National Winter Milk Open Day 2023
'Futureproofing our Winter Milk Systems'
On Wednesday September 6th 2023 farmers got an opportunity to learn about the Teagasc Winter-Milk Research Programme. The programme is researching the technologies and practices available to ensure that Winter Milk farms are equipped to embrace and overcome any future challenges within the industry.
Information on the day covered:
- Introduction and overview of Johnstown Castle
- Johnstown Castle Winter Milk Herd
- Pasture Management
- Replacement of Imported Feed Ingredients
- Reducing the Methane Production of Winter Milk Cows
- Winter Milk - Know Your Costs
- Winter Milk Focus Areas
Teagasc Johnstown Castle Research
Johnstown Castle Research Centre is part of the Teagasc Crops, Environment and Land Use Programme. It also has dairy and beef research herds.
Winter Milk Herd
The Johnstown herd was established in 2003 to provide a base for Winter-Milk systems research in Teagasc.
It provides a centre for research, training and dissemination.
Previous Winter-Milk Research
Aidan Lawless, Rioch Fox, John Murphy, Joe Patton and Padraig French
- Grazing strategies in spring and autumn for Winter-Milk herds
- EBI and cow type for Winter-Milk systems
- Feed-to-yield systems for split-calving herds
- Effects of calving season/pattern on feed budget cost
- Calving interval effects on annual herd milk production and costs
Johnstown Castle Winter Milk Herd
Herd Profile
The hers is a split calving herd with 90 autumn calving cows and 50 spring calving. No cow is recycled between seasons.
The same genetic selection criteria is used:
- High fertility - >€100
- High milk solids - >35kg
- Positive for milk kg
- Functional cows
| July 2023 | JC Autumn Cows | JC Spring Cows | National Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| EBI | 206 | 211 | 167 |
| Milk | 78 | 58 | 48 |
| Fertility | 87 | 99 | 71 |
| Carbon | -2 | 6 | 7 |
| Calving | 35 | 39 | 29 |
| Beef | -3 | -6 | -4 |
| Maintenance | 8 | 10 | 13 |
| Management | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Health | 3 | 5 | 6 |
Autumn Calving and Fertility
The 10 week breedinf season starts on December 12th. Calving season starts between the 12th and 15th of September, with a mean calving date of October 9th.
Eligible cows 18/19 to 22/23
| JC Autumn cows | Target | |
|---|---|---|
| 21 day submission rate - % | 80 | >90 |
| Pregnancy rate to 1st service - % | 57 | 60 |
| 6 week calving rate - % | 78 | >80 |
| 10 week empty rate - % | 13 | <10 |
| Calving interval - days | 370 | <370 |
| Replacement rate - % | 23 | 20 - 22 |
Cumulative Milk Production
2019/20 - 2022/23 for the Johnstown Castle Autumn Herd
Milk Yield - 7540kg
Fat - 4.52%
Protein - 3.66%
Milk solids - 616kg
Body weight - 604kg
Milk solids kg/kg BW - 1.02
Concentrate fed - 1602kg
Take home messages
- Focus on high EBI cow that can also deliver from pasture
- Strict breeding management rules are critical
- Be mindful of concentrate feeding level
Pasture Management
Spring
Turnout - February 1st or earliest weather window
First rotation grazing targets:
- End of February - 33%
- St Patrick's Day - 66%
- Early April - 2nd rotation
Short grazing bouts when needed - 2-3 hours after milking to help achieve grazing targets
Winter forages adjusted based on grass supply and removed ASAP
Summer
April to August grass wedge.
Summer grazing targets:
- Pre-grazing yield - 1400-1600 kg DM/ha
- Average farm cover - 600 - 700 kg DM/ha
- Cover/LU 160 - 180 kg DM/ha
1st cut silage - early, target high quality
Milking cow - 72-76% DMD
Dry cow - 64-67% DMD
Autumn
Maximise pasture in the diet and compliment with a high energy 15% crude protein concentrate
Freshly calved cows can struggle on heavy autumn covers
Autumn grazing targets
- Max pre-grazing yield - 1800 kg DM/ha
- Peak average farm cover - 950 kg DM/ha
- Area closed by early November - 75%
- First ensiled forages in the diet - Nov 1st
- Closing average farm cover - 650 kg DM/ha on November 10th
Pasture Production 2022
Covers measured weekly throughout the grazing season
198kg cheminal N/ha
Reduced N on clover swards
Cumulative t DM/ha:
- Grazed - 10.6
- Silage - 2.3
- Total - 12.9
Take home messages
- Critical to maximise the diet proportion of grazed pasture in winter milk systems
- Management targets are crucial to achieve this and to maintain high feed quality
Replacement of Imported Feed Ingredients
Context
National and European Union policy;
- Reduce emissions by 25% by 2030
- Increase tillage sector to 400,000 ha
- Produce more native grown legumes and grains
- Improve overall protein self-sufficiency
EU currently imports 71% of high-protein feed use ingredients
Concerns:
- Carbon footprint and deforestation
- Price volatility, food security and geopolitical disruptions
- Food product marketability
Full replacement of imported feeds (19-21)
A study conducted from 2019 to 2021 compared standard TMR to 'home-grown' ration. It was a 2 year whole lactation system study (n=86) Treatment was predominantly during winter feeding period
The homegrown diet reduced milk production performance. There was a number of potential causative factors including concentrate ingredientsand maize silage exclusion.
Home grown concentrates included field beans and native barley.
Imported hi-protein concentrates included soybean and maize.
