Farmers must prioritise the next generation of milking cows by ensuring that the target weights of their replacement heifers are realised over the coming months.

With this in mind, heifers should reach 30% of their mature bodyweight at six months of age and achieve 60% of mature weight when bred at 15 months.

Over the next few months, optimal average daily gain may be difficult to maintain when grass growth/quality declines and grazing conditions become more challenging. So it is important to consider where your replacement heifers are in relation to targets (% of mature weight) currently.

By weighing heifers in early autumn as opposed to weighing at the point of housing, farmers can identify which animals are behind target. The best advice is to group accordingly and make alternative plans for heifers below their target weights.

Underweight heifers are considered to be those that are 5% or more below target bodyweight. Therefore, the regular weighing of heifers can help farmers to keep track of performance through the season.

Heifers that are lighter than this should be separated and given priority access to the highest quality grass and be re-introduced to concentrates depending on their weight relative to the herd’s target.

Higher weight gains can be achieved from grass rather than from winter/silage diets and a good response to autumn supplementation can be achieved. Should grass be in short supply and quality or when conditions are deteriorating, under-target replacement heifers should be fed a supplement until housing time to maintain weight. To increase growth rates, 1-2kg of concentrate/head/day should be sufficient.

Research shows that youngstock at grass in summer can achieve a weight gain of 0.85kg/day on grass alone. Come the autumn, where 1kg of concentrate plus high-quality grass are offered, average daily gains of 1kg/head/day can be achieved.

For more information, contact your local Agritech Sales Advisor here.

As spring looms ever closer, we fast approach the influx of the next generation of calves on farm. Replacement heifers born over the next few weeks will calve down in February 2027, become the herds mature stalwart cows of 2030 and the influence we can have on the beginning of their lives will long be felt regarding longevity, milk production, and overall herd health.

Year on year we will discuss, read and write about 3-2-1 rules and how important colostrum management is. Yet conversations still arise around how best to avoid scour outbreaks in sheds, anti-scour remedies etc., and as we face into another spring a back-to-basics approach should be taken with colostrum.

Get the basics right

Its important to remember that the calf’s first opportunity for infection is via its navel or mouth – and its first contact from both will happen in the calving pen. Cows’ underbelly, teats and calving pen bedding become the first source of possible infection for a new-born calf. Hence the importance of good dry cow cubicle management. Prolonged time spent in calving areas are often a key issue with disease transfer in herds, especially where unhygienic conditions as also a factor. From here, all feed equipment must be disinfected before colostrum is collected and fed. Dirt contamination of colostrum is now known to have a negative effect on passive transfer and therefore cleanliness of the collection process is vital.

Storage is also imperative – it is an all-too-common sight to see open buckets of colostrum in the parlour/dairy – and where ambient conditions arise, bacterial counts can double every 20 minutes. A dam-to-calf systems is obviously the ideal, however during extremely compact calving periods this can sometimes be difficult to obtain. Colostrum quality will vary massively between cows depending on age/parity, volume produced, dry period length, and dry cow nutrition, etc.  If we can avoid pooling and use a 1-cow to 1-calf option. At the very least where pooling occurs colostrum must be Brix tested to avoid dilution happening with poor quality colostrum.

Vaccination of the dam is also a key consideration to help reduce risks around calf health. However, it is worth noting, that passive transfer from a vaccine only occurs from dam-calf via colostrum and transition milk, so all of the above applies to get full coverage from vaccinating the herd.

Research has shown where passive transfer is 100% successful mortality rates of <5% is achievable, in stark contrast where passive transfer rates of 85-90% is achieved, mortality rates can increase to ~ 8%.
Treat colostrum management with the respect and attention it deserves.

In the weeks post-calving, cows will produce more milk than their feed intake can provide for, resulting in Body Condition loss due to Negative Energy Balance. A cow typically reaches peak milk output 6-8 weeks post-calving but will only reach peak dry matter intake 10-12 weeks after calving. However, the success of breeding 2024 is mainly dictated by the severity and duration of this period of NEB during the weeks post-calving.

