Dairy Cow Fertility..UK Pasture Dairy Farmers Thrash Kiwi Counterparts

Pasture based dairy farmers in the Pasture to Profit network of Discussion Groups in the UK can now proudly claim “World Best Practice” in herd fertility. Most of the credit must go to the very good herdsmen & farm staff who understand the goals, whose observations are spot on & their determination to succeed & do better each year.

 The block calving herds (both spring & autumn calving herds) in a survey of 2010-11 calving seasons indicate incredibly good herd fertility levels & extremely good on farm management. The data was collected & analysed using the Australian InCalf Analysis which NZ has finally adopted too.  http://www.incalf.com.au/  

The data collected from 35 herds (10548 cows) shows that on average 81% of the herd calved in the first 6 weeks of calving. 56% of the herd successfully calved in the 1st 3 weeks so that the av. Number of days until half the herd had calved was 18 days (Days to mid point after PSD (Planned Start Date)). The empty rate across these 35 herds was 11% after 12 weeks of mating. The average farm herd size was 365 cows & the actual replacement rate (2yr old heifers entering the herd) was 24%. These farmers can rightfully claim “World Best practice” as this incredibly good herd fertility has been achieved with no induction & minimal veterinary treatment (30% of these herds are now organic).The vast majority of dairy cows in these herds are now NZ bred (LIC genetics) & all herds have a very high % of crossbred cows e.g. NZ Friesian, NZ Jersey, Kiwi Cross genetics.

The data I have collected suggests that the OAD herds have higher herd fertility as measured by the number of cows in calf in the first 6 weeks. The OAD herds are over 90% with a lower empty rate.

The Discussion Group target performance in the UK for herd fertility/Calving pattern analysis is 80% to calve in the 1st 6 weeks & the target for heifers calving at 22 months is for 75% to calve in the 1st 3 weeks of the calving.
Why are the Kiwis falling behind? New Zealand seasonal dairy herds are falling well short of the UK pasture based dairy farmers & are failing to meet their own dairy industry targets. How can this be when we are using the same semen & farming in a very similar way using a low input pasture based system. In the June edition of the NZ Dairy Exporter (Page 102) http://viewer.zmags.com/publication/dc3fc6ea#/dc3fc6ea/ 1 highly respected NZ Vet Chris Burke wrote of the herd fertility in NZ & in particular at the well known Lincoln University Dairy Farm. His best estimate of the current NZ dairy herd fertility was that 64-65% of cows calve in the 1st 6 weeks (predominantly spring calving) which is below the industry’s target of 78%. LUDF had 67% calving in the 1st 6 weeks. In a survey of 16 herds the average empty rate was 13%.
You might well ask “what an earth is going on in NZ?” Why is the on farm performance so poor?

It pays to measure & monitor your progress! While NZ performance is now both below par & declining the UK farmers are rapidly improving. Pasture to Profit Discussion Group members (approx 300) will be rightly proud of the astonishing progress made over the past decade in the UK.


In 2002 I conducted a similar survey shortly after my arrival in the UK. At that time fertility in the pasture based dairy farms was not good. Many herds had a high percentage of Holsteins in the herds & farmers were in transition from spread calving patterns to tighter block calving. Discussion group members will now be horrified to realise that the analysis I conducted in 2002 was based on a 21 week calving block. The results of that 2002 survey were that on average 49% of the cows calved in the 1st 6 weeks. Days from PSD to Mid Point was 71 days (wow!). The NIC rate after 21 weeks was 13%. Only 31% of heifers calved in the 1st 3 weeks but interestingly the empty rate was 11.4% (but after 21 weeks of mating).


So how have the UK pasture based dairy farmers achieved such amazing results in an incredibly short period of time (considering the starting point was with poor fertility Holsteins)? Apart from the obvious care & attention to the basics of dairy cow fertility which must be the focus of every dairy farmer. I think the key issues have been, firstly, that herd fertility has been a focus of farm management & Discussion Group attention & analysis. This is one area of farm management that has benefitted hugely by the regular analysis & Discussion Group competitiveness. Secondly the cross breeding with highly fertile NZ bulls & LIC semen (although this doesn’t explain the NZ decline). The intense culling of infertile cows, that fall outside of the 12 week block. Another factor is the care & attention given to Cow Body Condition (CCS) pre & post calving. And lastly the front end loading of the calving pattern with the heifers. This last issue is a “could do much better” as we still are only achieving 67% calving in the 1st 3 weeks when our target is 75%. However the best herds now have over 90% of heifers calving in the 1st 3 weeks….very good calf & heifer rearing (weighing heifers regularly).

