Beware Anaerobic Digesters could be a threat to pasture based dairy farms

Anaerobic Digesters could prove to be a real threat to the profits of grass based dairy farmers in the UK. This might seem an odd thing to say when there is so much talk of green renewable energy opportunities. Successive Govt ministers are actively promoting Anaerobic Digesters as a major source of renewable energy. If you haven’t seen an Anaerobic Digester the best description is that it is exactly like a giant rumen. It requires daily feeding of a high energy feed & it needs a liquid mix in the “rumen”. The products of digestion are energy (gas), heat & some waste slurry. The higher the energy values of the feed the more efficient the output of energy. Therefore the preferred feed in Europe is maize silage. In Germany we saw very little dairy slurry being used which was a surprise.
Grass based Dairy farmers in the UK are looking at alternate energy generating opportunities I don’t think Anaerobic Digesters should be one of the viable options.
Firstly pasture based dairy farms simple don’t produce enough slurry that could feed a Digester. Maybe this is an option for a fully housed dairy farm but even then I’m certain they would start feeding it with maize. Second point is that land rentals & cattle feed prices are likely in the future be driven by the owners of Anaerobic Digesters who will buy vast amounts of maize silage. This is likely to create monocultures of maize which is not soil friendly & possibly environmentally unfriendly. Land rentals in Northern Germany are very very high & completely driven by the Anaerobic Digesters securing maize land. The third issue is that to fully capture the efficiency of a Digester you must be able to sell the heat say to a near by village for heating houses. Few ADs in Germany were able to sell the heat so it was lost to the atmosphere. This will only be possible near populated areas perhaps by city councils not farmers. Lastly the Digesters are very expensive to maintain. You have a huge engine running 24hrs a day….this is not cheap. Also the plants/tanks have a build up of sulphur which is very corrosive on all surfaces…this is becoming a major issue. If stones or waste metal are picked up by the maize harvesters this can create havoc with pumps. If Anaerobic Digesters have a place it’s near a city using waste products like vegetables or food waste. We saw a very profitable one near Amsterdam using chicken litter from farms that had NVZ problems. This seemed very sensible & environmentally friendly.
So beware Anaerobic Digesters I don’t think they are the answer. The Anaerobic Digesters we saw in Germany were professionally run by experts but they were struggling to make them pay dispite the feed in tariffs.

Solar PV looks a "No Brainer"

Ezra & Katharina are enthusiastic & highly efficient pasture based organic dairy farmers near Flensburg in Northern Germany. Imagine being so isolated from like minded farmers…..Katharina described it as “swimming against the stream or river currents” because so few dairyfarmers were trying to use low input pasture based farming methods. However isolation wont win over determination & innovation.

Alternate on-farm Energy production in Germany, Denmark & the Netherlands seem to be way ahead of the UK with many farmers & entrepreneurs already producing energy. This was the conclusion of a grass based “Pasture to Profit” discussion group who visited those countries last week. However valuable lessons can be learnt from the farmers in Europe as to which options look the most promising for grass based dairy farmers in the UK.

There is a very real opportunity for profitable dairy farmers to produce milk, surplus heifers & ENERGY from their low input systems.
The general consensus was that Solar PV with the current Feed-in-Tariffs farm scale units would have a payback of up to 8 yrs & an annual return of between 10-20% depending on purchase costs. It is important to make your decision before 2012 & grants may reduce the payback period.
This is an exciting new era with real possibilities to not only grow your business but to do it in a very green environmentally friendly way & to effectively cut or even neutralise the carbon foot print of your business.

Ezra & Katharina (“Pasture to Profit” Network members who live & farm in Northern Germany) helped to organise a fantastic study tour of their region & onto dairy farms that were producing alternate ENERGY. So we were privileged to visit efficient & well run alternate energy production on dairy farms & saw Anaerobic Digesters, Solar PV & Wind Turbines.
In this blog I want to concentrate on Solar PV as we came to the conclusion that this was a very positive option for most grass based dairy farmers in the UK…..in fact I think it is a “No Brainer” based on the generation Tariffs or Feed-in-tariffs (which are Retail Price Index linked)
Solar Photovoltaic (PV) is a simple solution for generating your own electricity, reducing your energy bills & reducing your carbon foot print. The UK has committed to a plan to produce the equivalent of 31% of its electricity from renewable sources by 2020.

