Making the most of spring for pasture

Pasture intake per cow depends on having high quality pasture and enough pasture available per hectare.

This is a very challenging balance in most spring conditions but is possible to achieve.

You need to set the rotation to offer the highest amount of milker quality pasture.

Stop counting leaves and set the rotation based on quality – aim to graze pastures before 25 per cent of the paddock has reached canopy closure.

Allocate the right area of pasture each day to maintain pasture pressure. If the rotation is right and you have removed as much supplement as you are prepared to from the diet then consider banking paddocks to maintain grazing pressure.

Consider the use of nitrogen to boost pasture production and potentially minimise the use of supplements.

Pasture responses of 10 to 20kgDM/ha for every kilogram of nitrogen/ha are common in spring and represent very good value for money if you need and or can use the additional feed grown.

Purchase concentrates at an affordable cost and an appropriate quality.

Diet balance is a major consideration when purchasing concentrates, when cows are eating two thirds or more of their diet as high quality pasture high protein concentrates are not normally required.

Basic additives such as macro minerals and buffer are normally required. Secure feed now for the summer feed gap Estimate feed required to feed your cows well over anticipated feed gap.

Focus on quality and quantity of feed as well as cost.

Investigate all options for filling the feed gap and act early to secure the feed at the best possible price. Common options are grain, silage, purchased hay and spring planted summer crops. Fodder conservation Milk production is strongly influenced by quality of the diet. Poor quality silage will limit milk production when fed back. Large quantities of low quality silage will result in bigger silage cost and lower milk production. A true surplus conserved is relatively cheap Cut pastures early: two to three leaf stage or before canopy closure

Cut pasture for silage as close to grazing height as possible (4 to 6cm)

Wilt the silage as fast as possible (use a tedder if needed). Aim for 45 per cent dry matter (DM) for bales and 33 per cent DM for stacks or pits Seal quickly and well to exclude air Repair holes immediately using specific silage tape. Cows Profitable milk production is critical for all cows, health issues including best possible feeding need to be a focus as milk produced now sets up the spring calving cows production for the year and forms the basis of the farm’s cash flow.

Have a good heat detection system in place and consider starting heat detection a month before the start of mating.

Any cows not seen cycling in this time can be vet checked and treated if necessary prior to the joining start date.

Consider the use of a proven joining program to tighten the calving pattern.

More information on joining can be obtained at www.dairyaustralia.com.au/Animalmanage ment/Fer tility/About-InCalf.aspx Calves/Heifers Have a plan for rearing calves and young stock with targets that are beneficial to your management.

Monitor growth rates of calves to measure your success. Plan dehorning, vaccination and drenching

Aim for calves to be eating at least one kilogram of concentrates per day prior to weaning. Irrigation Pasture growth rates drop significantly when soil moisture drops, checking soil moisture on a regular basis and irrigating when necessary is key to maximum pasture growth making higher profitable milk production and fodder conservation possible.

Check all pumps and filters for correct operation and pressure before the heat of summer. Business Use your cash flow budget to track farm expenditure to raise your awareness of your current cash position. This can be of great assistance when planning future activities.

Communicate with your bank regarding any changes in plans on overdraft facilities.

Market report for 4th and 5th October, 2017 Wednesday Fat Sale 150 head. Thursday Bull and Cow Sale, 26 bulls, 454 cows

Vealer numbers increased this Wednesday with 120 yarded. Quality was very good in the better end pens with the top lifting 7 cents to 347.6. This carried on resulting in the average for vealers rising 23 cents to 295.6. Demand for the secondary pens was stronger this week with restockers prominent. Heifer numbers were steady and a lack of quality eased this section, with the top back to 278.2, and heifer average eased 21 cents to 222.9. A few extra steers saw a lift in the top pens, although a larger number of secondary steers pulled the average back to 220.9. The improved result in the vealer section had a good effect on the yard average lifting it 13 cents to 271.5.

With the long weekend over numbers on Thursday increased with 481 head penned. 26 bulls sold to steady demand topping out at 278.6, up 4 cents. Some lighter bulls sold to easier demand pulling the bull average back 5 cents to 229.1. This week saw 454 cows penned, weights averaged heavier with an extra number of heavy beef cattle on offer. The top was up 9 cents to 248.6 and the average rose 7 cents to 186.1, with the yard average 2 cents better at 189.

4 Lim 1 Lim 10 Ang 1 CharX 1 LimX 1 LimX Steers 1 LimX Heifers

1 SantaX P Collins, Trafalgar Export Cows and Heifers 2 B/Blue I&R Awty, Narracan 1 Char D&P Roberts, Yarragon 5 AngX R Kimber, Buln Buln 1 AngX R Bavaro, Drouin Sth 2 HfdX J&L Oldham, Neerim 1 Sim B&A Pratt, Ellinbank Dairy Cows 1 Frn T Werner, Jindivick 1 Frn G Battley, Yarragon 1 Frn Solney Farms, Yarragon 1 Frn K&R Woolstencroft, N/E 1 Frn B&M Dillon, Iona 1 Frn Louden Farms, Yannathan Bulls 1 Lim 1 M/G 1 Frn

Parklea, Cardinia 325 R Kimber, Buln Buln 340 Campbell & Cromwell, Iona 302 J&V Williams, C/meade 365 D&P Roberts, Yarragon 455 E&N Meggetto, Drouin Sth 455

Saxton & Walker, Yarragon R Kimber, Buln Buln P&D Smith, Labertouche C Morello, Trafalgar

3. Scotts, 4. Landmark, 5. Elders.

525 475

438 670 685 710 695 570

765 710 695 680 800 745

347.6 1129 340.0 1156 335.6 1013 323.2 1179 318.0 1446 298.2 1356

261.2 1371 273.2 1297

239.6 1048 236.0 1581 225.0 1541 222.2 1577 217.6 1512 213.6 1217

226.6 1733 226.0 1604 212.0 1473 212.0 1441 210.0 1680 208.0 1549

890 278.6 2479 665 258.2 1717 565 230.0 1299 1. SEJ, 2. Gibbon,