Is contract rearing heifers more viable due to the nitrates banding?

With the introduction of the nitrates banding, many farmers have been forced to make changes to their farm systems and reduce their stock numbers, so, does contract rearing heifers help farmers keep their cow numbers?

Farmers have learned to adapt to the changes in the nitrates regulations that sees their herd’s nitrogen (N) excretion rate from dairy cows being based off the herd’s average yield.

This has put pressure on many farms with higher yielding cows, with some farmers complaining that the banding is punishing the more efficient cow.

The N excretion rate when feeding a 15% crude protein (CP) nut will be either 80, 92 or 106kg N, depending on the herd’s average milk yield, and will be slightly lower when feeding a nut below 15% CP.

The proposed nitrogen excretion rates for 2024 as per the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM), is as follows:

While most farmers will be familiar with this chart by now, the issue is that many may have reduced their numbers to stay below the 170kg/ha N or to stay below the derogation limit of 220kg/ha N or 250 kg/ha N.

This has proven to be a major inconvenience, as many farmers are now left feeling uncertain regarding future breeding strategies.

Reducing stocking rate

A lot of farmers have been exploring different ways to reduce their organic stocking rate per ha through the renting of land, the reduction of stock, the contract rearing of heifers and the buying in of replacements.

As a result of the nitrates derogation, farmers are limited with the amount of cows they can farm per hectare, meaning that if land is too expensive, a guarantee a guaranteed returned investment is not a given.

One way of reducing your organic stocking rate and freeing up some land for your cows, is to buy in your replacement stock -which has its pros and cons.

Buying in your replacements the quickest way of improving the genetics of your herd, but, you are simultaneously risking introducing disease to your herd.

Contract rearing heifers

Contract rearing your heifers might be a more viable option if you want to free up some land for your milking cows and reduce your organic stocking rate while using your own genetics to improve your herd.

Contract rearing heifers has become quite popular with many dairy farmers. The concept is quite simple: replacement heifers leave a farm and return around 18 months later just ahead of calving.

A contract is agreed with the farm that rears, setting the standards that are required from both parties. This can vary slightly from farm to farm.

Although it might seem that removing young stock from the farm through contract rearing will have little impact on the stocking rate of the farm, it could be the difference of staying out of derogation or staying within your derogation stocking rate limit.

If you do manage to reduce your stocking rate substantially by removing a number of young stock to be contract reared, cow numbers should remain the same even with the freed up land, so that you don’t put yourself under unnecessary pressure.