Don’t lose focus on silage quality on calf-to-beef farms
A key finding of both phases of the Teagasc Green Acres Calf to Beef Programme is that excellent quality silage is one vital cog in the establishment of profitable calf-to-beef systems. Teagasc Green Acres programme advisor Seán Cummins, shows that delaying silage harvesting date is not an option
Higher fertiliser, feed and fuel costs are posing challenges at farm level. Despite this, the focus must not waver on producing excellent quality silage on farms rearing dairy-beef calves.
Depending on farm location and land type, it takes its place as the primary forage for 25-40% of the year. Given calf-to-beef farms dependence on this feed, a dry matter digestibility (DMD) of 72-74 is targeted.
This is to ensure both weanlings and finishing stock achieve the desired levels of weight gain over the winter period without a requirement for additional supplementation of concentrate feeds. These winter weight gain targets are 0.6kg/head/day for weanlings and ~1kg/head/day for finishing stock, respectively.
Weighing up the options – quality versus quantity
The combination of higher prices and the future availability of fertiliser supplies are never too far away from farmer conversations over the past number of weeks.
In some instances, this is leading to some producers pondering the possibility of changing tact when it comes to the silage strategy at farm level, with some suggesting sacrificing quality in favour of quantity.
As always, the primary objective should be to ensure that enough silage is available in the yard before the onset of next winter. Aim to have 75% of your forage requirement in place by mid-June.
Before the quality versus quantity debate can be addressed the first area that warrants attention is how much silage is actually required on farm and this can only be assessed by completing a budget for the year ahead, which can be completed using the budgeting tool incorporated in PastureBase Ireland.
This budget should account for the number and type of stock present on farm for the winter months; the expected duration of the winter – add an additional month to act as a buffer; the amount of meal or alternative feeds you plan to feed along with the silage; and the reserve of silage carried over from the previous winter.
Once this has been completed, you will know you requirement for winter feed and, from here, steps at farm level can be implemented to ensure enough forage is available to tide you through the winter months.
The impact on delaying silage harvesting date from mid-May to later into June for a calf-to-beef system
Three scenarios are presented below. All three look at the levels of silage required for a calf-to-steer system carrying 100 Holstein Friesian weanlings and 100 finishing steers over a 100 day winter.
The first option is based on a silage quality of 74DMD, with a mid-May cutting date, yielding 4.6t/ha of dry matter or 7.7 bales per acre. If this feed quality was available in the yard, meal supplementation rates of 0.5-0.6kg/head/day for weanlings and 4kg/head for finishing stock would be capable of achieving the targeted levels of daily weight gain.
The second option examines harvesting the crop in the early days of June, where a yield of 6t/ha of dry matter or 10 bales/ac would be expected at 70DMD. To achieve the desired levels of weight gain from this forage source, concentrate supplementation levels of 5.5kg/head/day and 1.25kg/head respectively, for finishing steers and weanlings would be necessary.
The third option is a delayed cutting scenario, pushing harvesting date back out to mid-June. With this, a silage DMD of 64-65DMD would be expected, yielding 7t/ha of dry matter or 11.8 bales per acre. If this was the primary winter forage available, supplementation rates of 2kg/head/day would be required for the weanlings and >7kg/head/day would be required for the finishing animals to achieve their targeted daily weight gains.
The table above provides an outline of the impact on delaying silage harvesting date from mid-May to later into June for a calf-to-beef system in terms of winter feed costs. Overall, the scenario with the lowest overall winter feed costs, capable of achieving the desired levels of animal performance, is that where harvesting takes place in mid-May.
Although there may be a temptation to delay silage harvesting this year on some farms, this is not an option for calf to beef farms.
Although there may be a temptation to delay silage harvesting this year on some farms, this is not an option for calf to beef farms
Where harvesting is delayed to counteract higher fertiliser costs, the benefit of doing so will be wiped out through additional concentrate requirements. These farms are also at a greater exposure to higher meal costs. And, with uncertainty still present in the market as regards to where meal price will be this winter coming, using concentrates to fill a feed gap as a result of not spreading fertiliser is not an option and the focus must not waver from quality.
Impact of cutting strategy on grass supplies
It also must be noted that delaying first cut silage by one month could also pose challenges in terms of grass supply later in the season. As what would have been available as after grass for turned out calves will not be available where cutting dates are delayed.
Find out more here about Teagasc Green Acres Calf to Beef Programme
Find out more here from Teagasc on Dairy Calf to Beef