Dairy Newsletter - December 2022

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In this month's edition

• Nutrition and forage to prevent calving problems
  Having cows in the correct mineral status in the dry period will help to prevent milk fever and associated problems such as slow calving, retained placenta, ketosis and displaced abomasum. The mineral profile of both the forage and the mineral supplement need to be considered.
  
  • Dry cow forage
    High levels of potassium (K) in forages make cattle more susceptible to milk fever around calving time. Levels of 2.5% or more in dry matter (DM) in the three weeks pre calving are high risk (there is no issue at this level with milking cows, young stock or indeed dry cows more than three weeks from calving).
  • Dry cow minerals
    Source a high-quality mineral and feed at the correct rate for at least six weeks pre calving. Many problems on farms occur when minerals are fed at the wrong rate or for too short a period, so make sure to get these simple things right.
• Calf housing – are you ready for spring?
  Current EU specifications require a minimum space allowance of 1.5m² for calves <150kg and under 19 weeks old. However, current Irish recommendations are 2m²/calf to promote growth and good welfare. Another key component of calf management is hygiene and maintaining clean and dry bedding areas. Take some time before calving starts to review your housing and hygiene plan.
• Winter milk and concentrate feeding rates
  At the recent Teagasc winter milk events, the issue of milk responses to concentrate was addressed, in the context of strong base milk prices. While 1kg of concentrate has enough energy (UFL) on paper for 2kg of milk, this two to one response to extra feed is never seen in practice. This is because the extra concentrate reduces forage intake and lowers whole diet digestibility, limiting the yield response. The scale of this effect depends on cow type, forage quality and days in milk.
• Fertiliser outlook for 2023
  Signals from the EU, Government and the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM) indicate a reduction in fertiliser input (particularly nitrogen (N)) on dairy farms over the next few years. Signals from the marketplace suggest fertiliser N will be much more expensive next year. Chemical N fertiliser input can be reduced if recommended steps are taken.
• 12 steps to reducing emissions
  Over 12 months, the Teagasc advisory newsletters will outline one action per month farmers can take to reduce their emissions. This month, the focus is on step two - Apply protected urea.
• Health and Safety - Child and fire safety over Christmas
  It is important to be mindful of the safety of children during this time. Ensure there is a safe secure play area in place when children are outside. When children are in the farmyard they must always be supervised. Easy-to-read danger signs should be in place and these signs should be explained to children. Give preventing fires in your home and on your farm your attention. Irish research has shown that farmers and agricultural workers account for 20% of all fire deaths. Almost all fires occur in dwelling houses.