heifers for the herd.

08

KNOWING THE GOOD SUCKLER COW By LIAM STACK M.Agr.Sc • e: [email protected]


KNOWING THE GOOD SUCKLER COW:

WHICH HEIFER CALF SHOULD I KEEP AS A REPLACEMENT?

WHAT IS THE REPLACEMENT INDEX? REPLACEMENT INDEX

KEY POINT: You should be using the replacement index to choose your replacements, rather than basing the decision on the mix of breeds in the heifer.

The replacement index estimates how suitable

females will be for calving ability, milk and fertility.

Within the index fertility, milk and calving traits

account for 57% of the replacement index, with

beef traits only accounting for 21% of the index.

Does breed have an impact on suckler cow performance? - NOThe calving’s from nearly 2,000 suckler cows on

Teagasc/Irish Farmers Journal BETTER beef farms

were analysed over a five-year period, showing

very little differences in milk or fertility when

they were grouped and compared by their breed

makeup.

Does the star rating have an impact on suckler cow performance? -YES

ICBF analysed the performance of nearly 100,000 suckler cows based on their €uro-star indexes and found

that 5 star cows:

Produce more calves, go back in calf quicker and survive longer

Have more milk and rear calves with better growth rates

Produce cattle which finish earlier with heavier carcasses.

1.

2.

3.

KEY POINT: The performance of progeny from Five Star cows was 16% ahead of those from average cows.



KEY POINT: Every year, thousands of 4 and 5 Star heifers are sold off suckler farms without the seller knowing the value of them. These could either be kept for breeding on the farm or sold as high genetic merit breeding heifers.

What is the star rating of my suckler cows?

The star rating of all your heifers and cows (that have a known sire) is available online through the ICBF.

How do I build up my suckler cow replacement index?

You need to use a bull that has a higher

replacement index than your cows.

Your heifers get half their genetic

potential from their mother and half

their genetic potential from their father.

If you cross a 5 star cow with a

replacement index of €100 with a 5 star

bull with a replacement index of €200,

then the calf will have a replacement

index of €150.

This is progress even if the calf, like her

mother are both 5 star.

replacement index:

$100replacement index:

$200

replacement index:

$150

x

>€98 ***** 5 stars have a genetic index in the top 20%

€74 – €97 **** 4 stars have a genetic index in the top 40%

€45 –€€73 *** 3 stars have an average genetic index

€33 – €44 ** 2 stars have a genetic index in the bottom 40%

< €33 * 1 stars have a genetic index in the bottom 20%

Replacement Index Star Rating


However, if you cross a 5 star cow with a

replacement index of €100 with a 4 star bull with a

replacement index of €80, then the calf will be a

4 star with a replacement index of €90.

This is lowering the genetic potential of your herd.

replacement index:

$100replacement index:

$80

replacement index:

$90

x

How can I find the star rating of my bull?

On the ICBF web site you can enter the tag number of any

bull and it will give you its star rating.

SHOULD I SCAN MY COWS, WHEN SHOULD I SCAN MY COWS?

By September spring-calving suckler cows should be at least a month in-calf and therefore ideally suited to pregnancy scanning.

What will scanning tell me:

how well breeding has gone this year

how many empty cows have you got?

are any of my cows carrying twins?

Are any of my cows going to run late?

When are the bulk of my cows due to calf?

Empty cows can be separated from the main group, weaned earlier, and sold or feed and finished.Having them ready and gone before Christmas will free up shed space and hopefully ensure that you get a good price.

Knowing when calving is likely to start and end will help you decide the timing of vaccinations such as scour. Cows can be grouped according to expected calving date.



KEY POINT: Cows calving in moderate, as opposed to poor condition can advance the onset of heat cycles by one to two weeks.

PREPARATION FOR THE BREEDING SEASON

1. STOCK BULL FERTILITY

A. Keeping a record: If a large number of your cows are repeating, you need to take action to find out what is wrong.

B. Your bull should have good legs and feet and be in good condition before being let out with cows.

C. Your bull should have a strong libido and a a good supply of high sperm count semen. If you are concerned or had problems last year, you can get your bull fertility tested. The cost of this test is very low if you compare it to carrying empty cows.

2. AVOIDING DIFFICULT CALVINGWe know that cows with a difficult calving take

longer to come back into heat.

