Grass is the bottom line
Milker numbers are rising quickly at the Macalister Demonstration Farm as fresh cows come into the herd after calving.
Grass consumption per cow has lifted, as has overall pasture consumption/ha which is now close to the August target.
This increase in grass consumption is a powerful driver of production and profitability.
Grass production has increased, which means that pasture price has fallen. Extra grass consumption has lifted milk solids per cow significantly, to above the August target with feed efficiency also lifting markedly.
All these factors drive the feed margin, which has lifted accordingly.
| FEED MARGIN PERFORMANCE | MDF TEN DAYS AGO | MDF THIS TEN DAYS | Units |
| Ten days to date: | 10-Aug-21 | 20-Aug-21 | |
| Milker graze area | 58 | 62 | Ha |
| Milkers | 115 | 150 | Head |
| Stocking rate | 2.0 | 2.4 | cows/ha |
| Average graze rest time | 60 | 50 | Days |
| Estm’d pasture consmp’n | 16 | 24 | kg DM/ha/day |
| Pasture consum’d per cow | 8.0 | 10.0 | kg DM/cow/day |
| Pasture growing spend | $2.72 | $2.72 | $/ha/day |
| Estm’d pasture price | $170 | $112 | $/T DM |
| Conc (incl additives)supp fed/cow | 5.4 | 5.4 | kg DM/cow/day |
| Conc (incl additives)supp avg price | $417 | $417 | $/T DM |
| Hay/silage supp fed/cow | 0.0 | 0.0 | kg DM/cow/day |
| Hay/silage supp price | $/T DM | ||
| Feed Conversion Efficiency | 100 | 108 | kg MS/tonne DM |
| Total feed intake/cow | 13.3 | 15.3 | kg DM/cow/day |
| NDF Fibre in diet | 29.5% | 30.8% | % NDF |
| Litres/cow | 17.7 | 22.7 | l/cow/day |
| Fat test | 3.82% | 3.72% | % |
| Protein test | 3.76% | 3.66% | % |
| Milk Solids per cow | 1.34 | 1.67 | kg/cow/day |
| Milk price (less levies)/kg MS | $6.42 | $6.41 | $/kg MS |
| Milk price (less levies)/litre | $0.49 | $0.47 | $ per litre |
| Milk income/cow | $8.61 | $10.73 | $/cow/day |
| All feed cost/cow | $3.62 | $3.37 | $/cow/day |
| Margin over all Feed/cow | $4.99 | $7.36 | $/cow/day |
| MOAF /ha /day | $9.90 | $17.79 | $/ha/day |
| Farm MOAF per DAY | $574 | $1,103 | $/day |