It’s in the genes: why genetic gain is the most efficient way to boost dairy profits
Cork escaped the worst of the cold snap, but a northerly wind over Easter weekend definitely had an impact on grass growth so we delayed closing ground for silage to ensure cows can stay grazing.
The herd is averaging 2kg milk solids per cow per day. And with less than 10 cows to calve, the priority now is holding peak production for as long as possible over the next two months.
The focus now switches to this year’s breeding season.
We had our vet out during the week metri-checking cows. Any cow that was showing up slightly dirty received a metricure.
We’ve found it better to be proactive and clear up any issues rather than waiting until three weeks into the breeding season and not having some of these cows cycle.
Our Moomonitor system has been given an overhaul to ensure data is being sent from the cow collar to our phones.
I’m a big fan of technology as it can greatly reduce labour, but it is vital to ensure systems are working perfectly at crucial times
Our team of bulls has been selected for AI. In total, we will use eight genomic bulls with an average EBI of €325 which will ensure we maximise genetic gain from the herd.
We have run all the bulls through ICBF sire advice to eliminate inbreeding. We will then give a further look at the three bull options for each cow and select what we feel is best suited given the cow’s individual breakdown on EBI indexes.
Any cows we do not require replacements from will receive a Hereford straw in the first round of AI from the GeneIreland beef straws we bought.
We have also added another Simmental bull to our stock bull team.
Paula and Becky visited Leeherd Simmentals last week to select a bull as we were very happy with what we bought from them last year. We increased revenue from calf sales this year with six-week-old Simmentals achieving up to €400.
One purchase we made back in February was a high-EBI in-calf heifer, Kiskeam Agnes, from a dispersal sale. Her dam produced 732kg/ms in the fourth lactation at 5.22pc BF and 4.06pc PR.
After being offered a breeding contract on her for the 2021 season, it put us in contact with her breeder Vincent Guiney.
What an absolute pleasure it was to chat to a 76-yearold who had experienced so much as a dairy farmer, and who possesses a wealth of knowledge on how to breed top-class, high-EBI cows that can really deliver high-kg milk solids from grass.
A lengthy chat with Vincent set me thinking about how much time we set aside to select bull teams.
The most efficient way to deliver profit on dairy farms is through genetic gain.
Whether we like it or not, we are price-takers for our produce and the Irish dairy system is predominately set up to be a low input, grassbased system.
Fertility
Perhaps we lose out a little when dairy markets are on a high, but we can weather the storm when markets are at rock bottom.
The great debate seems to be whether or not we have chased after too much fertility, but the reality is a herd can never have too much fertility unless you’re are the lucky few who calve all cows in six weeks.
There are many ways to boost production in dairy herds, including a higher sixweek calving rate, increasing lactations per cow.
A fifth-lactation cow is at her most profitable and the national average is 279 days in milk per cow, yet if a herd was to average 305 days in milk they would see a 4pc increase in production.
A well-balanced EBI bull is what is required and it is crucial to remember we get paid for kgs of milk solids, so select bulls with high percentage constituents.
If you haven’t chosen a bull team yet, select genes for profit.
The debate over using daughter proven or genomic is a personal choice.
We always use genomic. It works for us, and looking at this year’s first-lactation cows, they are by far the best genetics we have milking. We chose their young elite sires in 2018, regardless of EBI changes, and numerous proof runs over three years show their genetics are still holding firm.
Our Moomonitor system has been given a total overhaul to ensure data is being sent from the cow collar to our phones