3. HERD HEALTHBVD, Leptospirosis and Johne’s disease are the three main infectious diseases that can have a large effect on herd fertility. These can cause poor conception rates, increased abortions, stillbirths, and increased calf mortality. You can vaccinate against BVD and Leptospirosis and, every farm should have a herd health plan drawn up with your local vet.

4. SUCKLER COW CONDITIONThe single most important factorinfluencing the reproductive efficiencyin suckler cows is early onset of heatafter calving.

Do my cows need concentrates after calving? This is dependent on the quality of your silage.

Concentrates required by freshly calved suckler cows on silage.

FERTILITY AND BREEDING

KEY POINT: Maiden heifers should not be bred to bulls with a calving difficulty above 4%.

KEY POINT: It is estimated that 25% of stock bulls aresub-fertile.

SPRING CALVING SUCKLER COWS

55% DMD55% DMDFreshly Calved*

(to grass in 4-6 weeks) 2 1 Silage to Appetite Silage to Appetite

62% DMD 68% DMD 72% DMD

Assumes the suckler cows calve down in condition score 2.5.*If BCS at calving is low increase concentrate feeding by 0.5-1kg. * First calvers - add 1 kg meal a day to recommendations


BOUGHT IN CALVES

Guidelines for farmers considering purchasing calves born in dairy herds for beef production

Will I make a profit?Dairy calf-to-beef systems are relatively

low cost to invest in initially but can have high costs per head up to slaughter. Cash flow also needs to be considered as there may be no sales for a long period

of time.

For dairy calf-to-beef systems to be profitable the value of the carcass produced must cover:- 1. The cost of buying the calf. 2. All production costs to slaughter. 3. A net margin per head.Before purchasing calves, beef farmers should estimate production costs and carcass value of the system they are aiming for to ensure they will return a profit. • The table below gives guideline costs (excluding labour) and carcass weights for the most common

calf to beef systems (operated at a high level of efficiency).

Guideline carcass weights and costs*

With moderate levels of efficiency use 5% lower carcass weights and 10% higher costs

The figures above can be used by beef farmers to estimate the value of calves for sale:-

CARCASS WEIGHT×

ESTIMATED BEEF SELLING PRICE(€ per kg)

–MINUS TOTAL COSTS

(€ per head)

–

MINUS NET MARGIN REQUIRED(€ per head)

=

VALUE OF CALF(€ per head)

Calf to Beef System

Friesian Steer

Early Maturing Steer

Early Maturing Steer

Early Maturing Heifer

Slaughtered

24 months (indoor)

23 months (indoor)

26 months (off grass)

21 months (off grass)

Carcass Weight

320 kg

310 kg

320 kg

250 kg

Total Cost(excl Labour)

€950

€850

€900

€650

Buying Dairy Calves for Beef ProductionAdapted from Teagasc


BOUGHT IN CALVES

Do I have suitable housing?Housing is often the limiting factor on how many calves can be purchased. Calves should be housed in properly designed calf sheds with the correct space allowance, adequate ventilation and in very hygienic conditions with enough bedding.

Space Allowance • Calves may be kept in single pens or in groups. • As a general guide a total floor area of 2.3m2 per calf (includes feed passage) with a cubic air

capacity of approximately 10m3 per calf should be provided.

Ventilation • Ventilated housing that is free of draughts will reduce the environmental stresses on calves and

adequate air changes resulting from good ventilation reduce the infection load on the calves. • Air outlet areas should be a minimum of 0.05m2 per calf and situated at least 1.5m higher than the

inlet. The inlet area should be 4 times (minimum 2 times) the outlet area per calf. • As a general rule of thumb, there should be 5cm of ridge opening for every 3.0m of building width.

Bedding/hygiene • Prior to the arrival of each batch of calves, the shed should be thoroughly cleaned and disinfected

with a broad spectrum disinfectant. • Bedding needs to be kept clean and dry and pens should be set up to allow for ease of cleaning and

manure removal. • Work and hygiene routines should be worked out in advance to prevent young calves catching

disease from older or sick calves.

THE MILK PREPARATION AREA SHOULD BE CLEAN, DRY AND ADJACENT TO THE

HOUSING TO REDUCE THE LABOUR INPUT REQUIRED AT FEEDING.