NEB will firstly appear in the form of low milk protein % in the short term and in the more long-term have detrimental consequences on fertility during the breeding season. The overall objective is to have calved down the cow at a BCS of 3.25 and maintain an average herd BCS of 3.0 (range 2.75 – 3.25) at the start of breeding, to achieve optimal fertility.

Keeping body condition loss to less than 0.5 BCS between calving and breeding has proven to significantly increase the likelihood of conception to first service, with cows that lost <0.5 body condition score between calving and breeding typically shown to ovulate 15 days sooner, than cows which lost >1 BCS.

In very practical terms, this means bridging and filling the energy gap between what the cow outputs relative to what is put into her in regard to feed. Forage quality (which is lower in many cases after the difficult 2023 silage season) and getting high quality grass into the diet will be the main dictating factors here.

After this, most of the energy deficit will have to be filled via concentrates in the parlour, with milk output coupled with silage analysis and ability to get to grass, dictating feeding rates this spring.

For more information, contact your local Agritech Sales Advisor. 

The ultimate goal of calf rearing is to set up a heifer to achieve target weights over her lifetime in order to maximise profitability. These targets will include doubling her birthweight at the point of weaning, achieving 60% of her mature weight at breeding, and calving down at 24 months at 90% of her mature body weight.

To reach such targets, replacement heifers need to achieve a steady gain of approximately 0.75 kg/day from birth. Interruptions to performance over the calf-rearing period may offset such target weights being achieved. Therefore, adopting best practice calf rearing advice and protocols are of key importance over the next few vital weeks.

3-2-1 Rule

Good colostrum management is the most important factor in calf health and survival. Over the last 3-5 years, 70% of calves that presented for a post-mortem at regional veterinary laboratories, were found to have received either poor quality or insufficient quantities of colostrum.

When feeding colostrum, it is essential that the 3-2-1 rule is adhered to. This includes providing the calf with at a minimum of 3 litres (or 5-6% of a calf’s birth weight), within 2 hours of birth, using colostrum from the cows first milking. This process should then be repeated 8 hours later, however it is important to note that by the second milking, the dam’s immunoglobulin content will have halved.

Cleanliness of colostrum is a huge dictating factor, as the amount of dirt particles or contamination to the colostrum before entering the calf will limit the amount of immunity absorption available. Feeding pooled colostrum to calves is also not recommended as it can lead to major risk factors including increased disease risk and poor-quality colostrum entering the pool.

With this in mind, it is essential to ensure that all utensils are sterile and that milking protocols and good colostrum harvesting hygiene are applied.

Calf Hygiene and Facilities

Facilities ideally should be clean, dry, draught free, with good ventilation. A new-born calf will spend over 80% of their time lying down, therefore it is imperative to provide a deep, warm, dry bed always.

Calves should spend minimal time periods in the calving-pen to avoid picking up infection or disease. To avoid carrying disease into the calf shed over the peak calving months, set-up a wash point at the entrance to the calf shed for staff, vets, etc. Early detection of sick calves and isolation to avoid spreading bacterial infections, is also of high importance.

Rumen Development

Once a calf starts to intake water and starter concentrates/ration, we introduce healthy bacteria into the rumen which will kick-start rumen development. Starter concentrates and ad-lib fresh water should be available to the calf from three days of age. A clean source of long roughage/fibre (e.g. straw) should also be available at all times to promote dry matter intakes This forage should be offered above ground level in racks/mangers.

Weaning should only ever be considered once calves are consuming 1.5 kg of concentrates/day. Weaning calves on a weight basis, compared to an age basis, will result in a more uniform batch.

Milk Replacer Choice

When it comes to milk replacer, the three main benefits include:

1. Cost effectiveness
2. Reduced risk of disease transfer in the herd
3. Consistency in the calf’s diet

Milk replacer should be dairy derived and contain a high dairy content. Dairy proteins are more easily digestible and available to the calf compared to plant-based proteins. Both Vitalac Red and Blue Calf Milk Replacers contain a 90-95% dairy content.

