Silage test feeds bottom line
ANALYSING GRASS and maize silages allows beef producer Chris Andrews to formulate rations more accurately, track feed costs and make a difference to his bottom line.
The family partnership at Woolstone Hill Farm, north of Cheltenham, buys in 1000 Continental-cross Holstein cattle a year in batches of 150. Stock is taken from 120kg through to 550-600kg liveweight, with heifers sold at 13-14 months and bulls at 12 months.
Mr Andrews feeds a total mixed ration to all age groups once a day in drive-by troughs. He combines a range of home-grown forages, including maize and red clover silage, from the farm”s 283ha (700 acres), with straights bought on a policy of best quality at least cost.
To make best use of what”s available, there can be up to 12 different ingredients in the diet. But because he knows the feed value of what”s in the clamp, Mr Andrews says he and his nutritionist can fine-tune rations to increase liveweight gain, control costs or finish cattle earlier.
An extra bonus has been minimising health problems, such as acidosis and lameness, by adding long fibre to the diet in the form of big bale silage and straw.
“Silage is analysed for feed value and mineral status to give a more detailed picture of how it should perform. Energy is the real driving force for growth, but unless the ration is correctly balanced for protein, fibre, vitamins and minerals, it can”t perform,” he says.
“We use the silage feed values in a computer program to work out the best ration and predicted liveweight gain, then source other feed, such as sugar beet at 5/t, potatoes or brewers” grains. We could use estimated silage values, but this is more accurate and free of charge through our mineral supplier Frank Wright.”
Forage quality varies from year to year, particularly when different maize varieties are tried, says Mr Andrews. Knowing this means he can boost poorer quality silage with the right straights and allow for increasing proteins in the red clover mix. First-cut comes in at 16% protein, rising to 20% at third-cut as clover content increases.
His goal is to get an overall ration dry matter of 40% – any wetter than this and cattle don”t eat enough to convert it. “At a dry matter of 35.7%, metabolisable energy of 11.88, protein of 14% and NDF of 38.9, the diet costs 64/t DM and has a predicted liveweight gain of 1.5kg a head a day.”
But predictions are not taken for granted and Mr Andrews weighs cattle every six weeks so he can calculate finishing dates, or revise the ration when a batch isn”t performing.
To help minimise waste in so many stored feeds depends on good clamps and skill with a bucket at the silage face, he adds. “We use brewers” grains quickly so it hasn”t got time to go off.