The MDF report table shows the bottom line, the feed margin, from which all other (non-feed) costs must be deducted to arrive at a profit. A high feed margin will provide a high chance of profit, and vice versa. Each line in the table, each indicator, has some impact on the feed margin, some requiring closer monitoring than others.
When comparing the MDF’s last milk statement with the same time last year, litres and fat were up significantly, creating higher profits for the farm.
However, comparisons between farms can still show ways to increase the feed margin and profitability even further.
The other farm in the table is a dairyfarm in WA, with a roughly similar calving pattern and current grass consumption as the MDF. The WA farm has a much lower stocking rate, and much higher milk per cow, because the cows are eating far more feed, mostly grass. A bit more of a fancier, and more expensive, concentrate is being fed. The feed conversion is higher. The margin per cow is much higher than the MDF’s, although the margin per hectare is a bit lower.
The feed margin plan for the MDF this year is similar to last year: milk less cows, but get the same total farm grass consumed, so that each cow must eat more grass. Management practices to get high grass intake will be needed: first, grow grass so that plenty can be offered; do not graze too hard, but maintain high grass quality; lift and maintain the herd grass intake capacity, by good body condition at calving, good transitioning, and then feeding consistent grass quantity and quality every day. A third of the cows are fresh. The grazing rest time is shortening fast, so we are eating into a grass reserve that had been built. Grass quality is sometimes an excuse for rapid grazing rotation shortening, but this may reduce the massive potential of spring quantity.
| FEED MARGIN PERFORMANCE | MDF TEN DAYS AGO | MDF THIS TEN DAYS | ANOTHER FARM | Units |
| Ten days to date: | 10-Aug-20 | 20-Aug-20 | 20-Aug-20 | |
| Milker graze area | 52 | 58 | 148 | Ha |
| Milkers | 129 | 150 | 251 | Head |
| Stocking rate | 2.5 | 2.6 | 1.7 | cows/ha |
| Average graze rest time | 60 | 51 | 35 | Days |
| Estm’d pasture consmp’n | 20 | 26 | 23 | kg DM/ha/day |
| Pasture consum’d per cow | 8.0 | 10.0 | 13.3 | kg DM/cow/day |
| Pasture growing spend | $2.28 | $2.28 | $2.17 | $/ha/day |
| Estm’d pasture price | $115 | $88 | $96 | $/T DM |
| Conc (incl additives)supp fed/cow | 5.0 | 5.0 | 5.9 | kg DM/cow/day |
| Conc (incl additives)supp avg price | $370 | $387 | $442 | $/T DM |
| Hay/silage supp fed/cow | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | kg DM/cow/day |
| Hay/silage supp price | $/T DM | |||
| Feed Conversion Efficiency | 96 | 108 | 112 | kg MS/tonne DM |
| Total feed intake/cow | 12.8 | 14.8 | 19.1 | kg DM/cow/day |
| NDF Fibre in diet | 31.5% | 32.5% | 32.4% | % NDF |
| Litres/cow | 15.5 | 20.0 | 29.9 | l/cow/day |
| Fat test | 4.05% | 4.40% | 3.72% | % |
| Protein test | 3.92% | 3.69% | 3.46% | % |
| Milk Solids per cow | 1.24 | 1.62 | 2.15 | kg/cow/day |
| Milk price (less levies)/kg MS | $5.79 | $5.72 | $5.77 | $/kg MS |
| Milk price (less levies)/litre | $0.46 | $0.46 | $0.41 | $ per litre |
| Milk income/cow | $7.17 | $9.24 | $12.40 | $/cow/day |
| All feed cost/cow | $2.75 | $2.80 | $3.88 | $/cow/day |
| Margin over all Feed/cow | $4.42 | $6.44 | $8.52 | $/cow/day |
| MOAF /ha /day | $10.97 | $16.66 | $14.45 | $/ha/day |
| Farm MOAF per DAY | $570 | $967 | $2,138 | $/day |
| Feed cost $/kg MS | $2.22 | $1.73 | $1.80 | $/ kg MS |
| Proportion of grazed grass in diet | 62% | 68% | 70% | % |