The MDF is now very wet although paddocks with good slope and permeable soil are holding up well when grazed, as are paddocks with functioning spinner cuts. In contrast, Paddock 18 has no cuts, (soil type and slope?) has surface water still lying on most of it, and it will be some time before it is dry enough to graze.
There is a video of the MDF dry cows’ body condition score on the website. Dry cow body condition is variable, some cows scoring above 5, some only 4. There is more risk calving down cows with scores above score 6 (metabolic problems and calving difficulties), but to achieve a high milk production peak after calving (and therefore the potential to milk well, and use feed efficiently, throughout the season) it is important for each cow to calve in high body condition. Perhaps the lower score dry cows should be fed at a higher level. Although feeding dry cows to build condition is not as profitable as feeding directly for milk, it would be profitable in the long term, especially if the extra feed is own-grown grass.
Last season SDA dropped the 2.5 cent per litre milk volume charge, seemingly with no discussion, nor reaction. The litre charge has been a significant element of the compositional payment for decades. It signalled to farmers that there was a cost associated with dealing with the water in milk. The litre charge penalised low fat and protein test milk, and rewarded high test milk. The MDF supplies Fonterra, which this season has also dropped the litre charge.
Growth rates:
Paddock 5 is being grazed, 48 days rested, at 2.3 leaves. So, LAR is 21 days, typical for July. From observation, it has grown at an average of 25 kg DM per hectare per day, over the 48 days.
| FEED MARGIN PERFORMANCE | MDF TEN DAYS AGO | MDF THIS TEN DAYS | ANOTHER MID FARM | Units |
| Ten days to date: | 30-Jun-20 | 10-Jul-20 | 10-Jul-20 | |
| Milker graze area | 55 | 55 | 95 | Ha |
| Milkers | 120 | 101 | 280 | Head |
| Stocking rate | 2.2 | 1.8 | 2.9 | cows/ha |
| Average graze rest time | 41 | 46 | 45 | Days |
| Estm’d pasture consmp’n | 22 | 18 | 12 | kg DM/ha/day |
| Pasture consum’d per cow | 9.9 | 9.7 | 4.1 | kg DM/cow/day |
| Pasture growing spend | $2.49 | $2.28 | $2.16 | $/ha/day |
| Estm’d pasture price | $115 | $128 | $180 | $/T DM |
| Conc (incl additives)supp fed/cow | 6.3 | 6.3 | 6.8 | kg DM/cow/day |
| Conc (incl additives)supp avg price | $370 | $370 | $458 | $/T DM |
| Hay/silage supp fed/cow | 0.0 | 0.0 | 8.9 | kg DM/cow/day |
| Hay/silage supp price | $383 | $/T DM | ||
| Feed Conversion Efficiency | 101 | 99 | 102 | kg MS/tonne DM |
| Total feed intake/cow | 16.0 | 15.8 | 19.2 | kg DM/cow/day |
| NDF Fibre in diet | 30.8% | 31.3% | 30.1% | % NDF |
| Litres/cow | 18.9 | 19.4 | 24.4 | l/cow/day |
| Fat test | 4.71% | 4.29% | 4.57% | % |
| Protein test | 3.95% | 3.90% | 3.73% | % |
| Milk Solids per cow | 1.64 | 1.59 | 2.03 | kg/cow/day |
| Milk price (less levies)/kg MS | $7.76 | $6.61 | $6.56 | $/kg MS |
| Milk price (less levies)/litre | $0.67 | $0.54 | $0.54 | $ per litre |
| Milk income/cow | $12.70 | $10.53 | $13.29 | $/cow/day |
| All feed cost/cow | $3.47 | $3.57 | $7.28 | $/cow/day |
| Margin over all Feed/cow | $9.22 | $6.95 | $6.01 | $/cow/day |
| MOAF /ha /day | $20.12 | $12.77 | $17.71 | $/ha/day |
| Farm MOAF per DAY | $1,107 | $702 | $1,682 | $/day |
| Feed cost $/kg MS | $2.12 | $2.25 | $3.59 | $/ kg MS |