Rumen health key to expansion strategy on Welsh dairy unit
29 April 2015
Extensive expansion plans, coupled with the drive to increase rumen health, means that there is no room for complacency when it comes to nutrition management at Calcourt Farms, Montgomery.
We find out why the Jones’, a Welsh based dairy farming family, invested in rumen boluses to give them an insight into how well their cows are being fed.
Maurice Jones farms in partnership with his son Fraser and over the last few decades the pair have seized every opportunity to take on available land in order to expand the enterprise to 2,500 acres.
“I came back to the farm after finishing school in the 1960s when my father was milking 90 cows over 300 acres. Things have obviously changed quite a lot since then,” explains Maurice.
“We’re now milking 1,000 cows across three units and over the next couple of years we plan to double our numbers.
“Fraser and I have great confidence in the UK dairy industry. So many people are being forced out because there’s no profit in it but we think there’s a future and believe that expanding can only help future-proof our business.
“This is Fraser’s project really. He’s keen to stay working within the industry long term and is really driving the expansion project at our Lower Leighton holding near Welshpool.”
The main driving factor behind this expansion is the ageing 16/16 herringbone parlour that was installed 35 years ago.
“Milking 300 cows in the existing parlour takes four hours and the planned expansion will only add more time to milking,” explains Maurice.
“That’s why we’re looking to install a new 72-point computerised rotary parlour in addition to the existing parlour,” he adds.
Fraser highlights that a key part of the expansion strategy is that the unit will also be stocked with replacements from the family’s pedigree Calcourt Holstein Herd.
“We don’t really want to buy in any replacements if we can help it. So, for the last couple of years we’ve been breeding with this expansion in mind and we feel confident that we’ve got enough stock to build our numbers up,” explains Fraser.
“Rumen health is key to the success of our expansion. We’re breeding and feeding for longevity and have worked hard to reduce setbacks caused by diet related health implications,” he adds.
”That’s why it’s really important that all of our stock, from calves right through to the milkers are receiving the nutrients that they require to perform to the best of their ability, in the short and long term.”
Fraser explains that this prompted him to invest in rumen boluses to give a better insight into cow rumen health.
“From a nutritional point of view you don’t know what’s going on in the rumen. You can look at the muck but it doesn’t give you the whole picture. This is why the boluses are so valuable.
“They were placed inside six randomly selected milking cows to monitor the pH and temperature in the rumen. The computer technology recorded rumen activity and then beamed it to a reader outside the cow, giving a record of the pH and temperature.”
The bolus results recorded at Calcourt Farm highlighted that all of the pH levels in the rumen were of healthy values.
“They recorded pH levels of 5.8 which is the ideal level required for maximum productivity. The results were reassuring and proved that what we’re feeding has good nutritional content and is minimising the risk of acidosis,” says Fraser.
“Home grown whole crop, grass and maize silage form the bulk of our TMR ration, together with rapeseed extract, rolled wheat, soya, sugar beet pulp, molasses and minerals.
“We’ve always grown our own forages and consider it cost effective. What’s more, we can ensure that it’s harvested at the right time, giving us a quality, nutritional feed source.
“But, with that comes the need to drive palatability and for this reason, for as long as I can remember, we’ve always included sugar beet pulp in the ration. It’s a good natural, home produced feed that’s healthy on the rumen and buffers against acidosis.
“What’s more, meeting our constituency targets set by our milk contract is really important, especially in the current climate. Our current butterfat levels are 3.9% which is above the industry average and I’m certain that sugar beet has a role to play in this.”
Dr Michael Marsden, Trident Feeds technical manager explains that the high palatability of sugar beet feed drives feed intakes, whilst the slowly available energy helps buffer against digestive upsets associated with high-starch diets.
“This leads to improved feed conversion efficiency and increased animal performance. It’s the ideal feed on which to base simple, ‘rumen-friendly’ mixes for young stock, and a key ingredient in high digestible-fibre blends and high performance dairy rations,” says Dr Marsden.
“The most important thing with a dairy cow is her health. If unhealthy, she is not going to be at the peak of her performance and if you get the rumen right she is going to work with you rather than against you,” adds Dr Marsden.
Sugar beet pulp is fed all year round at Calcourt Farm and is included in all diets, including that of young stock.
“When it comes to rearing calves, maximising daily live weight gains while promoting health in order to obtain optimum financial and reproductive efficiency is key,” says Fraser.
“All calves are kept in individual hutches until they’re weaned into group pens at four weeks of age. The calves are fed milk twice a day and from day one they’re offered fresh clean water and a coarse mix that includes sugar beet pulp,” he adds.
“It’s really important that all calves get off to the best start possible, be it heifers or steers, as poor management during the early stages of their life can have detrimental impacts.
“In relation to the dairy herd, heifers that that don’t grow at the required rate to hit the expected targets at bulling and subsequently calving can cost the farm business considerably. This is why ‘kick-starting’ the rumen from an early age is vital to avoid any growth checks.
“What’s more, I truly believe that a healthy animal is a happy animal. And, that’s why I invested the money into the bolus trials. It was expensive but I’m now confident that what I’m feeding my stock is correct, and rumen health remains a key part of the expansion strategy at Calcourt Farms.”
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