The MDF is still wet after more rain.  The farm is milking only 109 cows. All feed margin targets, and the drivers of the feed margin, are above the July targets.  The cows are being offered a lot of grass, so pugging is not too bad, and it allows them a reasonable grass intake before the grass gets … [Read more...]

The MDF is now very wet although paddocks with good slope and permeable soil are holding up well when grazed, as are paddocks with functioning spinner cuts.  In contrast,  Paddock 18 has no cuts, (soil type and slope?) has surface water still lying on most of it, and it will be some time before it … [Read more...]

Increasing grass consumption and eliminating silage is lifting milk response per cow at the MDF The MDF's rotation length is now out to 40 days. Paddock 23 is about to be grazed, and is at 1.9 leaves. So, LAR is 21 days, typical for July. From observation, it has grown at an average of 25 kg DM … [Read more...]

The effect of input costs and milk price on farm margins.  The two main drivers of a higher feed margin are well above last year, but not quite at the target we set for the year.  We are feeding the same amount of concentrate and forage supplement as last year, but both at considerably lower … [Read more...]