Where will I source calves?Buying healthy calves is critical to the profitability of the system. Purchased calves should be alert, have clear eyes, dry navel, no swelling of joints, no signs of scour or pneumonia, a shiny coat and a correct weight for its age.

1. Calves ideally should be at least 14 to 21 days old and have good weight for age (45 to 50kg at 2 weeks of age).

2. Try to choose calves that have been fed sufficient colostrum.

3. Select calves from as few sources as possible.


BOUGHT IN CALVES

The table below outlines the different sourcing options.

What will I feed to calves?Pre-weaning nutrition affects growth rates, health and the ability to cope with cold stress. Young animals have the ability to convert feed into growth most efficiently during the first two months of life. • On arrival allow calves 2-3 hours rest before feeding a good rehydration electrolyte as a first feed. • Take rectal body temperatures. A high temperature is often the first sign of sickness. • Take sick animals to a sick pen for examination and possible treatment by, or upon advice of a

veterinarian.

Feeding Programme • Feed calves 3 litres of calf milk replacer twice daily (at 12.5% solids) until they are at least three

weeks of age. • Supplement with good quality starter concentrates, and roughage in the form of good quality

chopped straw (not hay). • Calves should have access to clean fresh water at all times. • Calves should not be weaned until they are consuming at least 1kg calf starter/day for three

consecutive days. • Wean calves gradually off milk replacer over a 7 to 10 day period. For a concentration of 12.5%

solids use 125g of milk powder and 875 ml of water to make 1 litre of mixed milk. • Protein levels in a calf milk replacer should be at least 23-26% and consist predominantly of milk

proteins. • Ensure that the water temperature is not greater than 39°C.

MART

AGENT

DIRECT FROM FARM

PRO’S

- Convenient- Priced at market value

- Convenient- Can set criteria - price, quality

- Can attain disease status including feeding of colostrum

- Can plan when calves are coming- NO mart travelling for you or calf

CON’S

- Unknown disease status- Transport to and from mart

- Unknown disease status- Calves may spend considerable

time in transit- Need good relationship with the

agent

- Requires planning and having an agreement in place with the dairy farmer


BOUGHT IN CALVES

How can I keep the calves healthy?Scours and pneumonia are the two most common causes of ill-health in calves and they should be checked daily for both.

Scours • Attention to hygiene is crucial to prevent scours. • Treatment consists of pain and fever treat-ment combined with rehydration and proper nutrition. • Isolate them from other calves to avoid cross infection. • Get electrolytes into them and DO NOT stop feeding them milk replacer.

Pneumonia • The underlying causes of pneumonia in calves can be very complex. • Insufficient colostrum, poorly designed houses, over-crowding, inadequate nutrition and stress all

increase the possibility of an outbreak. • Veterinary advice should be sought for a suitable vaccination programme which should include

Pasteurella and the respiratory viruses IBR (BHV- 1), RSV and PI-3.

Dehorning • Use a heated disbudding iron, it is the only method legally allowed in Ireland. • Ideally use a calf dehorning crate to minimise stress on the calf and for your own safety.

SEEK VETERINARY ADVICE IF SICK CALVES DO NOT RESPOND QUICKLY TO

TREATMENT. DO NOT WEAN CALVES THAT SHOW SIGNS OF ILL-HEALTH.

TWICE A DAY FEEDING - BATCH MIXING PER FEED

NO. OFCALVES

1

5

10

15

PRIME ELITE23 - 25% (kg)

0.375

2.0

3.75

5.5

WATER(ltrs)

2.6

13

26

39

FINAL MIX(ltrs)

3

15

30

45


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Contains High Quality, Palatable Ingredients including Digestible

Sources of Fibre to Optimise Digestion

www.agritrading.ie/Key-Calf-Rearing-Guidelines

Prime Elite Krispy Kaf is Dairygold’s 18% Coarse Calf Starter Ration. Colman Purcell, Dairygold Quality Feeds Nutritionist

and Liam Stack, Dairygold Ruminant Technical Manager, recommend you use Prime Elite Krispy Kaf as the calves

first solid feed since it caters extremely well for the targeted rumen development needs of your young calves.

WHY SHOULD YOU CHOOSE PRIME ELITE KRISPY KAF FOR YOUR YOUNG CALVES?

