Early lactation performance in a high-yielding Holstein herd has vastly improved since a feed additive was introduced pre and post-calving to protect rumen health and prevent ruminal acidosis.

Father and son Joe and Michael Connell run the pedigree Knockmoules herd at Ballyboughal in Co. Dublin, calving the herd in two blocks.

Around 90 cows are in milk at any one time, producing an average milk yield per cow of 9,825L at 684kg solids with milk sold to Glanbia. Calving in the spring block gets underway in the first week of January and the autumn calvers from August 20.

‘No brainer’

To control the transition diet, dry cows are housed for a month before they are due to calve, with the feed additive Rumen Proof sprinkled onto silage 10 days before calving.

This residue-free feed additive is manufactured by Mayo Healthcare and acts as a rumen enhancer for greater performance and improved energy in the rumen.

Rumen Proof was first introduced because cows were not achieving the early lactation performance they were capable of. Its effectiveness was evident from the very start, says Michael, with cows producing 18-20L after 48 hours.

This, he reckons, is due in part to Rumen Proof encouraging higher intakes. “Instead of eating 5kg of meal after calving they are now eating 7kg,’’ he says.

“Before we fed Rumen Proof, dungs would be very loose if there was more meal in the diet but by introducing the additive before they calve it builds them up a bit.’’

Once the cows are in milk they receive Rumen Proof in the parlour – it is incorporated at the milling stage in the concentrates supplied by Lakeland Dairies; prior to that it was sprinkled onto feed in the parlour.

As nutrition and health disorders in early lactation affect peak milk, Michael says adding Rumen Proof to prevent issues with acidosis is a “no brainer’’.

He previously only fed it during the transition period but now uses it throughout the year.

“At the second or third round of grazing, the butterfats used to drop due to acidosis but adding Rumen Proof to the meal in the parlour has worked very well in stabilising butterfats.

It costs 15-16c/head/day. At roughly the equivalent of our payment for half a litre of milk it is well worth it.’

As well as performance, milk quality has improved too. “Before we started using Rumen Proof the somatic cell count (SCC) averaged 131,000 cells/ml; it is now down to 93,000,” says Michael.

And, with milk urea tests showing less volatility, this has been good for foot health and fertility.

The herd is high yielding but grazed grass is a big part of the system. Cows are mostly turned out to pasture in the second week in February, although this year turnout was delayed due to the very wet conditions, with cows out by day at the end of February and fully grazing from March 14.

The dry cow diet is mostly very high dry matter silage which is made on 30ac of land where no slurry or compound fertiliser is applied, only nitrogen.

Dry cows also receive magnesium flakes. “It works a treat at preventing milk fever; we only had one clinical case of milk fever last year,’’ says Michael.

No plan to change feeding Rumen Proof

The Knockmoules herd has been developed by selecting genetics within the Profitable Lifetime Index, using sires that have a high weighting for butterfat, protein and all-type traits. The Connells aim to breed medium-sized strong cows.

The Connells are currently improving their infrastructure, adding 30 cubicles to augment existing facilities and also including a feed passage and an area for storing straights.

“It will allow us to feed beet or brewers’ grain if the price is right,’’ says Michael.

Cow diet currently includes maize silage, which is bought by the tonne, but the feed passage will allow for a switch to total mixed ration (TMR) feeding.

“Feeding TMR will allow us to feed straw in the diet,’’ Michael explains.

One part of the system he doesn’t plan to change is feeding Rumen Proof.

“I can’t see a day when I would ever want to stop feeding it,” he admits. “Even if I was getting 25c/L for my milk the cost would only be equivalent to around 1/2 a litre of milk a day. You can scrimp and save but by so doing you can cause problems.

“For instance, if you need to get the vet out for three or four displaced abomasums, think how much Rumen Proof the cost of that could buy you.’’

Further information

For more information on Panatec Rumen Proof, go to: www.mayohealthcare.ie; or just click here