Milk replacer should replicate the role of good quality whole milk, typically offered at 12.5% milk solids (E.g. 125 g powder, into 875ml clean water to make 1 litre of milk). Feeding a calf twice-a-day at 6 litres/day would result in offering the calf 750 g of powder/day.

When mixing, adhere to the milk replacer guidelines outlined below using fresh clean, warm water and sterile mixing and feeding utensils. The optimal drinking temperature of the calf milk replacer is 39°C. To prepare the milk, dissolve the powder in two-thirds of the amount of water at 55-60°C and add the remaining water at room temperature until the optimum drinking temperature is reached.

See typical milk replacer feeding guidelines below:

More Information:

For more information, browse our Vitalac Calf Milk Replacer page or download the Agritech-Milk-Replacer-Brochure (2.5MB).

As we approach calving 2021 the focus should be on final preparations that will result in a spring free from any upsets, nutritional issues or metabolic diseases during an already busy time on farm.

Several key factors will correlate directly to the success of calving 2021, including:

• A planned and well executed dry cow mineral programme
• Calving down the cow in the correct body condition score
• Excellent husbandry in the weeks pre- and post-calving
• Careful transition diet planning

It is always worth remembering at this time in the year, that key decisions made over the next number of weeks will have a direct e­ffect on the performance of the herd, especially herd fertility – submission and conception rates, ultimately a­ffecting the longevity of the cow within the herd.

Negative Energy Balance

In the weeks post-calving, cows will produce more milk than their feed intake can provide for, resulting in Body Condition Score (BCS) loss due to Negative Energy Balance. Research has shown NEB will firstly, reduce milk protein and if prolonged, have detrimental consequences on the breeding season.

The milking cow should receive an adequate diet to optimise milk solids production and keep body weight loss to less than 0.5 BCS between calving and breeding. Cows that lose < 0.5 BCS over this time (approx. 25 kg) typically ovulate 15 days earlier than those cows that lose 1 BCS during this period.

Dry matter intake typically increases by 0.75 – 1.0 kg/week for the first 8 weeks of lactation, therefore being 8 weeks post-calving before maximum intake is reached – highlighting the need for an energy-dense transition diet.

Every farm scenario is different, and tailored advice should be given where issues arise. However, early preparation and planning is vital to avoid added stresses on farm

On farm support during COVID-19

In order to keep our customers and staff as safe as possible, our sales team and distributors we will be minimising the number of on farm consultations. We are however, as always, available for FREE delivery direct to farm and over the phone consultations. Contact your local Agritech sales rep/distributor to place your order or click here.  

The Irish dairy cow is working harder now than ever before, with longer lactations and shorter dry periods. In contrast to much of the global dairy herd, the predominant typical Irish dairy cow consumes her dietary requirements primarily from grazed and conserved grass, meaning that less concentrate is fed during the lactation.

As grazed grass is generally low in minerals and trace elements, and with concentrate mixtures generally supplemented with some level of minerals, spring calving grass based dairy cows can become quite depleted of minerals by the end of their lactation. It is therefore vital that the dry cow is supplemented with a high quality mineral throughout the entire dry period. 

Following a dry cow management plan has proven very successful for Co. Westmeath farmer, Hugh Gaffney. Alongside his father, Mattie, Hugh is milking a herd of 120 British Friesian cows just outside Killucan, Co. Westmeath. The farm is run on a grass based, spring calving system, with bull and heifer calves later sold as stores.  

According to Hugh, giving close consideration to good nutrition, careful management, and the addition of a high quality dry cow mineral has played a vital role in improving health and immunity in both his cows and new born calves.       

VIDEO: TAKE A LOOK AT HUGH GAFFNEY’S DRY COW PROGRAMME:

Dry Cow Management Plan

How you feed and manage your herd during the dry cow period will influence subsequent yields and fertility, along with conditions which manifest post calving, such as milk fever, metritis, ketosis, and displaced abomasums. 

