Milk is still flowing
From the June 2008 edition of Agriculture Today.
Silage production and detailed feed budgeting allows the Jolliffe family at Euberta in the eastern Riverina to manage the uncertainty of irrigation allocations and to support a milking average of 8200 litres from their 145 cow Holstein Friesian herd.
Glen and Andrea Jollife’s dairy operation has become increasingly reliant on silage production in the last five years as water security and unpredictable rainfall have emerged as major problems.
During that time they have culled their herd by 15 per cent and concentrated on feeding a high-quality, balanced ration to sustain milk quality and production.
"The drought has made me much more conscious of the quality of what we’re feeding, what it’s producing and the cost," Mr Jolliffe said.
"Ideally we operate on a base ration of pastures and forage crops and grazing will always be our cheapest option.
"In years of full irrigation allocation we used hay and grain as the main feed supplements to fill the March to June feed gap and silage was really only a strategy to manage the flush of high-quality spring pasture growth."
Receiving only 35pc irrigation allocation in 2003-04 prompted a change in strategies.
Mr Jolliffe doubled silage production to 400 tonnes dry matter in the spring of 2003 to fill the 2004 autumn/winter feed gap resulting from the irrigation cuts.
A zero irrigation allocation in 2007-08 put huge pressure on the Joliffe’s feed supply.
He had always used feed budgets but with soaring grain prices and drought conditions setting in by mid September 2007, it was critical to get the budget right and sure up feed reserves while he still had options.
Mr Jolliffe harvested 150 tonnes of surplus ryegrass pasture dry matter as round bale silage and topped this up by purchasing 770 tonnes of failed standing cereal crops from neighbours within a 15 kilometre radius to make fine chop silage.
He calculated that the 920 tonnes of silage dry matter he stored in 2007 will meet the requirements of the milking herd and heifers until mid-August this year.
That may seem a pessimistic outlook for the season, but according to Mr Jolliffe, if 2008 patterns are similar to recent years there is no guarantee of adequate paddock feed supply until the end of winter.
"The milking herd has been fed a combination of grain at milking, followed by fine chop cereal silage in feeders since mid-summer and we might have to get used to that," Mr Jolliffe said.
"Although the cows have dropped production by 10pc since they came off green feed, the bonus is that the milk components are higher and we are being paid for that extra quality, so our returns are on par," he said.
"It cost a total of $200 per tonne of dry matter to buy the standing crops, and then cut, cart and store the silage," he said.
"It will always be cheaper to graze pasture, but high-quality silage has proven to be the most cost-effective form of forage to fill the feed gap left by the irrigation cuts.
"The size of the gap and the amount we make will fluctuate with our water allocation."
Contact Helen Burns, Wagga Wagga, (02) 6938 1947.
10 steps to improved fodder profitability
Maximising profitability of conserved forage systems depends on forward planning, ongoing monitoring for losses and opportunities to improve efficiencies and evaluation.1. Clearly identify how conserved forage meets your farm production and management goals. Is it the most economic and practical option to provide additional feed?
2. Use forage conservation as part of whole farm management eg. to manage pastures, control weeds, increase stocking rate and target high value markets.
3. Always target high quality because:
- it reduces production, storage and feedout costs per unit of metabolisable energy;
- it maximises animal production potential, and
- it increases management flexibility.
4. Match equipment and resources to the scale and type of conservation system (eg. hay or silage, baled or chopped) to minimise costs and maximise efficiency. Consider what capital equipment to buy and when to use a contractor.
5. Select crops and pastures for conservation that:
- are well suited to the farm and environment, and
- consistently produce good yields of high quality forage.
6. Harvest at the recommended growth stage for optimum yield and quality - quality declines quickly as most plants mature.
7. Wilt rapidly to the target dry matter content and harvest immediately this is reached, to minimise losses and ensure a good fermentation.
8. Use a feedout system that:
- allows animals sufficient space and access time to maximise hay and silage intake, and
- minimises feedout losses by controlling access to prevent trampling.
9. Feed regularly to ensure sheep and cattle always have access to fresh, unspoiled hay and silage.
10. Regularly evaluate conservation system to identify where losses can be reduced and efficiencies improved. Make future investments based on the best expected return.
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