Production will finish at 365,000kg milksolids (MS) (486kg MS/cow, 1409kg MS/ha) with 460 tonnes drymatter (DM) of supplement bought in made up of crushed barley which was given to lighter cows between August and January, molasses fed in the dairy to supply minerals, silage and also palm kernel which is available in the autumn again to lighter cows. Fertiliser is spread in split applications according to requirements following soil tests and 255kg/ha of nitrogen has been applied.
Farm business manager Stacy McNaught said at the May 15 focus day at the farm there had been no “one thing” that boosted production.
“It’s better feeding, better body condition scores, consistency in everything we’re doing. It all sounds very, very basic but it works.”
The season’s figures are a turnaround from the 2008-09 season when 13,850kg DM was grown per hectare on the farm and 951kg MS/ha.
Farmwise consultant Steve Lee said when the two seasons were compared a number of factors stood out.
“They are there are more cows in milk now, a lot more milksolids are being produced, the cows are in better condition, there is more pasture as both average pasture covers and pre-graze covers are higher, a lot more supplements are fed and more nitrogen used.
“We’ve got a system that is now converting feed better into milk.”
Farm manager Barry Bethune said pre-graze mowing, strategic silage making and correct allocation had allowed the cows to eat more.
“We don’t like having the cows go back into a paddock to finish eating it after milking so we put up fences so the right amount of grass is there for them,” he said.
“Cows that are getting moved half way through the day because they have to finish a paddock before getting a new one eat less in the paddock and are spending more time on the race instead of eating.”