A key part of Hugh’s dry cow management plan is monitoring body condition score (BCS), and correcting where necessary before calving. Hugh’s dry cows are batched according to BCS and cubicles are maintained in a clean hygienic manner throughout the dry period. It is best practice to dry off cows at, or close to, the best BCS for calving (3.00 – 3.25). It is also critical to maintain this condition score throughout the dry period. 

Agritech recommend a silage quality target of at least 72DMD. In addition to receiving good quality forage and supplemental concentrate where necessary, Hugh’s cows are fed a minimum of 6kgs of Agritech’s Welmin™ Dry Cow Elite mineral before calving. This is viewed as critical in order to improve health and immunity and reduce the risk of metabolic disorders in his herd.  

Dry Cow Elite

Key macro minerals required by the dry cow include high availability magnesium and trace elements such as organic selenium, chelated and hydroxy copper and zinc. Welmin™ Dry Cow Elite goes further than other dry cow supplements in terms of bolstering the cow’s immune system ahead of the rigours of calving through the inclusion of supplemental B vitamins, ImmunoWall yeast, and high levels of key vitamins A, D3 and E. This complete package is crucial in order to increase health and immunity, minimise retained placenta levels, and aid the uterine involution (cleansing) process post calving.

Addressing the bioavailability challenge

Agritech’s Welmin™ Mineral Range has also been at the forefront in addressing the bioavailability challenge; a challenge which has led to secondary mineral deficiencies becoming more prominent in modern livestock operations. These deficiencies are a result of antagonists binding with key minerals in the rumen, ultimately causing them to pass through the animal unabsorbed.

It is now widely accepted that the inclusion of elements from multiple sources significantly enhances the absorption of each element. Agritech have embraced this superior approach as their mineral range includes copper, selenium, iodine and zinc from multiple sources to ensure optimum bioavailability of these key elements. 

Intellibond C is also included in many of Agritech’s mineral mixtures, which is a highly available source of copper. Intellibond C is not soluble at neutral rumen pH which results in a rumen by-pass trace element that gives increased trace mineral stability in the intestine. Copper from Intellibond C is released slowly over the full length of the small intestine, resulting in more efficient copper absorption and thereby improving overall intestinal health.

On farm support during COVID-19

In order to keep our customers and staff as safe as possible, our sales team and distributors we will be minimising the number of on farm consultations. We are however, as always, available for FREE delivery direct to farm and over the phone consultations. Contact your local Agritech sales rep/distributor to place your order or click here. 

For further advice or information on our Welmin Mineral Supplements range, click here

With most Irish dairy herds calving in the months of February and March, now is a very important time to apply some key practices that will influence the 2020 lactation.

The key influencers of a productive and profitable 2020 lactation are:

• Body condition score
• Udder health
• Stress free drying off

BODY CONDITION SCORE

Body condition score (BCS) is the foundation for a successful start to the cow’s lactation. The ideal BCS score range is 3.0 to 3.25 in most herds. Cows calving down in this range experience less metabolic issues in early lactation e.g. milk fever, metritis, displaced abomasums.

A simple system to manage BCS for the dry period is to divide cows into three groups:

Group 1: Cows in the 3.0 to 3.25 range. This group should be stocked at one cow per cubicle and fed silage to maintain body condition, e.g. 12 kg of silage to provide 6 UFL/ day.
Group 2: Cows in this group are under 3.0 BCS. This group should be stocked at 90% of a shed’s capacity. This reduces competition for feed space and promotes a more relaxed environment that will encourage live-weight gain in the cow. This group should receive high quality silage or meal to provide 8+ UFL/day.
Group 3: Cows in this group are over 3.25 BCS. This group need to either maintain BCS or lose some body weight. This group should be stocked at a slightly higher shed stocking rate e.g. 110% of a shed’s capacity, which will create a little more competition within the group for feed and space. This group should be on a restricted silage diet to provide less than 5.5 UFL/day. However, additional roughage should be provided to ensure the cow achieves optimum rumen fill.

