Although the good back end to the year has seen somewhat of a relief to fodder supplies across the country, shortages and the fear of running out is still a reality for many.
Silage pits on the majority of farms have been open for well over a month by now, so it is important to ensure that there is enough fodder in the pit.
Silage supplies may be tight, as growth rates during the summer months has seen a massive hit on silage supplies as farmers were unable to bulk up their silage cuts.
The poor growing conditions during the grazing season has meant that farmers have been feeding silage during the summer months to keep up with demand and drive milk production.
A number of factors have depleted silage supplies for the winter, and so, it is crucial that farmers know what silage they have in the yard, so measures can be put in place, rather than waiting until it’s too late.
Fodder budget
In order to complete a fodder budget, a farmer must measure all the silage pits in the yard first. To measure the amount of tonnes of silage in the yard, the calculation is length x width x height in meters and divided by 1.35.
Farmers also need to include the amount of bales in the yard and convert bales to the equivalent of tonnes of silage; multiply the number of bales by 0.9.
Once you have completed this, the farmer needs to determine the silage requirement for the animals that are housed this winter on the farm.
Typical dry matter (DM) intakes requirements/day:
- Dry dairy cows: 11-12kg of DM;
- Dairy cows: 16-21kg of DM (depending on yield/stage of lactation);
- Weanlings: 4-5kg of DM.
Given the reality in long winters in recent years, farmers should be preparing for the worst.
Doing so may be viewed as having a negative outlook, but having an extra month’s supply of fodder may be farmer’s saving grace next spring if weather does not go our way.
The management of your silage pit during the winter can contribute to a lot of silage wastage and farmers should be particularly mindful of that this winter.
Deficit
If farmers have discovered that they will run short on silage, the first option is to look at purchasing additional fodder.
Farmers should look into buying additional straw if fodder is tight as mixing it in with silage might help on preserving silage and will give the dry cow the fibre they need.
Another option, although it is an expensive one, is to feed extra meal to stretch feed reserves.
Milk price is in an alright place at the moment, and farmers may have been milking on empty cows as a result of this, but if fodder is tight, the best option is to sell them on.
Reducing stock numbers or keeping heifers out at grass for as long as possible may help with your fodder supplies.
In early spring, it may be an option to get the heifers and / or weanlings out at grass to ensure the cows are still receiving high quality silage.
What ever step you take in ensuring you have silage to see out the winter, it should not hinder your milking cow’s dietary needs and performance.