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Know How / Dairy / Assessing performance

Dairying is a demanding business and it’s important to know the technical and economic key performance indicators (KPIs) to assess whether you are realising a good enough margin for the labour units, land, and working capital used by the business.

We look at a range of criteria suggested by advisers and working for progressive farmers to evaluate herd fertility, health, milk production and profit.

Key parameters are explored, from pregnancy rate to milk solids yield and cost per litre, providing relevant insights no matter what system you run.

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ASSESSING PERFORMANCE

How a new entrant got backing to set up in dairy

A simple, once-a-day system, relying on grazed grass and spring-block calving, was the step into dairy farming for new entrant Nick Cavill. The first cups went on in 2018 and…

DAIRY

Video: How a new parlour improved herd efficiency and health

Investment in a rotary parlour has helped a Devon dairy maximise efficiencies during milking of its 350-head Holstein Friesian herd, with milking time slashed by more than 50%, labour burdens…

DAIRY

4 ways a high-output dairy farm cut vet costs to 0.72p/litre

A data-driven approach to herd health has seen a high-output dairy cut its vet and medicine cost in the past six years by nearly 0.5p/litre to 0.72p/litre. Phil Halhead, of…

DAIRY

How one Ayrshire dairy is cutting its carbon footprint

Improvements in milk quality and yield have helped cut the carbon footprint of a Scottish indoor dairy unit by 42% in a year. Farm output at Low Ballees, a new…

DAIRY

How Staffs dairy gets high robot visits with low cake costs

A Staffordshire robot dairy averages 3.7 robot milkings from 4.7 visits a day and has cut manufactured feed use to an average of 1.9kg a cow. Matt Weaver, of Aston…

DAIRY

Selecting cows for milk solids improves Sussex dairy's yield

The year-round calving herd at Huddlestone Farm, Steyning, produces a milk yield average of 37 litres a cow a day at 4.22% butterfat and 3.42% protein. In contrast, in 2017…

Practical advice

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LIVESTOCK

Valuable business skills courses for dairy farmers

Many dairy farmers tend not to be driven by profit: satisfaction comes from a herd of fine cows, full clamps or milk in the tank. But being good at milking…

DAIRY

Best ways to use dairy key performance indicators

Looking at the milk tank ticket has always been the dairy farmer’s reliable key performance indicator (KPI). But tank-watching is not the best way to make business decisions, given that…

DAIRY

What is the business “sweet spot” for a dairy farm?

Hard to define and only discovered once it has been passed, farming in the “sweet spot” is the point at which everything works comfortably and is stress-free. The farm’s resources…

LIVESTOCK

Why focus on grazing basics is key to maintaining profits

Increased reliance on concentrate feeding and a decline in grass production are threatening the future profitability of Irish dairy farms. Some of this reliance is a result of climate stresses…

DAIRY

How to use data wisely to inform your dairy business choices

Dairy farm technology can save time, automate practical tasks, or record more data, accurately and more often. But to improve farm profit through saving – or making – money requires…

DAIRY

6 common farmer milking myths put to the test

Having domesticated cows 9,000 years ago, it is tempting to think we know all we need about milking. The dairy industry has a wealth of experience, with generations of knowledge…

Insights

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DAIRY

Revised methane method pegs dairy emissions 20% lower

Net carbon emissions from a sample of livestock farms fell significantly when analysed by a carbon methodology that accounts for biogenic methane. Distinguishing between biogenic (methane from ruminants) and fossil…

LIVESTOCK

6 livestock tech developments to look out for

From driverless tractors to cameras for identifying diseases, several high-tech innovations are coming down the track. Farmers Weekly looks at six highlights. See also: NI farm transforms slurry and food…

DAIRY

Wearable device for cattle aims to improve dairy health

A new device, which is claimed to be the first integrated health microchip and activity monitor for livestock, could enable early detection of pre-clinical conditions and disease prediction in real…

HEALTH AND WELFARE

Why health gains cut ruminant methane emissions by 10%

Three classic livestock benchmarking targets can help sheep and cattle farms raise technical performance and meet obligatory methane goals to battle climate change. Livestock policy leaders are urging farmers to…

GRASSLAND MANAGEMENT

How remote sensing tech can help fine-tune grass management

A farm-level study in Wales has shown remote sensors can provide valuable information on how grass responds to inputs. Furthermore, they can do this in greater detail and more rapidly…

DAIRY

Dairy fertility research reveals potential for further gains

The use of novel traits could be a way to accelerate genetic gain, according to the findings of a research project from New Zealand. In New Zealand, the Breeding Worth…

ASSESSING PERFORMANCE

5 new livestock gadgets for farming in 2020

From innovation to slightly improved design, engineers and inventors are constantly striving to produce the next big gadget in livestock farming.  Farmers Weekly has looked at the top products that…

LIVESTOCK

6 key factors influencing dairy herd profitability

The importance of maintaining a long-lived herd by keeping cows healthy and reducing deaths are key to profitability during periods of milk price volatility. Referencing benchmarking data from 65 US…

DAIRY

How top dairy herds cut operating costs in 2016

The best-performing dairy business that made a profit in the low payout year of 2016 managed to reduce their operating expenses by 4p/litre on average, with feed costs being hammered…

DAIRY

How to increase grazed grass without incurring extra costs

As we approach turnout and grazing opportunities for more profit, it is essential we all understand why there is so much value and profit in planning and using grazed grass. News…

LIVESTOCK

Areas to focus on to improve dairy efficiency

Focusing on efficiency measures rather than cost-cutting should be the objective to establish what is eating away at your profits. The last thing dairy farmers will want to be told…

LIVESTOCK

The costs to consider before increasing milk output

Dairy farmers considering pushing for output just because the milk price is starting to rise are being warned to beware of the additional costs involved.  According to independent dairy consultant…

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