1. Prime Elite Krispy Kaf 18% is formulated with high quality, palatable ingredients featuring generous levels of: • Pulses and cereals, including flaked maize. • Soya and good sources of digestible fibre.

2. Prime Elite Krispy Kaf 18% protein is made with high quality protein ingredients to help promote calf growth.

3. Prime Elite Krispy Kaf 18% is fully balance for macro minerals vitamins and trace elements to meet your growing calf’s needs, enhance the utilisation of Vitamin E and improve calf immunity.

• From day 3, feed daily along with water and a roughage source, preferably straw.

4. Contains Nustart a unique combination of essential oils, prebiotics, functional fibres and natural antioxidants. • Nustart also includes a precise profile of vitamins and trace elements required by young calves.

• Nustart promotes healthy rumen development and is proven to increase intake, increase growth rates, decrease the risk of scours and increase general health.


PRIME ELITE MAIZE MUNCH DELIVERS OPTIMALPERFORMANCE ON CORK CALF TO BEEF UNIT

John Twomey operates a calf to beef finishing system at Corrin, Fermoy, Co Cork. He finishes 120 head annually. Most of these are Holstein/Friesian males, split 50:50 bulls and steers. A significant number of the animals are sourced from his brother’s dairy herd. He also finishes a small number of dairy bred Angus and Hereford cross heifers.

John is very conscious of the need to maximise the performance of his stock. Bulls are currently being finished at 22 months, killing out at an average of 370kg. Steers are finished at 23 months, producing an average carcase weight of 320 kilos.

“Baled silage works well as its quality is usually very good,” he said.

“The cattle are finished on 9 kg of the Maize Munch per day, which is offered as a split feed. It is an extremely palatable ration and very consistent in terms of its quality. And the results speak for themselves.

“Finishing bulls are gaining over 2 kilos per head per day with steers achieving daily weight gains of 1.5kg. Of even more significance is the fact that 30% of the Friesian cattle kill out as Rs and with a fat cover of between 2.5 and 3.0.”

Dairygold Area Sales Manager Michael English, confirmed that Elite Maize Munch can be fed ad lib without the worry of cattle succumbing to digestive upsets.

“The ration has the proper mix of starch and digestible fibre plus Yea Sacc, all 3 work together to maintain rumen function and stop digestive upsets,” he explained.

“This ensures optimal rumen function at all times, thereby helping to secure the best possible levels of performance from finishing cattle.”

Michael also confirmed that weanling cattle on the Twomey farm are also fed Elite Maize Munch.

John maximises performance from grass post weaning.

KEY POINT: All the cattle are finished on a mix of baled silage and Dairygold’s Prime

Elite Maize Munch, a 14% crude protein coarse ration with 25% maize meal.


Dairygold maximises the use of qualityIrish Grain across it’s ruminant feed

Dairygold maximises the use of qualityIrish Grain across it’s ruminant feed

• Nutrient dense feed – high energy• 25% cracked maize – cracked to improve rumen

digestion and slower fermentation• 14% Protein• Contains YEA-SACC® – specially formulated for ad

lib feeding• Ideal for weanlings, finishing cattle and bulls

Contact your Area Sales Manager,Inside Sales or Lombardstown Mill

on 022 47275 to order

Dairygold Prime Elite A5 Leaflet_Layout 1 06/03/2017 16:24 Page 1


Plan for THE BEST SILAGE QUALITYKEY POINT: During the silage making process you will lose quantity (T/DM/acre) and quality (available energy). Between 15 - 30% of the grass you have standing in the field, will not make it into the your animal’s mouth as silage. The digestibility of ingested silage can be 0 - 7% units below the digestibility of the silage sward.

Silage to be cut in late May/early June needs to be closed in April.

The aim of the silage making process is to have:1. A high yield2. Of good quality grass

What factors affect the yield of silage?1. Recently reseeded Ryegrass swards are higher yielding than old permanent grassland. Dairygolds no. 2 grass seed mixture is

designed specifically for silage, with good spring grass growth, high silage yields and durable varieties to ensure a long lasting sward.

2. Correct P, K and pH status. Nutrients should be applied based on soil

fertility status. (see pages ?? for your silage fertiliser plan.