Note:
• It is important that all groups are monitored regularly to ensure they reach the optimum BCS of 3.0 to 3.25. Cows should be moved from their groups if they are moving outside this range.
• It is critical that a dry cow mineral is provided to each of the above groups. A dry cow should receive a minimum of 6 kg of dry cow minerals in advance of calving in order to ensure that she is adequately replenished and prepared for calving and next year’s lactation. Click here to view our Welmin Mineral Range.
• It is essential to provide fresh clean water adlib.
• All cows should be moved from their groups 14 days pre-calving to a transition group where they are introduced to an increased energy and protein diet.

UDDER HEALTH

With an increasing pressure to reduce antibiotic use in the dry period, shed hygiene is becoming ever more important during the dry period. Factors which promote a hygienic environment include:

1) Adequate lying space (1 cubicle per cow).
2) Adequate feed space.
3) Adequate ventilation.
4) Adlib fresh clean water.

In addition to this, most Irish dairy farms use a bedding conditioner on cubicles. A good bedding conditioner should meet the following criteria:

• Highly absorbent to control bacteria growth.
• Be kind on both the farmer and animal’s skin.
• Absorbs ammonia odours to help air quality and reduce stress on the animal’s lungs.
• Easy to apply in a low volume per square meter.
• Contains effective antibacterial properties.

A good example is Sanitise Bedding Conditioner, which is designed to promote a dry hygienic environment in the bedding of all livestock. This product goes above and beyond traditional methods due to its low application rate as well as the inclusion of high quality essential oils, antibacterial properties, and a unique hoof conditioner. Click here to view our Sanitise Bedding Conditioner.

For further advice on any of the above areas discussed, contact your local Agritech distributor or sales representative.

One of the biggest challenges facing Irish farmers is being able to feed stock in a way that will give the biggest return on investment. As a standalone feed, silage is expensive to produce, and when a land charge is factored in, first cut silage is now costing in the region of €300 per acre to grow and ensile. It is therefore most important that the desired level of silage quality is achieved as often as possible.

Maximising silage quality has never been more important for Co. Tipperary farmer, Albert Purcell. Albert is a beef and tillage farmer who up until recent years, placed more attention on making quantity versus quality silage. As a result, silage quality and animal performance was poor, leading to an over reliance on purchased concentrates.

With the help of Agritech’s Technical Nutritionist, Bil Ryan, Albert put a plan in place to overcome these challenges. He now gives close consideration to reseeding with good quality grass seed, careful management of the silage pit and using a good quality silage additive.

WATCH ALBERT’S STORY BELOW

Reseeding with quality grass seed  

Pastures can lose quality as they get older, and maintaining a high percentage of perennial ryegrass in the sward is crucial in order to maximise output from the forage. A grass sward containing 100% perennial ryegrass will grow up to 3t DM/ha more than a sward containing 15% perennial ryegrass and it also produces a higher feed quality, thereby increasing animal performance, i.e. milk output and daily live-weight gain.

Bil’s advice to farmers for optimum germination and a successful reseed is achieving a properly prepared seedbed. Applying appropriate nutrients will also help ensure optimum germination and adequate fuel to sustain the new reseed through the winter ahead. At index 3, applying at least 3 bags of 10.10.20, plus 1 tonne of lime is advisable.

Complementing your preparation efforts with the right grass seed mixture is key. According to Bil, “Agritech’s Tipperary Grass Seed Range has a mix for every situation. Our Tipperary Grass No.5 mixture is designed to produce up to five cuts of high quality forage as zero-grazing or three cuts of silage. Our traditional Tipperary Grass No.3 mixture is ideal for two cuts of silage, plus shoulder grazing.”

Reducing ensiling losses  

Reducing ensiling losses is extremely important for improved feed efficiency and greater animal performance. Following the pit management practices outlined below will help;

• Prepare pit well in advance of the expected harvest date; wash out pit and identify any leaks, cracks, and unsealed and eroded joints. Lay down protective layers of sheets inside the pit walls to facilitate an excellent seal at the pit edges.
• The pit should be filled evenly, with each layer of silage no more than 20cm. Each layer should be well consolidated to remove air.
• Use a vacuum sheet as the first sheet and cover by folding in the two side sheets and fitting the final top sheet. Weigh down with tyres to secure the clamp.