http://www.nfuonline.com/Our-work/Environment/Renewable-energy/Feed-in-Tariffs-explained/

Solar PV is an attractive option owing to the generous Feed-in-Tariffs ranging from 26.8-41.3 p/kwh for the next 25 years. Solar PV cells will pay back the energy used to produce then within 2 years of their 25 yr lifetime.
http://www.farmingfutures.org.uk/ Look for the fact sheets on Solar PV systems.
http://www.nfuonline.com/News/Our-guide-to-solar-power/

Solar PV in the UK produces energy from Daylight not direct sunlight, so cloud cover will not be prohibitive. Obviously if the sun does shine, then the greater the current that is generated. The electricity that is produced is direct current (DC) this is converted by an inverter to alternating current (AC).
A certified installer will do the installation for you but ideally the surface should face south at an angle of 30 degrees. Farm Shed roofs will be ideal so long as they can carry the extra weight (approx an extra 20kgs per Sq metre). Check that the shed has the same expected lifetime as the solar PV panels. One of the attractions of Solar PV is that it is a very low maintenance system.
From farms we visited in Germany new shed design included the Solar PV panel installation….roof pitch, height & North South orientation. In fact the Solar PV was designed to pay for the new sheds. I would expect shed design to change quite radically to include Solar PV installation.
However if the roof orientation does not allow flat instalment on the roof they can be pitched to the south as seen on the photo. There are also computer tracking devises that allow the panel to track the sun. Even whole field projects are being considered over 25 year leases/rentals but the ability to export to the National Grid must be considered.

More information can be obtained from:-
http://www.farmingfutures.org.uk/events/solar-power-uk-2010

On the 16th November “Farming Futures” will be holding their next Solar PV event in Somerset
http://www.farmingfutures.org.uk/events/brighter-balance-sheet-everything-you-need-know-about-solar-pv-and-your-farm2

So what do you think?

Great Dairy Research in France

So are we being left behind the French?
I've just returned from France with groups from South Wales & Leicestershire.Everytime I go to Brittany & meet the research people from Travarez (like Valerie Brocard) I am very impressed with the quality of Agricultural Science & Research in France.
Farmers in Brittany still have a huge say in the on farm research programs.
Sadly UK grass based dairy farmers have precious little input or say in the research funded by levies.
I fear for the research & the quality of the agricultural science in the UK. At some point this will severely affect the competitiveness of UK grass based dairy farmers.

Valerie introduced us to the new French (EU) feeding standards & system developed by INRA. She has been responsible for a new publication which is a practical guide to dairy herd food (unfortunately in French)

http://www.inst-elevage.asso.fr/html1/

The new INRA system (the Irish are already using it) is a huge step forward in a better understanding of dairy cow nutritional requirements. It takes account of the stage of lactation & better estimates the true value of the feed. It will be an ideal tool to measure N in & N out (as most of the N a cow eats is excreted).

We should be able to identify the ideal supplement to partner good quality grazed pasture & not have a detrimental impact on the environment by using the INRA system.

Photo Scoop of the year....Chris standing in deep dairy clover pasture

"So what did you say this stuff was Nigel?"

Energy
Traditionally diets have been formulated to metabolisable energy (ME) but this system overvalues the energy value of poor quality feeds relative to good quality feeds. For this reason a net energy (NE) system is being adopted which will allow better comparisons between the nutritional value of feedstuffs. The NE value of feedstuffs is expressed in terms of FEED UNITS (UF). The system applies two NE values to feedstuffs: (I) UFL for lactating dairy cows, growing beef cattle and sheep and (2) UFV for finishing cattle. In most situations (dairy, beef and sheep) UFL values are used, apart from situations where high levels of concentrates (80% +) are being offered or growth rates over 1.0 kg per day are being achieved. In this situation the UFV value is used.

Barley is the standard feed in this system and all other feeds are given values relative to barley. Standard barley has a net energy value of 1 UFL or 1 UFV per kg as fed. The lower the UFL or UFV value the poorer the energy value of the feed. The NE value of feedstuffs range from 0.45 UFL / kg as fed for good quality straw to 1.05 / kg as fed for maize grain. The UFL value of grass silage (70% DMD) is 0.78 / kg dry matter and that of maize silage (25% starch) is 0.80 / kg dry matter.

