3 February 2017
Strategies to stop the drop
With milk collection down as much as six percent this season due to difficult production conditions, coupled with
increasingly dry ground conditions across the north and east of the country, farmers looking to offset the summer milk
production drop need to act now with strategic pasture management and high-energy supplements.
Paul Sharp, SealesWinslow Animal Nutrition Specialist, says seasonal milk production decline is due to a variety of
factors which include physiological changes in the cow, reduced pasture growth rates and seasonal decline in pasture
quality.
“If we look at the numbers associated with each of these factors, we see that a 4-6% production decline per month
results from the seasonal physiological changes in the cow,” says Paul.
“Yet the average production decline on New Zealand dairy farms is close to 15% per month. The difference between these
figures – 9-11% – comes from the impact of the feed quality and quantity.”
Right now with reduced pasture growth rates, the limiting animal factor is sufficient dry matter availability and the
composition of this pasture for maintaining milk production and cow condition.
“The more we can offset the impact of falling pasture quality and quantity, the more milk we’ll be able to produce
through summer,” says Paul. “Ideally, we only want to see a 5% drop in production each month.”
Paul notes that to achieve this it is paramount to manage grazing to optimise pasture quality.
“Adjust the rotation so that you’re grazing pastures when the plant is still young. That way there will be less seedhead
and stem – and therefore less fibre - in the feed.
For those areas where there is still moisture, pasture growth can be promoted by the use of regular, light dressings of
nitrogen fertiliser and just 15-18 kg N/ha should be enough to encourage high quality leaf growth.
“At the same time, you can increase the energy density of the animal’s diet by using high-energy supplements,” says
Paul.
“These can just be used strategically to fill that energy gap and keep milk production levels up. SealesWinslow’s Kick
Starch or Home Run pelleted feed is ideal for this use.”
ENDS