20/11/2017

Week ending farm notes

·        Cover has increased this week to 2308kgDM/ha with the whole farm growing 82kgDM/ha/day.  Cows have grazed just over 5ha/day this is equivalent to a 27 day round of the whole farm or 23day round of the paddocks held in the grazing round (127 ha).  11ha are removed from the wedge for silage.

·        The long covers from last week have been grazed through, and had a small impact on production in the poorest quality paddocks.  2 paddocks were post-grazed mowed for weed management (Dock and Californian thistles). 

·        The feed wedge shows a small surplus at the top of the wedge.  It still forecasts a potential deficit 10 days out, however with the need to begin feeding PKE in 10 days this will hopefully line up nicely with shorter pre-grazing covers to maintain our residuals.  The current paddocks noted in surplus are being used to maintain quality in front of the cows.  Should growth rates drop quickly and the budgeted PKE be insufficient, these paddocks will be mowed back into the round and grazed.

·        Cows have been allocated 18kg to 18.5kg of pasture this week, with plenty of seed head in all paddocks.  Where allocation was closer to 18.5kg/cow residuals have lifted closer to 1600kgDM/ha without appreciable increases in production.  We will offer 18.5kg/cow in the coming week unless residuals come up at which point total allocation will reduce to 18kg/cow.  The very dry nature of pasture and the top inch of soil is encouraging to maintain a conservative approach to feed allocation.

·       Milkers have been producing an average of 1.73 kgMS/cow this week ranging from 1.67kg/cow to 1.80kg/cow with a very volatile fat % being the biggest influencer on production as litres and protein have been quite consistent.  One cow was lost to bloat this week despite bloat oil in the trough for some time.  It was the paddock with the most clover on the farm.