18/01/2021

Week ending 18.1.21 farm notes:

FARM PERFORMANCE

APC has increased to 2183 kgDM/ha this week with an average growth of 41 kgDM/ha/day. In an attempt to eat available pasture under very hot conditions our rotation slowed down to 53 days.  With the gap in the wedge now filled and pre-graze covers back at 2800 kgDM/ha we are reducing silage (to 2kgDM/cow/day) and PK (to 1kgDM/cow/day for young herd) and increasing pasture allocation again back up to 12.5kgDM/cow/day. While spore counts are low and rainfall regular we want to continue to consume as much pasture first as we can.  With soil moisture levels at 21% in the top 200mm things will change quickly without regular rainfall. If we have a spike in FE spores we can reduce grazing pressure by increasing silage in the diet.

Feed samples analysed last week showed pasture average ME 11.1, Protein 18.5 %DM, Dry Matter 25%, NDF 47 %DM.

Silage ME 10.9, Protein 15.5 %DM, Dry Matter 34%, NDF 47.4 %DM

Turnips Top ME 12.3, Protein 15.4 %DM, Dry Matter 13%

Turnips Bulb ME 14.3, Protein 11.7 %DM, Dry Matter 9%

Our cows currently require 191 MJME/cow/day and we are offering over 204 MJME.  At these levels we expect cows to be maintaining weight with our next BCS due in mid Feb. They currently require 16 %DM Protein in their diet and are currently getting 16.6 %DM with the main contributor being pasture still.

Updated Farmax budgets show that we are in a position to delay 10 cows that were booked in for end of Jan until after final PD.  With challenges in shipping transport we expect weak returns from cull cows for the next few months so we are analysing options to keep culls on farm longer this Autumn to utilise high crop yields available through March.

Calves were weighed on Monday averaging 170kg with no calves underweight.  They have put on 0.9kg/calf/day since their last weighing on the 26^th November.  Working backwards these calves must have eaten approx. 4 kgDM/hd/day.  This was made up of 0.7 kgDM silage 0.5 kg PK and 2.8 kgDM Chicory. We are calibrating this with pre and post grazing cuts of the Chicory. We will continue to offer feed at a similar rate on a 25 day rotation as the calves are increasing their utilisation of the chicory and PK. We are applying 40 kgN/ha to the Chicory this week in anticipation of continued rain.

The Chicory samples showed Protein at 21 %DM, ME at 12.7 and Dry Matter at 9%. Calves require more than 17% DM protein in their diet at the moment.

ANIMAL WELLBEING

Spore counts this week were between 0 and 10,000.  17g/cow of Zinc is going through the dosatron daily.  This is nearly half of the recommended full rate of 38g/cow/day.  We will continue taking spore counts weekly from now on the results can be found on Cambridge Vets website https://www.cambridgevets.co.nz/farm-animal-services/spore-counts/

BUSINESS HEALTH

Nothing to report

HEALTHY ENVIRONMENT

Nothing to report

QUALITY WORKPLACE

Farwell to Tom who is off for a 2-week tour of the South Island and to support their daughter competing in the South Island Wakeboarding championship (Go Phoebe!!!). We are lucky to have an ex St Peters student who relief milked while at school returning for these 2 weeks.  Helena is commencing her studies in Vet Science this year and we are grateful to have her returning to the farm with her experience and also to offer her more practical training to add value to her future career path.  Tom and LaArni have worked hard to set everything up so that the system runs like clockwork while LaArni’s in charge.

COMMUNITY

Nothing to report

PLANNING FOR THE MONTH AHEAD:

• Monitoring spore counts
• Final PD
• Preparing for students returning to the farm

Cheers from Jo + Tom