Feeding Cows with Higher Milk Prices
The proponents of low grain input farming systems may well be missing an excellent opportunity to generate profit at today's milk prices. Feeding of significant levels of grain is now a widely adopted successful strategy on many dairy farms in Western Victoria.In the last 15 years we have seen the level of concentrate feeds rise from less than 1/2 tonne per lactation to well over 2 tonnes on some of the higher producing farms.
There is ample evidence to demonstrate that even at the low milk prices, high input feeding strategies will be cost effective under the management of good operators. The focus is on optimising pasture utilisation and maximising cow dry matter intake. This harnesses the efficiency of the cow's lactation such that she continues at significant levels of production for 300 days.
Low concentrate input farmers who already have high pasture utilisation rates, can readily benefit from the rewards of increased grain feeding.
They will see the benefits in:
- Better condition score
- Higher peak lactation
- Slower lactation decline
- Improved fertility performance
- Higher value of culls
It is difficult to measure immediate responses to grain feeding because of the number of variables that affect production in the short term. The value is measured over the long term. Condition score, for example, will have a flow on effect in the following season.
The impact of substitution on total pasture utilisation over a year will be influenced mostly by stocking rate and seasonal conditions.
At certain times it is an advantage to have substitution to limit pasture intake and reduce pugging. To attain the balance between efficient pasture use and maintaining milk production, there will be times when a compromise is necessary. Higher stocking rates and more aggressive spring pasture management will reduce this need to compromise.
Most farms would obtain a profitable response to feeding at least 1.5 tonnes of grain per cow per lactation. This would typically be achieved by feeding 3-6kg per day, varying with pasture availability. Farmers well accustomed to grain feeding have pushed production yields beyond 300kg fat per cow. Feeding two slugs of grain at milkings reduces the energy efficiency due to the acidosis following the rapid digestion of starch. Strategies used to control acidosis include the use of buffers, rumen modifiers, lower starch content concentrates (eg. lupins, corn) or feeding grain with a mixer wagon. Three times per day milking or using mixer wagons to supply all the feed in stall barns are alternative strategies. Any of these systems, if implemented satisfactorily, has the potential to be profitable, even in tough times.
Dairy farming is a universal agricultural pursuit in which management practices, world wide, are becoming less diverse. We are in the ideal position in Australia, to capitalise on our comparative advantages of climate, feed availability and cost of land. Grain feeding is part of that system and the challenge is to optimise its efficiency in our conditions.
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