Protein

Protein is made up of building blocks called amino acids. The true protein value of any feedstuff is best measured by the quantity of these amino acids that are absorbed by the animal, not what the animal consumes. The amino acids that are absorbed by the animal come from two sources: (1) bacteria in the rumen (first stomach) of the cow, which converts energy and nitrogen into bacterial protein (bacterial amino acids) and (2) undegradable protein in the feed, which is not changed in the rumen. The quantity of bacterial amino acids made by the bacteria in the stomach is reliant on a supply of nitrogen and energy. There are potentially two amounts of bacterial protein that the cow can generate - one that relies on there being enough nitrogen in the rumen and one that relies on there being enough energy in the rumen. If there is a limited supply of nitrogen the protein value is called PDIN. If there is a limited supply of energy the protein value is called PDIE. Each feed has two values (PDIN and PDIE).
The lower of the two values is the actual protein value of the feed. Feeds that are high in crude protein tend also to be high in PDIN. Usually in grass silage based diets there is not enough energy to convert all the nitrogen in the diet into bacterial protein. Therefore, the energy supply is limiting and the protein value of grass silage is normally as PDIE.

http://www.teagasc.ie/publications/dairyconference2000/paper04.asp

Much of this is taken from a 2000 Irish Dairy Conference paper presented by Dr Siobhan Kavanagh & Dr John Murphy of Teagasc....the full paper is well worth reading.

If we are being left behind in the UK what are you going to do about it! I think we in the UK should be very concerned at the lack of dairy pasture based research

The Origins of the Pasture Wedge Graph

Have you ever wondered how the

"Pasture Wedge Graph" started. 

Who invented it & who developed the original concept?

Tom Phillips (thats me!) developed the original concept of the Pasture Wedge Graph.
 I was working with Discussion Group dairyfarmers in the Matamata area of the Waikato, New Zealand in 1976. Initially it started as chalk drawn wedge diagrams on milking shed (milking parlour) walls or concrete floors.... that resembled silage clamps of pasture stored on the farm that day. This was before white boards or computers remember....we had it tough in those "oldie" days.
The development of the Pasture Wedge Graph is a classic example of a product of an ideas person/adviser working with smart farmers & combining forces with very good researchers & communicators....classic "Tipping Point"as the Pasture wedge Graph is now used in every pasture based dairy industry through out the world.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Tipping_Point

This photo is of the very first "Pasture Wedge Graph".....a photo that very proudly hangs in my office.

The very first official "Pasture Wedge Graph" was drawn by me (1976) to represent the "ideal pasture for grazing "......fast growing lush pasture of about 15cm (6 inches) at the top of the diagram & at the bottom of the wedge we showed the short residual (stubble) that was 3cm long. At the extreme ends was grass that was too long for grazing (note the stalky tall grass with little clover & dead matter at the base OR pasture that was too short.....both affecting milk yields (cow pasture intakes) & opening up the sward & encouraging weed infestation.
The next "small but very important"step was taken by me working closely with two now famous NZ Researchers at Ruakura.....Des Clayton & Dr Arnold Bryant. Arnold was a friend of mine & at the time was one of NZ's best known dairy researchers heading the team at No2. Dairy Ruakura. The concept of the wedge appealed to Arnold as it neatly summarised the work at No.2 Dairy. This was quite an achievement as Arnold was a tough man & a very rigourous scientist. Des then took the idea of the wedge across NZ in his role as advocate for research at Ruakura....the rest is history as they say.....
Dr Arnold Bryant had a massive impact on NZ Dairy farmers & the way in which grazing management was so important to low cost productivity. You may not have heard of Dr Bryant but believe me he influenced a generation of farmers & advisers. Quite rightly he has been honoured for his contributions to grass based dairy farming world wide.
http://www.voxy.co.nz/business/agriculture-recognised-honours-list/5/51243.
After working in NZ I moved to Victoria Australia......where we used the pasture grazing wedge extensively in the DPI Dairy Officers' extension program & later the Target 10 program in the mid 1980s.
Australian dairy farmers really contributed to the thinking as they faced abrupt changes to pasture growth patterns. So how to move from one grazing rotation to a different grazing pattern was really tested in Victoria. Its a very good example of collaboration and participatory research & development. Now there are so many packages and cloud based products available to farmers in many different countries.......sadly few realize nor acknowledge the participatory process that key farmers contributed to......... to even get the thinking right back in the 1970-80s.
Victorian dairy farmers played an important role to the development of the Pasture Wedge Graph concept.
Thanks guys!
Much much later in the early 2000's work at Lincoln University Dairy Farm revisited Arnold Bryant's work. Adrian Van Bysterveldt & Peter Gaul started to put numbers on the pasture wedge graph & ask the question how could they record plate meter readings and use it as a predictive tool. They had a very special WOW moment.....the rest is history!