3. Avoid soil compaction.

4. Sufficiently long growth duration.

UNITS/AC

First cut grass silage nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P) and potassium (K) requirements (5t/ha DM)

Index N P K

1 100 32 140

2 100 24 120

3 100 16 95

4 100 0 0

For older swards with lower yield potential reduce N, P, and K by 20u N, 3u P and 20u K.3000 gals/ac of slurry reduces N, P, and K by 18u N, 15u P and 90u K.

If your silage sward is closed off in early April, with an average growth rate of 120kg/ha/day over a 6 week period you will have an 8T/acre crop.

Plan for THE BEST SILAGE QUALITYBy MICHAEL ENGLISH • [email protected]

www.agritrading.ie 21www.agritrading.ie March 2017

Plan for THE BEST SILAGE QUALITY

What factors affect the quality of silage?The quality of your silage is a function of:

1. The digestibility of your silage – is it leafy of stemmy?2. The preservation of your silage – is the taste/smell ok?3. The aerobic stability of your silage – is it heating or mouldy?

What factors affect silage digestibility:

CUTTING DATESRule of thumb: Grass DMD will decrease by 2.5% units per week in late May / early June.

SWARD TYPERecently reseeding perennial ryegrass swards are more digestible than old permanent grassland.

SILAGE DIGESTIBILITY

Silage Digestibility vs Beef Performance

DMD% 75 70 65 60

Intake (kg/day) 9.0 8.3 7.6 7.0

LWG (kg/day) 0.83 0.66 0.49 0.31

Carcass Gain 0.51 0.39 0.27 0.15

Ref: Teagasc Grange

a.

b.

1. Digestibility:The higher the digestibility of a silage, the higher the intake potential and the energy content (UFL).

A 70% DMD silage will support more live weight gain (LWG) than a 65% DMD silage at the same level of concentrates.

With finishing cattle, a general rule of thumb is that a 5% drop in DMD requires 1.5 kg of additional concentrates to support the same level of LWG.

Digestibility of Old Permanent Grassland vs Perennial Ryegrass

Carcass gain supported by old permanent grassland vs Perennial Ryegrass


DEAD GRASSSilage ground not grazed since the previous autumn may have a dead butt of grass. A dead butt of grass will have a DMD of 40-50%, reducing the DMD of your silage by 6-7 % points or increasing concentrate requirements by 1-2 kg meals, depending on the feeding system.

Grazing the silage ground in the spring will decrease yield. However delaying the harvest by 10 days will retrieve a lot of that yield.

Spring grazing can also decrease silage crude proteins by up to 1.5%.

As ground conditions improve we should target higher stocking rates on these fields over a short period to graze them out before fertilising and closing.


c.

d.

KEY POINT: Grazing any dead material off these fields should be a priority for farmers who want to make highly digestible silage.

WEATHERLodging in wet weather results in the accumulation of dead material at the base of the crop. This can increase the rate of decline in DMD from 2.5 units per week to up to 9 units per week.

Normal: DMD 75 to 72 % in 1 week ~ 3% units per week

Lodged + wet: DMD 75 to 69 % in 1 week ~ 6 - 9% units per week

2. PreservationThe better the preservation of a silage, the high the intake potential and LWG. Preservation is measured by the silage pH and ammonia-N%.

What are we trying to achieve:We want to reduce pH to pickle the silage.

What do we need for good preservation?• No air (Anaerobic conditions) – fast filling, well compacted, perfect sealing.

• Lactic acid bacteria- to drive down the pH• Sugars

Grass sugars are influenced by:• Weather

Sugars increase with sunshine & cool night. In general it increases as the grass crop matures, making low digestibility silage easier to preserve.

Sugars decrease in warm, overcast & wet weather. They can range from 1-7%.

GRASS SILAGE DIGESTIBILITY: reasons it can be below target

1 week delay in harvesting 2.5-3

Old pasture (little ryegrass) 5-6

Lodging 7-9

Not grazed (dead butt) 6-7

Bad preservation 2-3

Heating at feedout 2-3

Cause of drop in DMD Size of drop in DMD %

SILAGE PRESERVATION vs BEEF PERFORMANCE

Preservation Good Bad

pH 4.2 4.8

Ammonia – N% 7.0 18

DM intake (kg/day) 9.6 6.7

LWG (kg/day) 0.9 0.5

Carcass gain (kg/day) 0.5 0.3

IMPACT OF BAD PRESERVATION



KEY POINT: Sugars >3%

= good preservation.

