Time To Think About Cow Comfort

September 2009

With the last days of summer ebbing away the time has come to undertake a few steps to give the herd a smooth transition back indoors. It’s been a tricky summer with plenty of sunshine but also a good deal of rain along the way, especially back in July. What the herd will benefit from now is a comfortable and consistent environment.

One of the most important actions to take at this time of year is a check on the minerals in the forage, especially if this has not been analysed for a year or two, as things do happen around the farm that can affect the mineral content even while the underlying soil type is stable.

Cornwall Farmers’ “MinLink” service provides a dual benefit, checking forage for mineral and nutrient content, and giving back results which can then be used in fine-tuning the mineral feed specification as required. In most cases, Cornwall Farmers will already have a feed within their range to meet this specification and that will get the most out of the forage, whatever its particular analysis, though tailor-made supplements are also available.

At the same time, and also with the forage in mind, it is a good time to consider when to harvest maize. If the forage is a bit dry, it can pay dividends to harvest the maize a week early when it is still moist and green as this will offset the dryness in the forage. Conversely, if the forage is a bit wet, then allowing the maize to go a week or two later and harvesting it as a drier crop will help balance that issue.

The quality of machinery will play an important role too, especially with regard to ensuring the mixing wagon is set-up correctly to produce the right chop lengths and mixing rations required. Checking the dry matter, chop length and consistency of mixing will have dramatic impact on the efficiency of diet, for example is the mix the same at the start of the feed run as at the end? Depending on the forage type, do you need to mix for longer or shorter? A simple assessment of the TMR mix early in the season can save money and produce more milk. In addition, ensuring cows have enough space to feed is crucial, as with many herds expanding, reduced space will lead to reduced intakes and weight loss, poor fertility and milk quality.

Around the farm itself it is often easy to forget when the herd’s water was last changed so it’s good practice to clean out the water troughs and make sure there is an adequate volume of water running through. Feed troughs will also need to be cleaned out and thought given to the comfort of the herd in terms of number of cubicles, whether any of the cubicles need repair or replacement, likewise with feed barriers and the general hygiene in the housing areas. A quick check now on slurry holding capacities will flag up any issues there that might be a problem during the winter.

With regard to animal health, Cornwall Farmers’ staff are always willing to attend a farm as the nutritional experts and, perhaps along with an attendant vet, consider with the farmer ways in which the general health of the herd can be enhanced. At this time of the year it is advisable to keep a close watch on cow condition, especially if the climate makes for challenging grazing conditions, worm burdens must also be considered. There will also be other health concerns that would benefit from a collective assessment from people who all share the same goal of ensuring and protecting animal comfort and condition to make sure the herd produces at the correct, happy and healthy level – an autumn review could make an enormous difference to this winter’s performance and profitability.

For further details do talk to your Cornwall Farmers experts by calling: Dr. Robin Hawkey on 07770 816581; Tom Mann on 07901 854477 or Andy Hawken on 07901 854463.