The very first scientific paper documenting this mathematical assessment of the pasture wedge graph was written by Adrian at the SIDE Conference 2005 "Lincoln University dairy farm, now a cropping farm?" Proceedings of the New Zealand South Island Dairy Event. LUDF and Adrian & Peter in particular  very successfully used the demo farm to extend the grazing message.....this time world wide as the internet website has been so successful. http://www.siddc.org.nz/.

Actual figures & an understanding of the mathematics of the Demand line gave this humble graph immense power.
The real power lies in the fact that it is VERY SIMPLE but conveys a powerful message in the visual picture.
When I first arrived in the UK in 2001 I was amused but very proud to hear terms like "Pasture Wedge Graphs" & "Magic Spring Day" which I had developed back in 1976. It's intriguing that that language of the grass based dairy farmer has traversed through out the world & is being used not only correctly but very successfully by advisers & farmers.
It's not only the UK of course but the grazing wedge has got to the USA as well as Ireland, Argentina & Chile & South Africa & France.
.http://plantsci.missouri.edu/grazingwedge/.

Now we are moving rapidly into a new & exciting phase....online data bases where individual grass based dairy farmers anywhere in the world can log their pasture measurements, look at their pasture wedge graphs & compare with other groups of farmers & their consultants.
This could have a big influence on how Dairyfarm Discussion Groups use & compare grazing data.
Can I introduce Agrinet.....https://www.agrinet.ie/Default.aspx
The Agrinet website will allow grass based dairyfarmers who regularly measure grass with a platemeter to go online & calculate their data & wedge graphs online. The real power will be the ability to team up with your fellow Discussion Group members & compare graphs. Keep your grazing consultant in the loop too.

I strongly recommend you have a look at the Agrinet website......its free until 2011 when the annual fee is expected to be approx 80 Euros per year. Try it & talk to your group about joining .....lets talk about it on the Pasture to Profit Network Discussion Group on Facebook.

I'm incredibly proud of this humble little Pasture Wedge Graph that started life before many current users were even born. It's had a huge impact on grass based dairy farm management for thousands of farmers all over the world.....it's come a long way from Jim Diprose's concrete cow yard chalk diagram at Matamata.

I guess we've reached the "tipping point"!
Can I make the plea with current & future users to "Keep it Simple" as the real power is in it's simplicity!

In the UK we are now entering a critical stage of the grazing cycle. We are currently grazing the second to last time & we need to build covers to approx 2600-2700 by or for the first week of October.

Regular measurement & use of the grazing graphs is critical. This is a time of critical decisions & you have to get the timing just right. You must know the target covers for October. You must graze grass out cleanly & get the residuals down to 3cm or 1500kgs DM/ha.

A current dilemma on many Discussion Group farms (especially those that have only had recent rains) is the patches (Grass Monuments) of high nutrient grass that the cows are very reluctant to graze. Under each of these "Grass Monuments" that are embarrassingly obvious (due to colour & height) at the moment is an old dung pad. Grass Monuments are normally associated with under grazing or low stocking rates but in this case its a seasonal issue after rains that broke an unusual dry spell. The issue is do you pre mow & graze these paddocks or do you get it in the first week of October when you start your last grazing rotation.


