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.

Planning ahead is the key ingredient for success. Below we outline a number of key tasks that farmers must address to ensure that they are ready for the New Year.

Silage Analysis

Favourable weather conditions created excellent autumn grazing conditions across the country, enabling many farms to bulk up silage stocks and reduce the risk of fodder deficits this winter. Despite this, it is essential not to become complacent, therefore we recommend that every farm establishes the quality and supply of silage in order to ensure that all animals are fed for optimum performance. Simply measure length x width x height (metres)/1.4 to give an accurate assessment of fresh tonnes of silage in the pit.

Cow Body Condition Analysis

Cow body condition analysis is one of the most important jobs to be completed on farms at this time of the year. We recommend that farmers segregate under conditioned cows, especially first time calvers and those carrying twins, and supplement appropriately. A simple mix of soya and a barley or oats blend will fit most situations with the ratios and feeding levels dictated by silage quality and cow condition.

Dry Cow Mineral Supplementation

Dry cow supplementation is essential for this time of the year. With a feeding recommendation of 100 grams per head per day, it is important that an increased amount of feed per day is given to cows who started their dry cow supplements late. A dry cow should receive a minimum of 6kgs 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 for more information or take a read of our brand new 2019 Welmin Brochure.

Housing Hygiene 

With herd sizes increasing, the pressure on calving facilities and calf housing has become intense on many farms. If you suspect that cryptosporidium is a problem on your farm, it is important to ensure that the disinfectant you use addresses this hazardous threat. Steam cleaning is also a very useful tool in the fight against this parasite. It is highly recommended to apply a suitable hygiene product such as our Sanitise Bedding Conditioner to the disinfected area.

Vaccinations

A ‘dry’ farm is not an assurance against fluke infection, therefore the herd should be dung sampled to establish if parasites exist. Many of the anti-scour vaccines have a recommended application time of between 12 and 3 weeks before calving, making now an excellent time to vaccinate the early calving portion of the herd. Be careful to adhere to the regulatory guidelines when addressing fluke infections.

Soil Testing

Now is also a great time to carry out the required soil tests on your farm. Ideally, the optimum time to test is 12 + weeks following the application of chemical fertilizer or slurry. When soil testing, it is important to ensure that the test taken is an accurate representation of the area being tested. This is best achieved by using a soil core and walking the area in a ‘W’ formation. 250 grams is an adequate amount of soil to include for each sample.

For further advice on any of the above items discussed, please contact your local distributor. 

Wishing all our customers a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

As we approach Christmas and the days shorten, the majority of stock are now housed for the winter months to allow grass pastures to rest before the growing season of 2019.

To ensure animals remain healthy in these confined shed areas, it is important to consider the following factors:

1. Adequate lying space (Standard Cubicle)
2. Adequate feed space (Min. 600ml/hd)
3. Adequate natural light.
4. Adequate natural ventilation.
5. Adequate fresh water.

These are the basic requirements for an animal to remain healthy and productive. As with all man-made structures, design can limit the likelihood of fulfilling these basic requirements. If any or all of the above are limited and combined with the Irish weather (mild and moist air ventilation), it can create the ideal environment for bacteria and viruses to flourish.

Bedding Conditioner Requirements

To help reduce the risk of disease, most Irish farms are at some level using bedding conditioners.

A good bedding conditioner should satisfy the following:

1. Be highly absorbent as this is the foundation for a successful fight against bacteria growth.
2. Be kind to sensitive skin while neutralising the animal’s lying area.
3. Absorb ammonia odours to help air quality and reduce stress on the animal’s lungs.
4. Be easy to apply in a low volume per square meter. Ideally with a low dust content to help reduce irritation to the eyes and animal nasal passages.
5. Contain highly effective antibacterial properties.

Sanitise Bedding Conditioner

As units have expanded rapidly in the last number of years, this has provided an opportunity for us to develop our specialist product, Sanitise, a housing and bedding conditioning solution which promotes a dry hygienic environment in the bedding of all livestock.

Sanitise contains a high absorbent plant-based material which is highly effective at absorbing moisture from the bedding environment. It includes a blend of essential oils with natural antibacterial properties that gives a refreshing smell and neutralises the effect of ammonia, which in turn, reduces respiratory problems. As an added bonus, Sanitise contains a hoof conditioner to help counteract foot problems associated with standing in slurry and wet areas.

Application

Sanitise is very easy to apply either with a machine or by hand at 50g / cubicle/ square meter. Take a look at our application  video below:

For more information on Sanitise, click here or contact your local Agritech distributor. 

We are going to be at the Royal Ulster Winter Fair at the Eikon Exhibition Centre, Balmoral Park, Lisburn on 10th December 2015. This is Northern Ireland’s premier indoor event in the dairy farming sector and we’re excited to welcome you to our stand.

There will be strong messages coming from exhibitors at this year’s Winter Fair on all topics of high priority in our modern farming systems for increased milk yields, greater production efficiencies, and optimum herd health. Farmers demand more from their stock and recognise that this can only be achieved through expert management techniques and quality inputs. And that’s where we can help you.

Calf Health

At Agritech, we continue to introduce improved products to our portfolio in response to farmer’s requirements and herd health is at the centre of our universe. Herd health must begin from the moment the calf is born and that is why we have dedicated so much effort to bring a high quality Milk Replacer such as Vitalac to the market. Tried and tested by Teagasc at Grange Research Institute, Vitalac showed increases in live weight gain and concentrate intake of 8% and 10% over other leading brands on the market. The Vitalac range of Milk Replacers are whey-based, recommended for the stable and efficient rearing of dairy calves. Come find out more about the Vitalac range at our stand.

Housing management

We have also developed products outside of feeding supplements and recently introduced ‘Sanitise’ to the market which we will be demonstrating at the Winter Fair. Sanitise Bedding Conditioner is a housing and bedding conditioning solution to promote a dry hygienic environment in the bedding of all livestock. The importance of a dry lying area has been the force behind development of this product and is the foundation for success in the fight against disease causing bacteria which are present in the animal lying areas from leaked milk, uterine discharges, urine, faeces, animal perspiration and humidity. In addition, this product goes above and beyond traditional methods due to the inclusion of essential oils, a hoof conditioner and a low application rate.

Many of our representatives will be on the stand at Pavilion 2, Stand number 227 so be sure to pop in for a chat on 10th December. Team Agritech look forward to seeing you.