butlerruminant feeding

7/28/2019 Butlerruminant Feeding

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Efficient Feed Management inDairy and Beef Herds

IGFA FEED FORUM 2007

T.M. Butler M.Agr.Sc., Ph.D.

FBA Laboratories Ltd.


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Purpose of Concentrate Feeding

Not sufficient to increase DM intake, milkyield, weight grain or K 0%


Costs should include feed and feeding

End result must increase profits


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DM % /tonne DM

Grass 14-18 35

Relative Feed Costs


rass age -Maize silage 28-32 80

Concentrate 87-90 215


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1991 2001 2006

Labour vs. Concentrate Costs (c/l)


Concentrates 1.6 2.0 1.8

Labour 2.7 4.2 5.5


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kg/animal

Dairy cows 300 1,500

Concentrate Allowances


ep acemen e ers Calf to beef 900 1,100

Winter finishing 700 - 900


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tonnes/100 animals

Dairy cows 30 - 150

Herd concentrate usage


ep acemen e ers Calf to beef 90 110

Winter finishing 70 90


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Forage Quality

Essential Knowledge:

Dry Matter content


Energy and protein values Mineral composition

Target animal intake


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Concentrate Composition

Ingredient types and proportions determinedby:


Forage Quality and Quantities

Target Performance


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Concentrate Quality

Palatable

Energy high density generally required


Protein: 12% to 30%

Free of anti-nutritive factors

Pellet vs. Coarse


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Concentrate Feeding Systems

Flat feeding rate to group or herd Individually feeding at varying rates:


ar our Out-of-parlour electronic feeders

Total Mixed Ration (TMR)


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Flat VariableConc. intake (kg/day) 8.9 8.9 (6 12)

Flat vs. Variable Feed Rate


e g ay . .Milk fat % 3.96 3.97

Milk protein % 3.24 3.27

(Hillsborough review of 12 trials)


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Separate conc. TMRConc. intake (kg/day) 8.5 8.5

Separate conc. vs. TMR(Hillsborough, Medium Genetic Merit Cows)


. .

Milk Yield (kg/day) 23.8 23.9

Milk fat % 3.90 3.90

Milk protein % 3.13 3.12


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On-farm practicalities

Extended calving pattern

Poor or non-existent feeding facilities


Slurry control problems

Labour unavailability


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Single Forage Limitations

Not applicable to grass

Why applicable to silage?


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Role of Straw

Role of Concentrates


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Summary Concentrate supplements required in all

intensive dairy and beef systems

Concentrate in uts must increase rofits


Feeding system must not be excessively

demanding in terms of facilities or labourcosts.

butlerruminant feeding

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