Details
  • State Verified Answer
  • +1 person also asked this people also asked this
  • Views 197 views
  • Replies 2 replies
  • Subscribers 4 subscribers
Options
Related

Pasture growth

jconnor2010

Here in South Australia after finally coming to the end of the worst 18 month drought in history pasture growth rates have finally reached 24kgDM/ha per day. This is the required growth rate to feed the herd without any hay or silage. 
As a seasonal 12 week calving herd the full herd has calved and now and is fed 15kgDM/day of pasture in a ABC grazing rotation and 7kgDM per day of wheat/barley grain in the robots. 
This diet gives us the energy required for a 2.5kgMS per day milk production peak with a target of 2.6 milkings per day. 
Over the next 4 months pasture growth will peak at 60kgDM/ha per day allowing us to cut half the farm area for silage as surplus pasture. 

Parents
  • +1

    Great to hear things have turned around for you after such a long drought. Here in Norway it’s the opposite challenge — plenty of rain and short growing seasons. Our pasture growth peaks around 40–45 kg DM/ha/day in summer, but we only get that for a couple of months before the cold sets in.

    We also run seasonal calving, though a bit later to match our grass curve. Cows graze 12–14 kg DM/day and get the rest from silage and a few kilos of concentrate in the robots. Cutting surplus for winter feed is always the priority — we can’t grow anything once the snow comes! Funny how two farms can be on opposite sides of the world but face the same balancing act between pasture, grain, and stored feed.

Reply
  • +1

    Great to hear things have turned around for you after such a long drought. Here in Norway it’s the opposite challenge — plenty of rain and short growing seasons. Our pasture growth peaks around 40–45 kg DM/ha/day in summer, but we only get that for a couple of months before the cold sets in.

    We also run seasonal calving, though a bit later to match our grass curve. Cows graze 12–14 kg DM/day and get the rest from silage and a few kilos of concentrate in the robots. Cutting surplus for winter feed is always the priority — we can’t grow anything once the snow comes! Funny how two farms can be on opposite sides of the world but face the same balancing act between pasture, grain, and stored feed.

Children
No Data
farming innovators