Maximising animal performance

Agritech’s GrasZyme SugarBoost Forage Additive has long proven itself as an effective silage preservation aid and has been developed with accelerated fermentation and animal performance as the primary focus. According to Bil, “the ultimate aim from the use of a silage additive is to enhance animal performance, deliver more milk and live-weight gain at feed out and increase farm profitability.”

Having undergone numerous trials on dairy and beef research institutes throughout Ireland and the UK, the additive has shown daily milk yield increases of 1 litre, a 0.09% increase in milk protein and 110 grams extra daily live-weight gain.

The technology used in the additive has also been scientifically proven to reduce unnecessary plant breakdown and ensure reliability even in difficult low sugar conditions. Independent trials have shown that in a 500t clamp, GrasZyme SugarBoost retains an extra 30 tonnes of silage and ensiling dry matter losses of 6.1% were also reported from these trials.

WATCH OUR SILAGE PRESERVATION VIDEO BELOW 

For more information, contact your local Agritech distributor or view our GrasZyme SugarBoost page

“With lengthy dry periods no longer in existence, quality silage is an essential requirement for the freshly calved cow as it will help support early lactation milk yield and allow the cow to return to cyclicity as quickly as possible.

“For beef cattle, a daily live-weight gain of 0.6 kg is considered the optimum for winter performance where the animals are returning to grass in the spring. Quality silage will again play a key role in achieving this growth level,” John explains.

Silage samples recently analysed show significant variations in quality, with many Irish beef farms estimating an average of just 66% dry matter digestibility (DMD). The difference between good and bad silage quality has a significant impact on animal performance. In the winter of 2012, Teagasc in conjunction with the Irish Cattle Breeding Federation (ICBF), conducted a study on weanling performance on 18 farms when housed. The results indicated a significant shortfall in live-weight performance, despite all of the farms feeding 1 – 2.5kg of silage/head/day. Only four of the 18 farms had a daily live-weight gain in excess of 0.51 kg and seven of the farms had an average daily live-weight gain of just 0.25kg.

According to John, silage of 75% DMD in quality must be a target for farms going forward. Quality silage starts with quality grass cut at the correct growth stage. Every silage field which contains a high proportion of perennial ryegrasses will have a sward of 80% DMD by the middle of May. Once grass silage fields go past this, they lose an average of 3% DMD units per week, with this loss increasing to 6% DMD units in poor weather or lodged crops.

“The application of a proven silage additive at ensiling is a very important part of securing as much of the quality in the winter forage as possible. It speeds up the preservation and retains more of the feed value within the pit, in addition to retaining more actual silage in the pit. In fact, the extra retained silage alone will cover the cost of the additive,” says John.

Our GrasZyme SugarBoost Forage Additive has long proven itself as an effective silage preservation aid and is formulated with accelerated fermentation and animal performance as the primary focus. Having undergone numerous trials on dairy and beef research institutes throughout Ireland and the UK, the additive has shown daily milk yield increases of 1 litre, a 0.09% increase in milk protein and 110g extra daily live-weight gain.

For more information, contact your local Agritech distributor  

Although temperatures are beginning to rise, calves are still at risk of contracting pneumonia. Take a look at some of the common causes as well as our effective solutions below:

Causes

• Variation in high day temperatures and low night temperatures. If greater than 13°C, animals are at a higher risk of pneumonia
• Poor shed ventilation, i.e. leaving doors open in the late evening
• Overstocking sheds. As calves grow, they require more ground and air space

Solutions 

• Treat all symptoms immediately
• Provide shelter, space and keep calves rehydrated at all times
• Boost calf immunity by feeding Vitameg in both milk and feed

Vitameg

Vitameg is a feeding supplement with prebiotic and Omega-3 for young ruminants.

Vitameg’s combination of ingredients when fed to young ruminants will:

• Increase feed intakes.
• Stimulate rumen development.
• Increase daily live weight gain.
• Support calf natural defence mechanism.
• Improve digestibility

View our Vitameg brochure 

To find out more, contact your local distributor