Dairy Newsletter - September 2022

05 September 2022
Type Newsletter

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In this month's edition:

Invest in soil fertility this autumn
In the last 12 months, Teagasc has tested over 21,000 soil samples on client dairy farms. This is an 11% increase on 2021 and continues the welcome year-on-year trend of more farms sampling their soil.
Feed and fodder update
The last month has seen some challenging weather on farms, with many areas experiencing poor grass growth due to drought conditions. This has impacted on the volume of second-cut silage and the amount of silage reserves available.
Dry cow events autumn 2022
The earliest spring-calving cows are now within about 65 days of their target drying-off date. It is important to begin planning for this process. Teagasc, in partnership with Animal Health Ireland (AHI) and in conjunction with the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM) and dairy processors, will run a series of on-farm events from October 3-19 around the country.
Joined up thinking on dairy-beef systems
With pregnancy scanning being completed on farms, it is a good time to conduct a review of the breeding season just gone. As well as looking at six-week and overall pregnancy rates, the balance of dairy and beef genetics used in the herd should be examined also. Are there opportunities to use more high-Dairy Beef Index (DBI) beef genetics and higher quality dairy straws next year?
September in numbers
- 2 tonnes of lime per acre spread where soil pH is low
- 5.10% and 4.10% at least – for milk fat and protein, respectively
- 8 hours between morning and evening milking (7.00am and 3.00pm for example)
- 100 maximum for SCC (milk record if higher than this)
- 120% of winter feed requirement on hand
- 190kg – heifer calf target weight for late September (580kg mature weight)
- 1,100kg DM – average farm grass cover by end of month
Health & Safety - Maintaining wellbeing
Wellbeing is vital for ongoing satisfaction with life, yet rural dwellers report lower levels of wellbeing than the population as a whole. Mental Health Ireland (MHI) advocates a five-step approach that anyone can follow to feel good and function well.