Cows need a balanced diet as winter closes in
With cows moving onto winter diets, producers need to carefully balance silage-based rations to help maximise milk production.
By monitoring the ration closely at this time of year, there is real opportunity to maximise milk from forage using this season's grass silage.
However, with reports of average 2017 first-cut grass silage indicating variable quality, it's important to know exactly what you're working with and balance rations accordingly.
In general, reports suggest that earlier cut grass silages have reduced levels of digestible fibre (NDF), which is reflected in lower levels of slowly fermentable carbohydrates, while rapidly fermentable carbohydrates are on average higher than last year. As a result, this increases the potential risk for acid load, and we could see problems with rumen health if rations aren't carefully balanced.
For this reason, I would advise that in some rations where this is the case, supplementary digestible fibre sources will be required, such as pressed sugar beet pulp, to avoid drops in milk fat associated with lower digestible fibre levels.
The fibre in sugar beet is more digestible than other feeds such as soya hulls. In addition, the unique pectins in sugar beet will help to maintain a healthy rumen and support higher milk fat.
The inclusion of pressed sugar beet pulp, which is a highly palatable and ready to feed moist feed, may also be beneficial for producers with cows still at grass to balance diminishing grass quantity and dry matter intakes.
If cows are still grazing in the day, it is important to remember that in most cases now, grazing is not enough to support maintenance, so additional feeding is required.
Overestimating what can realistically be achieved from grass at this time of year can mean that yield and cow condition are compromised, with cows 'milking off their backs'. This will have a knock-on effect on winter performance, as well as fertility.
Supplementing buffer rations with moist feeds such as pressed pulp can help encourage intakes and support milk yields during this period, while also limiting the risk of acidosis, which can often occur when concentrate use is increased to bridge the gap.
Pressed pulp is readily available until March 2018 due to the increased availability from the 2017 sugar beet harvest and complements both grazed grass and grass silage rations.
Bethany May is ruminant nutritionist at Trident Feeds.
