No dip in cow performance at spring turnout in Rumen Proof-fed herd

A dairy farming business is maximising the value of its milk contract by overcoming feed challenges at spring turnout.

Gary Shaw milks 120 crossbreds at Ballyhaunis, Co. Mayo, in a share farming agreement with farm owner Tomas Murphy. The herd calves from the first week of February with cows turned out promptly to capture a high proportion of spring milk from grass.

That transition to lush grass which is low in fibre and high in oil and sugars was causing milk solids to drop in early lactation. Three years ago, butterfat dipped from 4.2% to 3.9% and it was evident from cow dungs that their rumens were not functioning at their optimum.

Low rumen pH can result in reduced fibre digestion. “I noticed the cows were very loose in their dungs,’’ says Gary.

Improving rumen pH and overall rumen function is a central part of overcoming this challenge to cow performance at turnout.

Exceptional herd health apparent

Gary found the solution in Panatec Rumen Proof, a non-antibiotic feed additive developed in cooperation with the National University of Ireland. It is a first of kind novel approach to rumen health improvement using peer reviewed science.

It is now sold in all major EU dairy producing countries and the technology is supported by the 2020 EU Horizon scientific fund.

“The dungs thickened up well and I really noticed this when the cows were grazing short leafy grass in the second rotation,’’ says Gary.

Milk solids in 2020 averaged 490kg at 4.5% butterfat and 3.7% protein with an average annual yield per cow of 5,800L. Milk is sold to Aurivo – the farm is paid a bonus when butterfat is 3.6% or higher.

Gary initially sprinkled Rumen Proof on the meal when cows came into the parlour but it is now incorporated in the pellet at the Aurivo Animal Feeds Mill so there is no labour involved in feeding it.

He is now in his third year of feeding it – cows get it from calving to the end of the breeding season.

“Cows are more content, they just seem to be happier cows,’’ says Gary.

That is apparent in cow fertility too – last year he achieved a 100% submission rate in 27 days with 72% of the herd holding to first service.

“Good fertility has made an awful difference this spring, by mid-February I was two weeks into calving with nearly half the herd calved,’’ reports Gary, who calves heifer replacements at 24 months.

Exceptional herd health is also apparent in the cell counts with a rolling average in 2020 of 57,000 cells/ml.