Some Autumn Calvers have stored pasture since June which they are now grazing with the Springers mob. Below is a photo of an Autumn calving group on a mixed sward of deep rooting species including Chicory. This is an interesting concept that along with the "tall Grazing concept" is designed to increase the Soil Organic Matter....interesting onfarm experimental work by innovative farmers.
Remember the target now is to build pasture covers to approx 2600-2700kgs DM/ha by the first week of October. The last grazing rotation will start on most UK grass based dairyfarms in the first week of October & end sometime in November or December depending on wetness & when grass covers reduce to about av. 2100kgs DM/ha.
Grass Covers & Pasture Growth This Week
Northern Ireland 2350kg Av Cover, 70kg DM/ha growth, Demand 45kgs/ha
Dumfries 2550, 55kg growth, 51day rotation
Cumbria 2600, 54kg growth
North Wales 2050kg, 43kg
Cheshire Organic, 2223, 43kg
Shropshire 2470kg, 89kg
Staffordshire 2396, 51kg
Staffordshire 2610, 45kgs rain needed
Hereford Org 2329, 41kg
Hereford Org 2520, 45kgs
Hereford 2300, 50 kgs, 35kg demand, 3kg cake
Gloucestershire 2522kg, 77 kg growth, 30 days
SW Wales 2537, 85kg growth, 37 demand, 32days
SW Wales org 2664kg cover
SW Wales 2350kg, 65kg growth
Somerset Org 2350, 50kg growth
Dorset 2289, 40kg growth, 45 days
Dorset 2250, 47kg growth
Cornwall 2500, 80 kg growth
Cornwall 2250, 40kg, 36 days
Limerick Ireland 2400, 65kg
Rotorua NZ 2040kg cover & 52 kg growth

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.

Ragwort Totally Out of Control.....But Does Anyone Care?

"United We Stand, Divided We Fall" quote from Aesop (620BC-560BC).

You will see this is not a recent quote & it seems to have a grain of truth about it.

Yet... Dairy farmers in the UK appear to me to be totally incapable of working together. Go to France or Australia http://www.vff.org.au/main/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=13&Itemid=269 or New Zealand & dairy farmers stand shoulder to shoulder & fight for their industry. In the UK dairy farmers even the pasture based dairy farmers seem reluctant to work together. This is incredibly hard to work out.....why??

Pasture based dairy farmers are world wide a relatively small group but full of innovative creative people. Positive people who are exciting to be with. The pasture based Discussion groups which have transformed UK farm businesses, enthused owners & staff,lead the way to respectable profits & created exciting work environments.........they too want to "go their own way" splitting off into splinter groups isolated from each other. Why??

Sadly the UK dairy industry loses 1-2 farmers & their families every single day of the year as people continue to see no future for them in the UK dairy industry. Low input pasture based dairying can offer many of these families an alternative which would not only offer a profitable option but a sustainable longterm family business.

Will UK Dairy Farmers Stand & Fight????

Ragwort is totally out of control in public areas in every county of England & probably the rest of the UK too. The worst offenders are the Motorways, Highways & roadways......closely followed by the railways!

Does anyone really care??? It seriously threatens livestock farming!

It appears NOT.

Although I was very impressed by Robin Page's article in the Weekend Telegraph http://www.telegraph.co.uk/earth/earthcomment/country-diary/7941538/Country-diary-ragwort.html

He describes DEFRA very accurately as the "Dept For Ragwort Appreciation".

Do farmers realise that the Defra minister is issuing statements blaming farmers for the ragwort problem & threatening legal action? http://ww2.defra.gov.uk/2010/08/02/ragwort/

Calling on the "big society" to act when his own Govt departments are the worst offenders is a very sick joke. Sort your own departments out Minister!

Otherwise ragwort will become a very serious threat to every livestock farmer & ALL pasture based dairy farmers.

