Best practice basics
Macalister Demonstration Farm Update 536 (19th February 2021)
Consistently getting the basics of irrigation, drainage, fertiliser, grazing and supplements right every day in every paddock, pays dividends.
At the MDF grass per ha consumed is below target. However, due to supplements such as grain being relatively inexpensive this year, the gap is being made up, feed margin is on target and milk production per cow is above target.
If conditions are not conducive to getting one of the best practice basics spot on target, finding ways to keep margins on target is invaluable, and gives the operation time to sort out the issue.
A big problem with dairy farms is that small variations can cause inefficiency and have large impacts on margins.
Variation of nitrogen applied by the spreader means some areas are oversupplied and some are undersupplied. Same applies to irrigation water. If grass per cow changes from 10 kg for a couple of days, then 6 kg for a few days, then back to 10, or silage is fed for a few days then not fed, the rumen will not efficiently digest the food. If some paddocks are grazed lightly, grass is wasted, and if then paddocks are grazed too hard they do not grow back well.
The best bet for any dairy farmer is to keep a keen eye on the consistency of operations on the farm. The more the cows and the pasture can be kept on an even keel, the more productive and profitable the farm will be.
| FEED MARGIN PERFORMANCE | MDF TEN DAYS AGO | MDF THIS TEN DAYS | Units |
| Ten days to date: | 10-Feb-21 | 20-Feb-21 | |
| Milker graze area | 63 | 63 | Ha |
| Milkers | 288 | 288 | Head |
| Stocking rate | 4.6 | 4.6 | cows/ha |
| Average graze rest time | 30 | 31 | Days |
| Estm’d pasture consmp’n | 35 | 33 | kg DM/ha/day |
| Pasture consum’d per cow | 7.7 | 7.3 | kg DM/cow/day |
| Pasture growing spend | $6.19 | $6.19 | $/ha/day |
| Estm’d pasture price | $175 | $185 | $/T DM |
| Conc (incl additives)supp fed/cow | 6.5 | 6.5 | kg DM/cow/day |
| Conc (incl additives)supp avg price | $381 | $381 | $/T DM |
| Hay/silage supp fed/cow | 3.1 | 3.1 | kg DM/cow/day |
| Hay/silage supp price | $267 | $267 | $/T DM |
| Feed Conversion Efficiency | 101 | 100 | kg MS/tonne DM |
| Total feed intake/cow | 16.7 | 16.3 | kg DM/cow/day |
| NDF Fibre in diet | 32.3% | 32.1% | % NDF |
| Litres/cow | 22.5 | 21.2 | l/cow/day |
| Fat test | 4.31% | 4.44% | % |
| Protein test | 3.51% | 3.54% | % |
| Milk Solids per cow | 1.76 | 1.69 | kg/cow/day |
| Milk price (less levies)/kg MS | $6.25 | $6.24 | $/kg MS |
| Milk price (less levies)/litre | $0.49 | $0.50 | $ per litre |
| Milk income/cow | $10.97 | $10.56 | $/cow/day |
| All feed cost/cow | $4.66 | $4.66 | $/cow/day |
| Margin over all Feed/cow | $6.31 | $5.91 | $/cow/day |
| MOAF /ha /day | $28.87 | $27.01 | $/ha/day |
| Farm MOAF per DAY | $1,819 | $1,701 | $/day |