MESSAGES

• 2025: Act now to make it a good year.
• Replacement heifer weight/size is the ‘Achilles heel’ of cow performance!
• Clover care now will ensure good clover next year.
• Cow body condition now will drive 2025 cow performance.
• Low grass covers will drive earlier housing.
• Exercise extreme drying off care.
• Control parasites.

2025: Act now to make it a good year

• Planning and starting now will help you to successfully negotiate most challenges next year and beyond.
• The essential driver of any dairy farm is stocking rate – overall and on milking platform (MP).
  • If you want to keep the system simple and close to environmental expectations while at the same time being very profitable, then you should target an overall stocking rate of 2.5 cows/ha and 2.7-3.2 cows/ha on MP – research backs this up.
  • Most farmers are overstocked by up to 20% with poor performing/bad cows. How logical is that?
  • Cull out your worst 5-10% cows from the herd, based on milk recording data and health characteristics.
  • Hence, the need to do a grassland plan for the whole farm now.
  • It is better to be slightly understocked than overstocked!
• Financial planning starts now – a lot of farmers can be neglectful of this:
  • To do a financial plan, you must update your current year financial accounts. This is possible, because very few financial transactions take place in December.
  •  – You will be 95-98% accurate. This gives you a lead into the 2025 financial plan.
  • – You can identify which costs to reduce and where you can expect to make more sales. 
  • From this you will know the quantities of fertiliser (€450/ha), meal (500-600kg/cow), veterinary products and medicine, dairy products, insurance, etc. that you need to order now for next year.
  • With this information you should get three quotations/tenders from different merchants for each individual input.
  • Therefore, do your dairy profit monitor inside the next four to five weeks.
• A lot of thought needs to be put into your labour/staff requirement for 2025, both in terms of quantity and type.
  • One labour unit should, in an efficient set up, be able to manage 130-150 cows with extra help during the calving season and weekend relief with significant contractor service back-up.
    • Some large dairy farmers get in a ‘night-time calver’ which is a great idea! The idea should be considered by two to three medium-sized farmers who might share one such person, operating to strict hygiene protocols. 
    • Make sure to be adequately covered for ‘help’ during the springtime; it is the most stressful time of the year.
  • How and where can I source this ‘help’? You must be proactive through all public media outlets, immediately, if short of staff.
• Associated with labour is the need to contract-rear calves. This is determined by the acreage available to carry planned livestock in 2025 and not by spring labour availability.
  • Many dairy farmers are complaining about the cost and the fact that the rearer, in most cases, doesn’t take the calves until weaned – the big labour demand period. Unfortunately, some rearing standards leave a lot to be desired.

Replacements: ‘Achilles heel’ of cow performance!

• The consequences on cow performance of poorly reared replacements are highlighted in table 1.

Table 1: Effect of body weight at mating start date (MSD) on total milk solids (MS). 

 Source: Teagasc.

• Table 1 shows:
  • That the weight on MSD of R2s had a significant effect on the yield of the cows’ MS yield in each of her first three lactations.
    • 10-20kg lost to animals meeting target weight.
  • The weight on MSD had little or no effect on the % fat and % protein on the first two lactations.
  • The recommended mating weight is 317–342kg.
• Other serious consequences result from R2s being too light and, to a lesser extent, being too heavy at MSD – see table 2. This table shows:
  • That animals that are light at MSD, only 55%, reach puberty stage; hence, they are not ready for mating.
  • The heavier the animal on MSD the earlier she will calve the following year.
  • Calving date slippage from one year to next is a big issue on farms and this is more pronounced if the animal is under or over the target weight of 317-347 kg weight.
  • Longevity, in the trial, was measured as the percentage of R2s mated, surviving to the beginning of each of the following lactation:
    • The survival rate to third lactation of any animals that were outside the recommended MSD weight of 317–342kg was 47%, 52% and 56%, respectively, for the different weight categories.
• The message is clear from this Moorepark trial, tables 1 and 2, that farmers must reach target MSD weight targets for R2s. This is only achieved by excellent management of the replacement at all stages and constant monitoring of their weights.

Table 2: Effect of weight at mating start date (MSD) on pubertal rate, subsequent calving dates, and longevity over the lactations. 

Source: Teagasc Moorepark.