Defra does provide advice on ragwort & even complaint forms (Got to tick the boxes!). If you REALLY care perhaps you too could download a complaint form & send it to Defra....let me know the outcome!

http://www.google.co.uk/imgres?imgurl=http://www.tradingstandards.gov.uk/northsomerset/images/ragwort.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.tradingstandards.gov.uk/northsomerset/link13.htm&h=400&w=300&sz=51&tbnid=NxDAItK56vHOeM:&tbnh=259&tbnw=194&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dragwort%2Bphotos&usg=__an_aQRFxIMH8o8Hicl0f2oDVmYw=&sa=X&ei=F5BqTLjfJJCk4Aaji6mqAQ&ved=0CB0Q9QEwAQ

Robin Page suggests you ring Natural England Ragwort Complaint phone lines. Let me know how you get on as I'm hoping dairy farmers from every county ring in to complain not only about the Motorways & Railways but also about Natural Englands' blatantly obvious "We haven't done a bloody thing about Ragwort"

Reading 0300 060 4994
Worcester 0300 060 1278
Cambridge 01223 533588
Leeds 0300 060 4180

Ragwort is symptomatic of the apathy amoungst dairy farmers. It is a serious threat to livestock including youngstock yet dairy farmers wont act as a group (or pasture based dairy farm discussion groups group) to get the Minister & his depts to act on the public roads & railways across the UK.

Back to Victoria Australia the United Dairyfarmers of Victoria (UDV)...the current President Chris Griffen (a member of a progressive pasture based dairyfarm Discussion Group) now leads all dairyfarmers in that state....the UDV is recognised as a "force to be reckoned with...". Chris organised this year's UDV conference around the topic...."Earning Respect & Influence...."

What is it in the British culture that prevents us from working together? Why wont dairyfarmers stand together! I thought the P2P groups might help to change the rural culture but we've fallen well short.

Pasture Growth Rates

Northern Ireland Cover 2346kgs DM/ha, 58kgDM/ha/day growth, 21 day grazing rotation (24litres/cow with 3kg conc)

Dumfries 2170, 66kgs, 28days (rain every 3-4 days, cover on target)

Nth Wales 2300, 90kgs

Nth Wales 2300, 65kgs, quality pasture no suppl, cow condition improving

Cheshire 2150, 58kgs, 21 days

Cheshire 2250, 67kgs, 24 days cutting silage reduces cover to 2000

Cheshire organic 2250, 40kgs, 42 days (dung pats strong topping)

Shropshire 228, 46kgs, 35 days need rain

Staffordshire, 2385, 40kgs, 35 days turnips by night, silage above 2800

Leicestershire growth 22kgs, 30 days(feeding full TMR, winter kale failed dry)

Herefordshire 2250, 50kgs(demand 45), 30days no suppl

Gloucestershire 2330, 40kgs, 30 days good response to rain

Gloucestershire 2400, 50kgs, 30 days

SW Wales Organic 2469, 43kgs(35 demand) VG grass quality

Somerset Organic 2050, 30kgs, 45days expect growth to 2X with rain

Dorset 2040, 20kgs, 60 days struggling for growth

Dorset 2050, 42kgs, 50 days (demand 24 with conc feeding)

Hampshire 1859, 22kgs, 45 days full feeding

Devon 2300, 45kgs, 50 days no buffer feed yet

Cornwall 2200, 40kgs, 36 days no suppl still OAD ...lungworm problems

Rotorua NZ 2300, 20kgs, 40 days Spring calving, 56% in 3 weeks, 120mm rain at weekend

If there is surplus grass do you really need to silage it? What about deferring?

What do you think?

Pasture based Dairyfarm Expansion....Think Water!

This week I have made some changes to the blog which I hope will make it more interesting to visit.
If you look down the right hand side of this blog page you will see a number of different sections. First is the Twitter updates listing recent entries I have made onto Twitter....you may not be a "tweeter" but these messages go out to a huge audience both in the UK & worldwide to a very mixed & often non farming audience. I think its important that we tell both consumers & Govt people what we are doing & regularly tell them what is good about grass fed milk & how environmentally careful we as pasture based dairy farmers really are every day of the year. Nor am I hesitant to tell ministers to sort problems like rampant ragwort on our motorways & roadsides which are a serious threat to dairy cows & dairyfarms.

Next I have added a number of other blogs from around the world that you might like to read & investigate.

Check out TOM'S FAVOURITE BLOGS (see on the righthand side of this page)

I hope you enjoy the extra reading material that is now on the Pasture to Profit Blog..

Stock Drinking Water is Very Important

Water is a crucial part of herd expansion & needs careful planning. You need to start with the existing water supply but often this is woefully inadequate. Too often water pipes are too small & nobody knows where the existing pipes are located.