Although the 2002 study was sent to the MDC (read DairyCo) it appears to have been ignored as overall dairy cow fertility levels in the UK continue to decline.

Congratulations pasture based dairy farmers on achieving “World Best Practice” I’m very proud of what we have achieved together. As for the Kiwis….”catch up as you are being left behind your UK counterparts who are now much more efficient”.

Current UK Pasture Measurements
Pasture growth still very variable dependant on rain. If you've had rain you've got very good growth if not pasture growth is still slow. Organic farms struggling with poor clover growth due to colder soils than normal.
TheAverage Pasture Cover (kgsDM/ha) & Pasture Growth (kgsDM/ha/day)
Belfast, Northern Ireland, AFC 2150, pasture growth 75kgs/ha/day
Northern Ireland coastal, AFC 2300, Growth 74, demand 54 pregrazing 2800 cut & bale longer pasture
Dumfries, 2160, growth 90, dem 48 just right rain, quality improving
Cumbria, 2419, growth 88
North Wales, 2044, growth 47, demand 50
Cheshire organic 2050, gr 27, V Dry feeding 2.8kgs 35 day round
Shropshire organic, 1805, gr 29 no significant rain but when it comes clover will take off big time!
Staffordshire, 2488, gr62 now made more silage than last yr grazing stubble turnips
East Staffordshire, 2100, gr 30 raining now pre mowing some paddocks
Nottingham, gr 20, dem 60, feeding maize 30 day rotation V Dry
Somerset Organic, 2300, gr 35, 30 mm rain today
Oxford, 2085, gr 40, dem 40, had drop of rain
Dorset 2345, gr 35 but rain last 2 days grazing forage rape
Pembrokeshire organic, 2170, gr 58, demand 48, clover kicking in
Pembrokeshire, 2030, gr 63 had rain this week expect growth to increase
East Sussex, 2300, gr 70, grass getting out of control about to dry cows off
Cornwall, 2450, gr 65, cows on OAD feeding turnips more silage to cut
Cornwall, AFC 2200, growth 102 (this is not England surely!)
Limerick Ireland, AFC 2600, growth 90, taking out silage bales.

Great Dairying Opportunities in Tasmania for UK Farmers & Herdsmen

Tasmania is coming to the UK Dairy Event. At this years Dairy Event in Birmingham 7th & 8th September......the Tasmania will be at Stand BM-256 in the Business Management section.

Are you getting frustrated with your progress thru the dairy industry.....do you think there are few opportunities here in the UK for you? Have you considered Tasmania?

Are you looking for an investment opportunity in dairying? Have you considered Tasmania?

Are you looking for exciting dairy farm work opportunities overseas.....using your pasture based dairying skills? Have you considered Tasmania?

Staff BBQ at Matthew & Pippa Gunninghams Tasmanian Dairy Farm

Tasmania has exciting opportunities for emigrating dairy farmers especially those with pasture & grazing skills. If you are good at your job in the UK you will really go places in Tasmania. Whats more Tasmania has a lovely climate with a real summer............great place for families & a great place to bring up children.

“The kids love the lifestyle here, the freedom and the space, and made many friends quickly".

The Australian economy is doing very well & the Tasmanian Govt is encouraging dairying in its state & helping people to make the move.

A number of English Pasture to Profit Discussion Group families have very successfully moved to Tasmania. Matthew & Pippa Gunningham from Somerset, Richard Smart & Tina Hole from the Grass Routes group in Dorset, Phillip & Dinah Spratt members of the Ankle Deep group from Thornbury & most recently Ben & Rebecca Bates from Wyegraze DG in Monmouthshire, Wales.