Replacement of imported hi-protein ingredients (21/22)
A further study in 21/22 only replaced the hi-protein concentrate ingredients - some forages
There was an 8 week indoor feeding and 6 week carry-over periods (n=84)
The home-grown hi-protein ingredients reduced milk production. This is likely due to inadequate metabolisable protein/amino acid supply
Future research
Potential solutions to overcome inadequate metabolisable protein/amino acid supply
- Rumen protected amino acids
- Feed processing technologies
- Alternative hi-protein ingredients
- Alternative base forages
Take home messages
Home grown diest can:
- lower the carbon footprint of our milk
- raise EU protein self sufficiency
- support the tillage sector
However, reduced milk productionperformance was observed
Reducing the methane production of Winter-Milk cows
Importance of methane
Enteric methane emissions are a by-product of feed digestion within the rumen. They account for 62.5% of Irish agriculture emissions. A 25% reduction in emissions is required by 2030
Methane research areas
- Investigating the baseline
- Animal factors
- Dietary factors
- Feed additives
Animal factors EBI
| High EBI | Average EBI | |
|---|---|---|
| Milk yield - kg/day | 22.0 | 21.9 |
| Milk solids - kg/day | 1.93 | 1.78 |
| Methane - g/day | 305 | 301 |
| Methane - g/kg MS | 158 | 169 |
Feed additives - 3-NOP
3-NOP - inhibits an enzyme involved in the last step of methane formation in the rumen. It is a promising additive internationally and needs to be proven under Irish conditions.
Irish Winter-milk indoor feeding period offers a viable opportunity to incorporate 3-NOP into the diet of dairy cows.
Objective
To investigate the effect of 3-NOP on the methane production of Irish Winter-Milk cows
Experimental Design
2 week covariate and 7 week experimental periods.
44 cows/treatment
3-NOP added as Bovaer - 231g/cow - 0.8% 3-NOP
| Ingredient, kg DM/cow | Control | Additive |
|---|---|---|
| Grass silage | 7 | 7 |
| Maize silage | 7.2 | 7.2 |
| TMR concentrate | 6 | 6 |
| Parlour and Greenfeed concentrate | 2 | 2 |
| 3-NOP, g/cow/day | - | 1.8 |
| Forage proportion | 64 | 64 |
| Total DMI | 22.2 | 22.2 |
Results - with the additive
Milk yield increased from 29.8 to 30.4 kg/day
% protein increased from 3.51 to 3.57
% fat increased from 4.60 to 4.63
Milk solids increased from 2.45 to 2.50 kg/day, a 2% increase
Methane reduced from 447 to 330 g/day, a 26% reduction
The methane reduction in g/kg milk solids went from 182 to 132 a 27% decrease
Take home messages
- There are a number of solutions currently available to reduce methane production
- There was a promising outcome for methane reducing feed additive in Irish Winter-Milk systems
- Further solutions are required
Know Your Costs
Winter Milk Cost Analysis 2021 - 2023
Cost/Cow
| Costs | 2021 | Proj - 2022 | Act. 2022 | Diff. '21 VS '22 | Proj. 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Feed | 553 | 852 | 745 | +192 | 745 |
| Fertiliser | 148 | 369 | 253 | +105 | 183 |
| Vet | 91 | 100 | 101 | +10 | 109 |
| AI/ Breeding | 46 | 51 | 51 | +5 | 55 |
| Contractor | 163 | 244 | 182 | +19 | 182 |
| Other Var. Costs | 176 | 194 | 196 | +20 | 212 |
| Total Var. Costs | 1177 | 1811 | 1528 | +351 | 1482 |
| Total Fixed Costs | 757 | 871 | 869 | +112 | 904 |
| Total Costs | 1934 | 2682 | 2397 | +463 |
2386 |
- Full Economic cost of Milk production will be higher when capital repayments, drawings and taxation are included.
Cost Analysis
- Baseline - 2022 Production Year
- All input quantities to remain constant
Assumptions
Variable Costs
- Feed - Remains constant - €407 per ton
- Fertiliser - Reduction in cost by €200/t
- Contractor - Remains Constant
- All other variable costs increased by 8%
Fixed Costs
- Fixed costs increased by 4% to allow for increase in Labour, ESB, leases and interest.
Take Home Messages
- Know your own costs - ePM
- Cost control is vital in winter systems to maintain margins.
Winter Milk Focus Areas
| 2022 Co- op Data | Av. Winter | Target |
|---|---|---|
| Production | ||
| Milk Kg | 6107 | 6428 |
| Solids Kg MS | 464 | 540 |
| Fat % | 4.21 | 4.60 |
| Protein % | 3.49 | 3.80 |
| SCC | 197 | 100 |
| Fertility | ||
| Calving Int. | 412 | 370 |
| 6 wk Calving % | 48 | 85 |
| % AI Bred Repl. | 63 | 100 |
| % Heifers calved 22-26mths | 50 | 100 |
| Genetics | ||
| EBI | 117 | 200 |
| Av. EBI of 2023 Bull Team | 248 | 320 |
Genetics
- High EBI
- Fert SI > €100
- High Solids >35kg
- Fat > 0.28 / Prot > 0.18
Calving Pattern
- Two Distinct Calving Blocks
- Start/End Date
- High 6 Wk Calving %
- Recycled Cows <5%
Forage Utilised
- Stocking Rate
- Focus on Grass
- High Quality Silage
- Directly related to profitability
Take Home Messages
- High EBI Genetics deliver across all systems.
- Focus on Fertility Performance to increase margins.
- Forage utilised is the biggest driver of profitability.