Boosting rumen health is driving performance in a Co. Galway pedigree dairy herd.
At spring turnout, protein and butterfat levels in milk produced by David Keane’s 130 British Friesian cross Holsteins had been below what he knew the cows were capable of.
He tried different approaches to bolster performance, including feeding higher levels of concentrates in the parlour, but this was expensive and it didn’t rectify the problem.
“In the spring, we can’t control energy intakes because the cows get a lot of their feed in the form of grazed grass, energy levels at that time of the year are unpredictable,’’ says David, who farms at Carrowmore, Loughrea.
We were feeding 5-6kg of concentrates to try to balance this but butterfat and protein levels were still erratic. It was costing us a lot of money, in feed and in lost income, because we weren’t getting the milk quality bonuses.
David had been running the farm as a beef unit while also operating a steel fabrication business. He then converted the holding to dairy.
David Keane and Son Stephen
Overall condition improved
He sought advice from Mayo Healthcare on herd health and now has a pre-calving bolusing programme using Allguard and also gives cow access to Mayo Healthcare pre-calving mineral blocks.
This programme includes vet visits to monitor ketone levels and energy deficits.
“The service and accountability that comes with the pre-calving programme has helped us to resolve what had been a big problem,’’ says David.
“On the other hand, we did have issues going to grass; I knew the cows were not completely happy because the urea levels in the milk were up and down,’’ says David.
Through his contact with Mayo Healthcare, the company’s sales representative Pat Temple recommended he tried feeding Panatec Rumen Proof in the ration.
David gave it to the cows as Rumen Proof Parlour, where the product is incorporated into the concentrate at the mill.
“It tightened up the dungs immediately; the bubbling effect disappeared,’’ says David. “The cows had a good shine on their coats, their overall condition improved.’’
The improvement in performance and health was evident in milk quality and cow fertility. In 2019, average annual butterfat percentage rose to 4.5% and protein to 3.65%.
The breeding season is 12 weeks, the first six weeks to AI and the remaining six weeks with a mop up stock bull.
Of the 103 cows served in that year, only four failed to get in calf.
Although there was a cost to feeding Rumen Proof, David says with improved performance comes profit.
The support he received from Mayo Healthcare was extremely beneficial, he adds.
Further information
For more information on Panatec Rumen Proof, go to: www.mayohealthcare.ie; or just click here
