The feed quality of grazed grass cannot be bought, according to Dr. Joe Patton of Teagasc speaking at the breeding event held in the Corrin Event Centre in Co. Cork.
The breeding event held on Thursday, March 28 and focused on a number of aspects of breeding.
At the event, Dr. Patton warned against farmers against overcomplicating diets, and said that extra concentrates should be used to feed cows that are stuck inside.
Difficult grazing conditions across the country has resulted in many cows confined to the shed, which in turn is impacting on production.
The quality of feed on many farms is not where it needs to be, which means that in some cases, the body condition of many cows is not up to scratch.
He said that the focus for farmers should be to get grass back into the diet of cows, even if it is only for short periods of time.
Grass
Dr. Patton said that the message currently seems to be that farms will need seven days to recover from poor weather conditions, but that you would be surprised what a few dry days will do for your farm.
Dr. Patton said that he is concerned that farmers will end up committing to fancier diets.
“What we really have to do, is bridge the gap for the moment and hope we can get back out to something that looks like normal as soon as possible.”
When grazing resumes, Dr. Patton said that farmers should not be too worried about residuals for the first couple of days back grazing.
He also said that we need to relearn the difference between poaching and marking, as they are not the same thing.
Dr. Patton said that a little bit of caution has come into people over the last couple of years and that farmers should be a bit braver and try and get back to at least grass in the diet for a few hours during the day.
Dr. Patton also suggested that farmers should have a fresh calver or problem cow group, as these cows should not determine what happens with the result of the cows.
He said that there is a need for flexibility and if that means letting half the cows out after morning milking, and the other half out after evening milking – so be it.
Milk protein
Many herds are now feeding silage of a lower quality than they would like, and in many cases milk protein is an issue – low milk protein is a sign of lack of energy.
Dr. Patton said lack of energy in the diet is why farms are seeing a reduced milk protein percentage.
He said that when a cow eats grass, she ferments it in the stomach – fermenting the grass means that microbial protein is available to produce milk protein.
He said that the problem with silage is that it already fermented and its capacity to produce protein in the gut is a lot less, therefore you are going to get less protein.
The head of dairy knowledge transfer explained:
“We could end up in a situation where we are playing around with diets on paper for the next few days trying to get the right balance – when really we should be looking where can be go to graze.”
“You cannot buy what is outside, if you had to buy it on what it is valued at currently – you could not buy a better fed than what is sitting outside.
“I fully take the point, how difficult it is to get out and graze – but I think even just two to three hours.”
Diets
Dr. Patton said that a farm feeding 70% dry matter digestibility (DMD) silage and grazing levels of concentrates will support 21kg of milk and 3.15%-3.2% protein.
He added that grazing by day could get the protein in a herd up to 3.4%, by getting 6kg in the diet/day.
“I would not be committing to elaborate changes to the diet, with a winter style diet – by the time it is all in the yard we could be back out grazing.
“Whatever we do in the short-term, make it simple to put and also as simple to take out – in my view that is probably as simple as extra concentrates in the parlour and maybe some like hulls or pulp in the middle of the day.
“In a high cost situation like the moment and margins being tight, we have to emphasise more that those few hours at grass will pay,” he said.