InTouch - August 2025

It is a month during which we can take stock after a busy milk-production period, after cows are, hopefully, back in calf, and after silage stocks are replenished. Maintaining good progress and planning for the future needs to be the focus for the coming months.

Being flexible with your feeding over the next month will help maintain milk yield. Maximise grass quality and quantity, but don’t be afraid to increase parlour supplement if weather interrupts this. And, do not be afraid to add silage if you are still struggling for intake after maximising concentrates beyond 0.15kg per litre of milk. We are all told that yield should drop less than 2-2.5 per cent per week, but there are no reasons not to maintain yield also. If we look at our co-op performance reports over the last few years, the majority of farms drop more than 2.5 per cent per week, especially in the months of June and July. This is causing the loss of 20-30kg of milk solids or €150 to €225 per cow by not fulfilling the cow's intake and feed needs. Feed pockets, as we call them, happen throughout the year but especially when demand is at its highest during the peak summer months. These can be short or long-term depending on weather and stocking rate, but are noticeable either through an obvious shortage or changing daily yields. A failure to act or act on time is what causes the loss of milk solids, cow condition and possibly fertility.

Both cuts of silage are now in the pit, and it is the time to get them tested for not just what energy, protein and DMD is in there but also minerals, especially for the second cut which will predominantly go to the dry cows. While it will all be eaten regardless, knowing the quality will allow you to balance the diet for the winter, whether that be for weight gain, body condition or milk production. Also, some might say there is no point in testing it if you don’t have enough of it, and now is also the time to do some quick sums on the amount of silage you have versus the amount of stock you will have, taking account of any possible extension of the season due to weather conditions. We need the view of hoping for the best but preparing for the worst, where large numbers now on farms will mean even a few weeks of extra silage will require large reserves.

Finally, check to make sure year one and two replacement stock are on target. It is better to regain shortfalls over the next few months now than realising they are 20kg or 30kg off when they are housed later. They are like spring calving cows now, and if we can manage their supply and quality of grass, this should be sufficient, and everything will look after itself, with supplement to be considered if there is an extended weather event only.