Clonakilty Agricultural College May Dairy Update
James Daunt, Dairy teacher at Clonakilty Agricultural College provides a May update on Dairying at the College. He talks about nearing the end of the 2021 breeding season, current milk results, grassland management and looking forward to cutting silage, in a short video here
Breeding Season 2021
We are currently on week 5 of the breeding season, all maiden heifers have been submitted for AI, and 99% of Dairy cows have been submitted for AI as of this morning. The remaining two cows were scanned as clean and cycling and were given a shot of prostaglandin to bring them into heat. Non-return rates on our maiden heifers were 67% to fixed time sexed semen, and we are pleased with the results.
Current milk results
- Cows are producing approximately 23.2 litres per cow
- Butterfat 4.44%
- Protein 3.56%
- SCC 76,000
- TBC 5,000
Grassland Management
Growth last week (week beginning 17th May) was 84 kg/DM/Ha, with demand now at 75 kg/Dm/Ha. The average farm cover on the trial groups is 808 kg Dm/Ha, and the general group is 742 kg/ DM/Ha.
Cows are consuming 2kg of concentrate per day.
We are expecting to cut 1st cut silage this weekend, all weather dependant of course.
Fertiliser – we are following the cows with 21 units of protected urea/acre after grazing.
Reseeding – we will be spraying off a paddock in the trial area for reseeding this week.
Look out for our Colleges next update.
More on Clonakilty Agricultural College Farm here