Matthew & Pippa left the family farm in Somerset & started with 300 cows on the north coast of Tassie......today they farm over 2000 cows

http://www.dairyaustralia.com.au/

Tasmania has many migrant families from Holland, New Zealand & the UK successfully now farming in Tasmania....mostly on the north coast. There are some really useful websites to help you

http://www.development.tas.gov.au/migration/testimonials
http://www.intodairy.com.au/

When Matthew and Pippa Gunningham two years ago employed Gerard Mulder to manage their Mawbanna dairy farm, they had never met him. But the Gunninghams knew firsthand that uprooting a family in Europe and starting a new life across the world proved firm commitment to a job.
“Gerard had good references, we talked on the phone and he made a good impression,” says Matthew. “And we knew as English immigrants ourselves that you don’t come all this way for nothing, so we gave it a whirl. It turned out very well ­– the Mulders did a great job, and became great friends as well.”
The Gunninghams were so happy with the experience that they sponsored another Dutchman to replace Gerard. This time Matthew had actually met and interviewed Jeamba van Melick but the main reason for employing him was again the level of commitment he showed to the job – transplanting his family from Holland. To help the transition in farm management and settle the van Melicks in, Jeamba had six months working with Gerard at Mawbanna before Gerard’s two years were up.
“It meant that we had continuity in the process, and things have gone very smoothly,” Matthew said. The Gunninghams are also an immigration success story. Disillusioned with dairying in England because of red tape, high costs and other factors, they visited New Zealand and Tasmania to view opportunities and bought at Mawbanna. Since moving in 2000 they have expanded that farm and bought two more in Circular Head, milking almost 2,000 cows altogether with plans to grow further.

Ben & Rebecca Bates who were regular members of the Wyegraze pasture based dairy farmers Discussion Group in SE Wales have only just arrived in Tasmania for the spring calving on one of Matthew's farms......"first impressions has been the good winter pasture growth." said Ben

http://www.migration.tas.gov.au/ http://www.development.tas.gov.au/

The Tasmanian dairy industry is a temperate climate pasture-based industry that supplies milk for a range of high quality manufactured products including fresh milk, cheeses, powders, fat products, yoghurts and other specialty products.
Over the past 10 or so years, many farmers from New Zealand, Holland and the UK have purchased farms in Tasmania, particularly dairy and cropping farms in the north of the State.
Geographically and climatically, Tasmania differs from mainland Australia. The island is dotted with mountains and lakes and enjoys a mild, temperate climate. A maritime climate means there are no big temperature fluctuations or extremes. The average maximum summer temperature in the capital Hobart is a pleasant 22 degrees Celsius in summer, and 12 degrees in winter.
Tasmania has a population of only around half a million people, and with low living costs and excellent infrastructure, it offers genuine quality of life and some of Australia's most affordable land and real estate. Long summer days, minimal travelling times, numerous National Parks and first-class sporting and cultural facilities mean most people enjoy a healthy, unhurried lifestyle centred on the "great outdoors".
Tasmania's economy is small and open, with an industry structure that is broadly similar to that of Australia as a whole. Agriculture, forestry, fishing and mining are key sectors. About half of Tasmania's total production is distributed to the local market, with 30 per cent being exported to mainland Australia and the remaining 20 per cent being exported overseas.

Are you interested to Talk about moving out to Tasmania .....Come to the Dairy Event September 7th & 8th at the NEC in Birmingham Tim from the Tasmanian Dept of Economic Development will be on Stand BM-256 in the Business Management section to help you.

Proper Dairy Cow ID....small point but so important

Proper clear easily read Dairy Cow ID is so important.

Why in some herds can't you read any numbers when in other herds the numbers are clearly visible?
It is important especially during AI & mating time.

This last week I've been in East Sussex with a Grass based (Pasture to Profit network) Dairy Farmer Discussion Group from Dorset in the UK. On both of the autumn calving herds (both with NZ XBred cows too) we visited it was so obvious that both of the host farmers took care to clearly number the cows. How much easier is it to spot the right cow that is on heat!

Tony had his cows tailpainted using the new aerosol spray paint. It was so clear as to which cows had cycled already & been AI'ed (Blue), which were on heat that day (No.1875) & which were still to cycle in the first round of AI. The tails had been clipped & the cows were very clean.

In Jeremy & Daniel's herd they use a letter & a number system......again very easy to read from a distance. Both these herds had just started AI..........so heat detection is full on at present.

I've also included a photo of a spring calving herd that we have been condition scoring.(Cow 33 & Cow 2). Again good ID is so important for our recording of each condition score to identify cows for drying off. Note the tape on the tail.....this is appplied at least 120 days before calving starts next year. Each colour denotes a calving group eg Two Yellow tapes is a cow that will calve in the second half of February.

By applying the colour tapes now it will be so much easier to draft cows into mobs or calving groups during the winter.....smart thinking now saves heaps of time later!

How good is the Cow ID in your herd? Is this the reason for poor results with AI....are cows being missed or just not correctly identified? Don't blame your staff.....sort & maintain good cow ID.