• Another tell-tale sign of poor replacement management is the performance (kg/MS), of the first lactation cows compared with that of the fourth lactation cows as measured on the milk recording annual summary.
  • It should be 82%; if not, it indicates poor management throughout their life.
• A recent survey by J McCabe, Teagasc, of discussion group members confirmed that replacement heifers (R1s) were underweight:
  • 25% of R1s were more than 20kg below target on October 1.
  • 35% were more than 15kg below target.
• Weanling replacement heifers should now weigh 40% of their mature weight; 225kg for Holsteins and 215kg for Jersey Xs.
  • The conversion rate is 4:1 for weanlings, that is, it requires 4kg meal to give 1kg weight gain. Therefore, an animal that is 30kg underweight will require 120kg of meal. With a letting-out date of February 15 and no meals for last two weeks indoors, that leaves 90 days of meal feeding. Therefore, 1.3kg/day of meal must be fed from November 1 to weanlings that are 30kg underweight.
  • Follow the recommendations in table 3.
• In-calf heifers (R2s) should now be 80% of their mature weight – 450kg for Holsteins and 430kg for Jersey Xs. 
  • Animals that are 25-30kg underweight will milk 200-300L less next year and will be slower to go back in calf.
  • For every one 1kg that a heifer is under target she requires 6kg of extra meal to get 1kg of weight gain.
  • Remember, the last month before calving does not count for weight gain as the animal’s intake is way below normal.
  • Divide up heifers by weight/BCS into groups because of the different levels of management required – it will pay!
• It is obvious that it will pay to feed light R1s and R2s meals (table 3).
• R2s should NOW be mixed in with second calvers or thin cows so that they are ‘used to’ animals from the main herd and will suffer less from bullying if not mixed until after calving.
  • In a trial in New Zealand, they mixed heifers (group A) with cows on November 1 and (group B) with cows after calving in early February. How did this affect heifer weight?
  • The Bs were heavier than the As on February 1 but the As were heaviest on May 1, the mating start date. What is the message? Remember this story – stress has a big effect!
  • It means that the R2s who were mixed with cows after calving lost more weight from calving to mating than the ones mixed at the beginning of winter.
    • Excessive loss of weight from calving to mating only means one thing: visibly poorer submission rates and poorer conception rates.
• It is obvious that a weighing scale is essential to manage heifer targets, therefore, discussion groups should buy one between each three to four members.

Table 3: Meal requirements for weanling heifers on various quality silages.

 CLOVER MANAGEMENT NOW

• Because nitrogen has become a high-priced input and reduced levels of N now being the norm, it is essential to manage clover swards now so that they maximise their potential next year. 
  • Clover is one of the few ways to reduce your N bills and reduce N losses to the atmosphere and waterways.
  • Poor clover management at closing in November will result in poor clover swards next year.
  • Clover swards should not have more than 500-600kg DM/ha covers at closing.
• Recent reseeds with clover and over-sown clover swards should be grazed last in the last rotation:
  • This will free up the clover from competition from grass which will facilitate stolon development.
• Old established, low clover content swards should get the same management as outlined for new reseeds above.
• Very good clover swards should be closed as normal, that is, leave the usual covers over the winter.
  • These swards must be grazed early in spring so that the clover content isn’t reduced.
• Excessively high content clover swards –this is rare – should be closed with the highest covers:
  • The high grass cover will allow competition so that the clover content is reduced to acceptable levels next year.
  • For clover to flourish, soil fertility must be optimum:
  • High potash (K) levels, index 3-4, are essential to encourage stolon development this autumn – an absolute must-do task.
  • Phosphate is required for tap root development and while not as essential at this time, it must be at index 3-4.
  • Lime is the other essential so that the pH is greater than 6.3.
• If you are going to sow clover next year it might be a good idea to buy a clover-safe spray, such as Clovermax or Underclear, now as the availability of such sprays is likely to be in short supply next year.

COW CONDITION DRIVES PERFORMANCE IN 2025

• Many farmers are careless about managing cows based on their body condition.
• Every extra 50kg body weight (one condition score) will deliver 450-600L of extra milk next year, as long as cows remain under body score 3.5 at calving,
• Cow fertility, in terms of submission rate and conception rates, will be adversely affected

Table 4: Recommendations for dry cow feeding based on body condition score (BCS) and silage quality.

Sil = silage; restr. = restricted.

• Table 4 outlines the feeding regime for cows this winter. Based on this there are three analytical facts that you must know:

1. BCS – if not already done, do it immediately.
2. Silage analysed DMD and minerals status.
3. Cows’ calving dates.

• This means feeding cows in batches appropriate to their BCS. 
  • Some farmers frown on this advice but it will result in three to four more cows per 100 being in calf, fewer calving problems and more milk per cow next year.
  • It will also save feed in that no cow will get over fat due to over-feeding.
• Before making feed adjustment decisions it is important to realise:
  • It requires 72mj of energy during the dry period compared with 50mj during milking for one kg of weight gain.
  • Palm kernel/barley/soya hulls will be good enough to achieve weight gain.
  • That no body weight is laid down in the last month of pregnancy.
  • For February calvers, we only have 60 days to bring a cow to BCS of 3.25+.
  • For every half BCS (30-36kg) that has to be ‘put on’, the cow will require 160-200kg of extra meal over and above her daily requirement of 10-12kg DM.
  • Therefore, over the next 60 days, if a cow is half a score short, she will have to get an extra 2-3kg meal/day.
  • More efficient BC is laid down while the cow is milking; therefore, put cows with BCS of less than 2.75 on once-a-day milking while continuing to feed the appropriate meal levels (12-14% P).

LOW GRASS COVERS MEAN EARLIER CLOSING!

• Because of a difficult grass autumn, grass covers are way behind target:
  • Close up based on targets set out in table 5 for the various stocking rates.
  • In November, grass growth will average 8-10kg DM/day; therefore, backwards calculate from the December target to establish the day the cows must be housed fully.

