Milk recording uptake ahead of regulation changes in 2022 continues to grow, according to the latest figures from the Irish Cattle Breeding Federation (ICBF).
As of July 2, uptake has increased by more than 22% when compared to the same period in 2020.
So far in 2021 there have been over 917,000 cows recorded to date, compared with just over 750,000 for the same period last year.
Milk recording
Milk recording offers many benefits to dairy farmers and with the change in antibiotic usage coming into effect early next year, this means that time is running out for farmers to build a profile of their herd and identify cows that will require antibiotics at drying off.
Some of the benefits include:
- Tracking your best and worst producers;
- Detecting high somatic cell count (SCC) cows and controlling your herd’s average SCC;
- It is useful as a culling tool;
- It adds value to your herd through improved herd records;
- It provides economic breeding index (EBI) reliability;
- Pregnancy testing; and
- Increased TB compensation.
Slow uptake
Uptake has been slow in Ireland, with less than 40% of herds in 2020 carrying out milk recording.
Speaking to some farmers that have yet to start, to obtain some of the reasoning why they have not yet started, some noted the farm infrastructure, believing that the milking parlour may not be suitable.
The recording companies have previously noted that milk recording can be completed in 99% of milking parlours. With many parlours that farmers believe not to be suitable actually well suited.
Many of the farmers mentioned said that they had a bad experience when they previously tried milk recording, with the main issue being poor cow identification.
There were also a number of farmers that did not see the benefit- and believed that it was just another expense being added to farms, that are already dealing with tight margins.