Measuring per cow profitability and per ha profitability Every decision has an input today and an output tomorrow, a cost today and a potential benefit later. You apply the input if you judge that the anticipated output response from the input, (with the known prices of the input and output … [Read more...]

The most important driver of a high feed margin is high grass consumption. To ensure high grass consumption, every paddock must be consistently performing well. At the MDF, paddock 21 is soon to be grazed. It has grown an average of 20 kg DM/ha/day since last grazing. The average dry matter … [Read more...]

The MDF report table shows the bottom line, the feed margin, from which all other (non-feed) costs must be deducted to arrive at a profit. A high feed margin will provide a high chance of profit, and vice versa.  Each line in the table, each indicator, has some impact on the feed margin, some … [Read more...]

The MDF is currently on 60 days rest and growing 2.8 leaves in this time, certainly not three. Rotation shortening is on everyone’s mind now, as the herd size builds and needs more feed. For the last 20 years, September has needed an average rest time of 42 days to get to three leaves. At three … [Read more...]

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...]