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Know How / Dairy / Feed and nutrition

Managing feed and nutrition to maximise milk output has become a precise science in dairy herds. We have information on grazing management, developments in grass and maize silage and formulating rations with a balanced protein, energy, mineral and fibre content.

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AHDB resource

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Case studies

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DAIRY

How a 12,000-litre herd balances efficiency and cow welfare

A focus on optimising milking efficiency through 12 robots has created a setup that also maximises cow comfort and welfare for a large Wiltshire herd. The result is a herd…

DAIRY

How a high-yielding dairy herd hits 1,000kg milk solids a cow

A multi-pronged approach with ration consistency and genetics at its core has helped the Campbell family increase kilos of fat and protein from 754kg to 1,000kg a cow since 2016.…

LIVESTOCK

3 ways a Hampshire dairy is focusing on biological assets

For nearly 100 years, Whitewool Farm has operated a high-input, high-output system, with current annual milk yield sitting at 10,046 litres a cow. However, the brothers running the 400-cow herd…

YOUNGSTOCK MANAGEMENT

Beetle-friendly parasite policy saves £8 a cow

An environmentally conscious dairy farmer has cut youngstock treatments by 70% thanks to a pioneering multi-pronged approach to parasite management including dung beetles. Spring block-calver Bruce Thompson at Camcloon Dairy,…

DAIRY

How self-feed silage allowed autumn-block herd to expand

An autumn block-calving herd has moved to a new site on farm, replaced a mixer wagon with self-feed silage and increased herd size by 120 cows. Cost of production for…

CALVING

Why portable milkers can ease stress at calving

Using a portable milking machine in the calving pen is the easiest and fastest way to harvest a cow’s first colostrum and avoid having to move a newly calved cow.…

Practical advice

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HEALTH AND WELFARE

Advice on maintaining a healthy rumen

The dairy cow’s rumen is a large bioreactor, home to a diverse and dense population of microbes. A single teaspoon of ruminal content contains 150bn micro-organisms, which act in co-ordination…

LIVESTOCK

How feeding methane inhibitors can help cut emissions

Methane inhibitors supplied in feed rations could play a significant role in reducing greenhouse gas emissions in ruminants. However, no one size fits all, advises Annie Williams, ruminant nutritionist and…

FEED AND NUTRITION

Benefits of topping silage clamps with fodder beet

Topping clamps of maize or grass silage with a layer of fodder beet can provide a ready-made total mixed ration without the challenges sometimes associated with ensiling this mix. Clamping…

LIVESTOCK

How soil and crop can contribute to ruminant nutrition

Livestock farmers are advised to take a holistic approach to animal nutrition, accounting for soil, crop and stock when formulating diets to avoid mineral imbalances and optimise animal performance. Independent…

YOUNGSTOCK MANAGEMENT

Tips on teat cleaning – for calf feeding equipment

Feeding milk to calves through a teat meets the calf’s biological need to suckle, but excellent standards of hygiene are needed to avoid digestive upsets and disease spread. Daily cleaning,…

LIVESTOCK

Guidance on analysing and targeting forage quality this year

Beef and sheep farmers should earmark bales according to which field or cut they came from, so the forage can be targeted at the most appropriate livestock class.   A…

Insights

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LIVESTOCK

Feed efficiency research reveals importance of cow grouping

Breeding dairy herds for feed efficiency can be negatively impacted on-farm by managing lactating cows in mixed parity groups. This is because of competition at the feed bunk and a…

DAIRY

Cow health strategy rethink needed after bolus loss

Dairy farms need to review their strategies for preventing metabolic disease in transition cows as monensin boluses are no longer on the market, said independent veterinary consultant Dr David Charles.…

YOUNGSTOCK MANAGEMENT

Trial compares performance of whey protein v whey powder

Using a whey protein-based milk replacer, over a whey powder-based alternative, could increase saleable milk yields by almost £500 a heifer. This is according to research presented by Volac’s global…

FEED AND NUTRITION

Bacterial inoculant boosts milk yield 1.9kg/day, study shows

Inoculating silage increases available dry matter, improves aerobic stability, and increases milk yields, according to the findings of a new trial. The independent trial was carried out at Reading University’s…

FEED AND NUTRITION

Excess copper found to impair liver function in heifers

Feeding excess copper to dairy heifer calves can compromise liver function, leading to poorer fertility and lower milk yields in first lactation. This is according to AHDB-funded research at Harper…

LIVESTOCK

Are milk fever and negative energy balance under control?

Milk fever and negative energy balance are issues for many dairy herds, despite most dairy farmers recognising the importance of the dry period to cow health and productivity. According to…

DAIRY

How early life calf nutrition affects long-term metabolism

Researchers are discovering more about early life programming and how critical this is for adulthood, according to Trouw Nutrition’s Dr Leonel Leal. This starts with colostrum, but also includes feeding…

FEED AND NUTRITION

How home-grown forages could make dairy protein more green

Making better use of home-grown forages could help eliminate the overfeeding of costly dietary protein in dairy cow diets and, in turn, reduce associated emissions, according to Liam Sinclair, professor…

FEED AND NUTRITION

Maize-bean cropping tipped to see huge growth in Germany

More German growers are companion-cropping maize with beans to address astronomical ammonium nitrate and protein costs, saying the dry matter and protein performance of the resulting silage outweighs the energy…

LIVESTOCK

High-yielding herds top efficiency stakes

High-yielding dairy herds are more feed-efficient than low-yielding herds, but improvements must be made in cow fertility and longevity to lower methane emissions. A study of 21 farms across five…

FEED AND NUTRITION

Maize silage should feed well despite drought, analysis shows

Analysis of nearly 700 samples of maize silage suggest it should feed well this winter and complement this year’s grass silages. This is according to Liz Homer, ruminant technical development…

BREEDING AND FERTILITY

Why big cows are inefficient and how to breed smaller stock

Cows are getting bigger. UK dairy farmers are feeding and managing the equivalent of nearly five extra cows for every 100 in their herds, compared with 30 years ago. And…

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