Paddock 4 is about to be grazed, 28 rested from the previous grazing. 2.3 leaves have regrown, which is an average appearance rate of 12.2 days, typical for the last twenty years in mid-October. No sign of rising seedheads in the ryegrass. The growth rate from observing the paddock is 44 kg DM grass per hectare per day; the Graze planner sheet suggests there is an average over the farm of 41 available, and the analysis table shows 46 being consumed.
Paddock 23 was recently grazed at 4 cm between the clumps, a touch too hard. The clumps have been grazed to 25 cm, and cover 30% of the paddock. A topping would fix the residue for only 30% of the paddock, so topping this paddock may not be warranted. Soil moisture in paddock 23 is close to perfect. Most of the spinner cuts have disappeared now, and a rain event is predicted for the next few days. Docks have been sprayed.
As part of its winter strategy, every year the MDF moves from applying urea at each grazing to foliar applications of fertiliser. This year it is a 50 litre per hectare mix of Sulsa P, LoKomotive, Gala, Radiate, Awaken, and SP-700 . The resultant element application is 15 kg N, 1.7 of P, 1.7 of K, and 3.5 of S, which extrapolates to a yearly application of 150 kg N, 17 of P and 17 of K.
80 kg of urea applies 37 kg element N per ha, and at $800 per tonne, costs $64 per hectare.
The foliar mix applies 15 kg N per ha, more readily available to the plant through the foliar application method, and costs $115 per hectare sprayed on, plus the other nutrients in the spray.
| FEED MARGIN PERFORMANCE | MDF TEN DAYS AGO | MDF THIS TEN DAYS | Units |
| Ten days to date: | 30-Sep-21 | 10-Oct-21 | |
| Milker graze area | 61 | 61 | Ha |
| Milkers | 235 | 250 | Head |
| Stocking rate | 3.9 | 4.1 | cows/ha |
| Average graze rest time | 35 | 30 | Days |
| Estm’d pasture consmp’n | 44 | 46 | kg DM/ha/day |
| Pasture consum’d per cow | 11.5 | 11.2 | kg DM/cow/day |
| Pasture growing spend | $2.72 | $2.00 | $/ha/day |
| Estm’d pasture price | $61 | $43 | $/T DM |
| Conc (incl additives)supp fed/cow | 5.9 | 5.9 | 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 | 116 | 116 | kg MS/tonne DM |
| Total feed intake/cow | 17.2 | 16.9 | kg DM/cow/day |
| NDF Fibre in diet | 31.1% | 30.9% | % NDF |
| Litres/cow | 28.5 | 27.3 | l/cow/day |
| Fat test | 3.72% | 3.89% | % |
| Protein test | 3.37% | 3.35% | % |
| Milk Solids per cow | 2.02 | 1.98 | kg/cow/day |
| Milk price (less levies)/kg MS | $6.42 | $6.39 | $/kg MS |
| Milk price (less levies)/litre | $0.46 | $0.46 | $ per litre |
| Milk income/cow | $12.97 | $12.64 | $/cow/day |
| All feed cost/cow | $3.14 | $2.93 | $/cow/day |
| Margin over all Feed/cow | $9.83 | $9.72 | $/cow/day |
| MOAF /ha /day | $37.87 | $39.83 | $/ha/day |
| Farm MOAF per DAY | $2,310 | $2,430 | $/day |