Farmer Focus: Forage changes hit milk yield, but benefit fat and protein

We chopped our maize during the first few days in September.

The process went smoothly and the effort from everyone involved was thoroughly appreciated.

We averaged more than 7t/ha (18t/acre) at 31% dry matter (DM), which is the highest DM yield we have ever had.

See also: How to replace concentrates and get more milk from forage

About the author

Tom Stable

Tom Stable and family, Ulverston, Cumbria, milk 350 Holsteins three times a day, producing milk for Arla and ice cream for their Cumbrian Cow brand. The 300ha operation, of which two thirds is rented, grows grass, maize and winter wheat and cows average 11,800 litres.

Read more articles by Tom Stable

The weather for much of the country has been a challenge, to say the least, but the dry summers really suit us here.

About 80% of the winter wheat has been drilled and the last bit will be completed by the time you’re reading this.

Most of the wheat is up and through now, and should have a much better start than last year.

The cows are on good form.

We’ve been feeding this year’s maize for nearly a month.

However, bad organisation on my part meant we changed both the grass silage and the maize in the ration over the space of about three weeks.

This has hit milk hard, losing about 3.5 litres a cow, down to 41.5 litres/day.

But quality has improved, with butterfat lifting from 3.85% to 4.2% and protein from 3.2% to 3.4%.

We have also seen some fledgling improvement in fertility, with cows showing better heats as the yield is back a little.

After almost nine months, we have managed to secure planning permission to build new milking facilities.

We have spent quite a bit of time over the past few weeks travelling around the country looking at completed projects, similar to what we are hoping to do.

It never fails to surprise me how welcoming people are and how generous they are with their time.

The milk price outlook is dampening our enthusiasm a little bit, but dairying is a long-term game.

We were delighted when our vet, Andrew Crutchley, was nominated for Livestock Adviser of the Year at the recent Farmers Weekly Awards.

Although he didn’t win, both Andrew and business partner Kirsty Howson should be extremely proud of what they have built over the past four years since they established Yan Farm Health.

Their farm-focused practice has gone from strength to strength, and provides us with an exceptional service both at our weekly routine visit and during the odd emergency call we have.

They form a crucial part of our team and we are grateful to have them.