AYRSHIRES FED AND BRED TO TOP YIELDS

7 December 2001

AYRSHIRES FED AND BRED TO TOP YIELDS

An Ayrshire herd has lifted

its average yield by 2000

litres in two years. Feeding

and breeding policies are

believed to have combined

to achieve this impressive

improvement, as

Jeremy Hunt finds out

FROM a low-input/low-output system, producing 4000kg/cow, the Arden family have addressed breeding and feeding with equal gusto and increased that average to 6200kg in just two years.

With Ayrshires that milk is 3.9% fat and 3.4% protein, adds Andrew Arden. He has now set a target of 8000kg/cow for his 180-cow herd.

Heifers are already starting to out-yield cows with the majority giving 8300-8500kg. The herds top yielding cow has just peaked at 50 litres.

Although the herds rationing has been re-vamped and is now a mix based on maize silage, without the inclusion of any grass silage, Mr Arden believes genetics take most of the credit for the improvement in production.

Traits to produce hard wearing cows are an important consideration in the breeding programme of his Green Lane herd, based near Chester. But recent years have seen plenty of influential milk improvers among the list of AI sires used.

Most milk producers would assume the automatic fast-track to boosting yields in an Ayrshire would be via high-flying red-and-white Holstein genetics. Not so in Mr Ardens case.

"There are plenty of purebred Ayrshire cattle in the UK yielding more than 10,000kg and lasting between six and 10 lactations. They are a trouble free, easily managed breed of cattle.

"I believe UK and Canadian Ayrshire genetics have all the potential we need to breed cows of this calibre – cows that are bred to keep dairy producers in business.

"I cant say Ive never used red-and-white Holstein genetics in the past, but I dont use very much now. For every cow I have by a red-and-white Holstein I have a purebred Ayrshire that has out-performed and out-lasted it.

"So why bother. The Ayrshire does not need the Holstein influence and Im not looking to turn my herd into a Holstein-type Ayrshire one."

Mr Arden says the breeds reputation for longevity must not be jeopardised. "Thats where true profitability comes from. I want cows to be milking beyond their sixth lactation. Our oldest cow has just dropped her 12th calf."

He has also just sold six fourth lactation Ayrshire cows to a commercial milk producer in south Wales. "He knows hell get another four lactations out of them because they are Ayrshires. He wouldnt expect that with Holsteins," says Mr Arden.

Herd widens its genetic base

FOR many years, bulls from the Stamford and Eyton herds have been used to form the genetic base in the Arden familys herd.

Although Stamford sires are still used, the Ardens have now widened the genetic base and begun using more Canadian semen and flushed higher yielding cows for embryo transfer.

They had run a closed herd for many years, but the change in breeding policy also required an infusion of genetics from new cow families capable of giving 10,000kg-plus.

Among the earliest females to be bought-in were two Canadian-bred heifers from the Midlands-based Louham herd – MM Roxanna by Blackaddar Milk Machine and BBK Roxanna by Blackaddar BB Kellog.

Both are out of a 10,000kg Excellent dam and have given 9000kg, VG 87 and 10,000kg, EX 91, respectively.

The herds most successful purchase has been Eyton Lady Marina 65 (EX 91) – a previous Royal Show reserve breed champion. She cost 2200gns at the Attwell herd reduction sale and produced second and third lactations of more than 9200kg. She has just topped 12,000kg with her fourth and has produced over 30 viable embryos.

"She has a PIN of £45 and PLI of £48 making her one of the UKs top purebred Ayrshires. She has the type and the performance. A perfect brood cow for a breeding programme," explains Mr Arden.

A young bull out of Lady Marina 65 and by the Canadian sire Covey Farms Reno is being retained.

"Although there are good Canadian bulls, there are equally some exceptional 100% British Ayrshire sires available to breeders such as Mickle Laught Triple Crown and Stamford First Prize.

"The Ayrshire is greatly undervalued. But theres no doubt that were seeing less of the colour prejudice that has dogged the breeds popularity among commercial milk producers. The future is about profitability, not colour."

Across-board feed

THE Green Hall herd calves all-year-round, necessitating an across-the-board feed regime for the entire herd.

A mixed ration comprising 75% maize silage, 10% whole-crop beans, almost 5% groundnut meal plus straw is the base diet. A 22% concentrate is fed in the parlour with 30-litre cows receiving 5kg and 40-litre milkers on 6kg a head a day. Concentrate intake is 1.5t a cow.

"We only feed grass silage to the youngstock. Dairy cows are eating around 55-60kg freshweight of the ration mix at 37% dry matter. The mix is 12.6%DM ME and 19% protein," says Mr Arden. &#42

BREEDING AYRSHIRES

&#8226 Milk improvers a must.

&#8226 Protecting longevity.

&#8226 Bought-in top cows.