THE REASON TO GIVE STRONG RECOMMENDATION IS AS FOLLOWS:

• Every day at grass in spring is worth €4 per cow more profit.
• A very large proportion of the available grass in spring is grass that has grown the previous October/November.
• Each day’s delay in closing after November 1 will result in there being 12kg DM per hectare less grass on the paddock in March next year.
• Grass yield next spring will be increased by 0.6kg DM per hectare for every 1kg DM per hectare left on the paddocks in early November.
• Therefore, measure the grass and close with the targets in mind.
• The target average farm cover (AFC) at closing depends on your stocking rates, calving date and land type and are listed in table 5.

Table 5: Autumn average farm closing (AFC) cover (kg DM/ha) targets.

• On-off grazing is the rule for grazing management in November.
• You must never do anything to cause poaching damage,
• Only graze cows for two to three hours/day and then bring them in.
• Never, ever, let out cows when it is raining – wait until afternoon.
• Unfortunately, on-of grazing is poorly done on many farms!

PLAN YOUR DRY-COW STRATEGY

• From a mastitis point of view, when should you dry off cows? It must be based on: 
  • Expected calving date and yield: you must leave at least 56 days to calving so as to enhance the cure rate (10 weeks best of all).
  • SCC levels in individual cows: cows over 300,000 cells/ml should be dried off early.
  • First calvers should be dried off when they have 270 days milked to let the udder develop/heal and allow time for the heifer to grow.
• Prepare for drying off by having a policy on the following:
  • Decide which antibiotic to use by consulting your vet but always follow the manufacturer’s instructions.
  • Dry off cows milking less than 7L per day.
  • If the herd SCC level is high, get a sensitivity test done (talk to your vet).
  • Change the dry cow tube (active ingredient) every three to four years and do not use a dry cow tube with the same antibiotic as the lactating tube used during the season, particularly if the cure rate was low.
  • Dry off cows abruptly – no once-a-day milking.
  • Have a culling policy; sell off cow that had three or more clinical cases during the current lactation and/or three or more SCC readings over 300,000 cells/ml, especially if the cow is old.
  • As younger cows are generally not chronic, you should do a CMT (California Mastitis Test) – a cheap, simple, do-it-yourself job – prior to drying off, to identify the problem quarter/s. Then treat this quarter with two lactating tubes plus dry cow tube plus sealer. If there are two or more problem quarters affected, a course of injectable antibiotics may be required, under veterinary supervision.
  • Seven days before expected drying off, withdraw meal feeding and reduce grass availability.
  • With veterinary advice, seriously consider using no antibiotic on cows with SCCs below 100,000 – use a teat seal very carefully.
• On the day – choose a good time, around 11am – adhere to the following routine:
  • Milk out quarters fully.
  • Disinfect the teat end, starting with the furthest away teats, vigorously rubbing the teat end for 10-15 seconds with cotton wool soaked in methylated spirits.
  • Avoid contamination of nozzle.
  • Infuse the contents into the nearest quarters, to avoid contamination, and massage the into the udder to disperse the antibiotic.
  • Infuse sealer if being used – do not massage teat after sealer is infused,
  • Teat spray (20ml) all quarters thoroughly.
  • Record cow number, date, and product detail (withdrawal time) for each cow.
  • As the cow is most at risk of infection during the first 21 days after treatment, it is essential to keep her in a clean environment or on bare pastures, keeping a vigilant eye on her for new infection,
  • Keep dry cows separate from milkers, if possible. 
• Teat sealers are non-antibiotic substances used to prevent new infection during the dry period. They are particularly useful for:
  • Cows with extended dry periods.
  • Where there have been new infections in the dry period during the previous years.
  • They may be better than an antibiotic product at preventing Escherichia coli at calving where the risk is high or where there is a history of the problem.
  • Some farmers use teat seal only on cows where the cell count is less than 100,000/ml and no history of clinical mastitis. This is the future – antibiotic free!
• There is a lot of detail to be adhered to in administering dry cow drugs correctly.

PARASITE CONTROL

• Fluke, as well as rumen fluke, seems to be a problem this year on almost all farms:
  • Dose at housing for liver and rumen fluke with a product that kills all stages of fluke. But if the product only kills immature fluke, you must give a second dose two to three weeks after the first dose.
  • Go to www.animalhealthireland.ie for specific advice on all parasite prevention/control information.
• Weanlings (all) must be dosed for stomach worms (Type 11) and hoose at housing.
  • Hoose or stomach worms, generally, should not concern cows.
• All stock should be treated for lice in November.
• Lameness has become a problem on many Irish farms, resulting in severe condition loss:
  • Use the Farm Relief Service to examine, and act on advice (money well spent).
  • Footbath cows on three consecutive days every month during winter.
  • Use bluestone at 4-5kg in 100L water.
  • Dung must not be allowed build up on yards.

Quote of the month

“Be a good ancestor; plant trees you’ll never see mature!”