Time of days is a small effect compared to weather over a number of days.

n Sward typeRyegrass produces more sugars than weed grasses. You are 4 times more likely to get a good preservation with perennial ryegrass than red fescue

n Fertiliser/manureHigh nitrogen application reduces grass sugar levels & increases buffering capacity, making silage more difficult to preserve. Expect silage to use up 2 units of N per day

n WiltingWilting under conditions where there is no drying will make it harder to preserve.

The benefits of wilting are greater after a wet spell. If there are continuous dry conditions it will do little to improve preservation.

n Growth stageStage of growth affects the buffering capacity of the silage. Buffering capacity is basically an indicator of the level of acid needed to drop the pH to 4. Young leafy grass with low sugars and high nitrogen will have a higher buffering capacity and will be harder to preserve.

n AdditivesThe use of an additive will help greatly in the preservation of young leafy crops or where N levels or sugar levels are not ideal. No one additive is ideal for all situations.

What is the additive doing? Is it:• Adding bacteria?• Adding sugar?• Adding acid?• Does it aid aerobic stability?

If using an additive it needs to generate a return on your investment. Additives can increase performance from conserved forage, lowering your concentrates requirements.

3. Aerobic StabilityYou never want to see heating and mould.Heating and moulds lead to:• loss of feed stuff• reduced intake• Loss of feed value. The heat is produced by and the moulds grown on the 100% digestible proportion of the silage.

Moulds can be hamful to animals and man. To minimise we need to limit the silages access to air when filling the pit, during storage and at feed out.

CHECKLIST TO LIMITING MOULD ON BALES• Wilt to >30% DM (<24hrs)• Make very firm bales• Apply a minimum of 4 layers of film• Bales wrapped in the field should be moved and stored immediately. Can you move to the yard before you wrap?

• Handle gently• Protect from wildlife• Repair any damage

To make the best quality silage you need a plan to achieve:

• Appropriate digestibility• Good preservation

• No heating/mouldat high yield & moderate costs.

THE EFFECT OF WILTING ON SILAGE PRESERVATION

DM% 21 32 14 22

pH 3.9 4.0 4.6 3.9

Ammonia-N% 8 5 15 7

DRY/DRY WET/DRY

UNWILT WILT UNWILT WILT

23


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Product Feed To:

Prime Elite Maize Munch

Prime Elite Maize Cube

Beeflav/Beef MealMix

Specialist high-energy 14% Protein finisher for high-concentrate finishing systems.

Powerful 16% Proteingrower/finisher feedfor rearing andfinishing systems.

Ad-lib Finishing Cattle

Ad-lib Finishing Cattle

Finishing Cattle on silage

Lactating Sucklercows

Weanlings

Very high level of energy

Very high level of energy

Barley top of list

High energy digestiblefibres

16% protein

Maize top of list

Maize coarsely processedrather than finely ground

Very high level of cereal

High energy digestible fibres

Good quality Protein sources = high levels of PDI

Yea-Sacc (included at recommended level for ad-lib feeding)

Increased LWG, carcass conformation, kill out % and fat scores (NB for bulls slaughtered at young age)

Increased LWG, carcass conformation, kill out % and fat scores (NB for bulls slaughtered at young age).Maximised LWG of growing stock

Energy from starchy ingredients used more efficiently for weight gain than energy from other ingredients

Slows fermentation, lower levels of acidosis and lameness. Higher FCE

High level of very digestible protein from good quality sources to fuel growth in younger animals and to increases carcass gain and kill out% in finishing stock

High energy raw material containing by-pass starch which maximised Food Conversion Efficiency (FCE), LWG, carcass gain and kill out%

Slows fermentation, lower levels of acidosis and lameness. Higher FCE

Switches on hormonal state that promotes LWG

Slows fermentation, lower levels of acidosis and lameness. Higher FC

High level of very digestible protein from good quality sources to increases carcass gain and kill out%.

Helps reduce acid build up in rumen, lower levels of acidosis and lameness. Higher Feed Conversion Efficiency (FCE) - i.e. the animals ability to convert total diet fed to production value such as daily live weight gains.

Finishing Cattle on silage

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