Water & tracks go together. Water pipe lines are easier to install before subdivision fence lines or tracks are laid but it all needs to be part of the big plan. Get expert help to create a farm plan for the expanded herd size. I still think the number of paddocks is far more important than the actual size. I recommend 30 per farm.

Bertie Troy provides a very good mapping service for pasture based dairy farmers in the UK & Ireland http://www.grasstec.ie/

An important animal welfare issue for all dairyfarmers is that dairy cows have access to good quality drinking water at all times.http://www.dpi.vic.gov.au/dpi/nrenti.nsf/LinkView/85DA1027B08FF286CA25750E0005C7A85B65FD3894DB84E6CA2574AC000CF430/$file/Dairy%20Industry%20Welfare%20Report.pdf

However this is also closely linked to profit & milk production as milking cows without adequate water drop in milk production immediately.

No farmer likes to see any livestock remotely short of water.

http://www.peta.co.nz/DomSalt.html

Components of a Farm Water Supply

There needs to be a Water Source (Bore or Spring),Intake (powered by pump or gravity), Storage (Tanks or Dam of adequate size), Reticulation (under ground pipes that are big enough for herd demand eg 400 cows minimum of 50mm) & Outlet (troughs....the least important component of the system).

http://www.envbop.govt.nz/Factsheets/LandManagement-090526-Factsheet06.pdf

The pump (head) & the pipe size are critical to good water flow. Even if a pressure unit is put onto an existing water supply there is only a certain amount of water that can flow thru any given pipe diameter.

A loop line is much superior to a main line system.....it affects the total cost & importantly water troughs can be placed either above or very close to the pipeline. This minimises the short piece of pipe (less than 1 metre) of smaller diameter leading to the trough valve. Use full flow valves that are built for purpose.
There are some legal requirements that chould be checked .....mainly related to non return valves & the protection of pipes.

In the UK dairyfarmers have in the past relied on "Town or Mains Water" for stock water requirements but on most pasture based dairyfarms this is either inadequate or too expensive (or both). The costs of drilling for bore water are normally recouped within 2 yrs thru the savings on mains water. Once you have control over the water supply you can set up pumps, reservoirs(Normally 1 day of farm requirements), looplines & water troughs.

It also allows you to install dosetron systems for minerals & bloat treatment.

http://www.liquidminerals.co.uk/index.html

Water Requirements for Dairyfarms

Daily drinking water requirements depend on the Dry Matter% of the feed, temperatures, animal production (milk litres or growth) & stage of lactation.

There are a number of ways to calculate water requirements.

First way is that with the air temperature between 15-20 degrees C.....cows need 30-40 litres/day for maintenance PLUS 3-4 litres/per litre of milk produced.

The second method is based on the "DM intake X 6" plus 1 litre water/litre of milk produced.

Often if the diet is substantially fresh pasture then 80-90% of the water intake is via the pasture eaten. But you still need to allow for the hot dry summer peak demand day where the cows dietary intake could be mostly silage & concs.

Peak water flow rates needed on a dairy farm should be worked out on a per cow basis.

http://www.dairyaustralia.com.au/~/media/Documents/Farm/Feeding%20cows/Feeding%20Systems/Other%20Information/Estimating%20Stock%20Water%20Requirements.ashx

Milking Parlour....allow 70 litres per cow per day.

Drinking water/troughs...70 litres/cow /day (in hot weather this can peak at 140 litres/day), available in a five hour period = 14 litres/cow/hour

So an example:-

400 cows drinking 14litre/hr= 5600litres/hr flow required

To get litres/minute divide this by 60: 5600/60=93litres/minute required.

Trough size

Trough size is important for access, rather than water storage. Paddocks for a herd of 400+ cows should perhaps have 2 water troughs.

Trough size should be half the one hour demand

So our 400 cow herd needs 5600litres/hr, so the water trough capacity in each paddock should be at least 2800 litres (2 x 1400(370gals)).

Plan water requirements ahead of future development.....too often the existing water supply was barely adequate......let alone sufficient for a future expanded herd size....Go BIG is Good with Water....Think Ahead!

Please document a plan for the farm water supply so you & everyone else will know where the pipes & taps/valves are on the farm map.