Central Scotland Dairy Monitor Farm Sandy Milne East Pitforthie Brechin Angus DD9 7PQ Tel

13 Pages·2011·1.31 MB·English

by  Lenovo User

Central Scotland Dairy Monitor Farm
Sandy Milne
East Pitforthie
Brechin
Angus
DD9 7PQ
Tel: [phone]

Ireland May 2011

Useful Contacts
Sophie Kinnear- DairyCo facilitator
Mobile: [phone]
E-Mail: [email protected]

Heather Wildman - DairyCo facilitator
Mobile: [phone]
E-Mail: [email protected]

Peter Beattie – Technical Projects Manager QMS
Mobile: [phone]
E-Mail: [email protected]

QMS Monitor Farm website: www.qmscotland.co.uk/monitorfarms
Meeting report: Ireland 3-5 May

Hosts:
Gary Haslem Robin & George Bingham
Greenmount, CAFRE Tailor Maid Holsteins

Adrian & Connor McAuldfield David & Alan Wallace
Beechwood Farm, Lissue Holsteins Ashdale Farm, Abercorn Holsteins

Trip diary:

Wednesday AM-
8.30am: Greenmount herd
11.30am: Adrian and Connor McAuldfield, Beechwood Farm
- Young Holstein herd, rebuilding after brucellosis and subsequent loss of herd
- Not yet selling young stock but working on re-building the herd
Wednesday PM-
1.30pm: Lunch.
2.30pm: George and Robin Bingham, Tailor Maid Holsteins
- 500+ herd, again not yet selling stock to try and build herd numbers
7.00pm -7.30pm: Evening meal with host farmers

Thursday AM-
9.30am: Alan and David Wallace, Ashdale Farm
12.30pm: homeward bound…..
Greenmount- Future Herd
Herd background
The Future Herd is managed to train students and to demonstrate key dairying technologies to
the wider dairy farming industry. These technologies cover a wide range of important issues
facing dairy farmers at present including, production & labour efficiency, environmental impact,
and animal health and welfare issues.

Photo 1- East Pitforthie group listening intently to the future plans for Greenmount
The Future Herd of 150 Holstein/Friesian cows is managed to meet a range of production
targets as outlined below.

Actual and target milk production of Future herd:
Rolling averages April 2010 March 2011 April 2011 Target
Milk yield 7 682 7 974 7 933 8 000- 8 500
(litres/cow)
MFF (litres/cow) 2 895 3 357 3 469 4 000
Conc. (kg/cow) 2 154 2 077 2 009 1 800- 2 025
BF (%) 4.38 4.31 4.31 4.30
Protein (%) 3.42 3.43 3.42 3.50
Milk solids (kg) 599 618 613 -
Conc./litre (kg) 0.28 0.26 0.25 0.22- 0.24
Actual and target herd fertility performance of Future herd:
Future Herd Benchmark average Top 25% benchmark
1st service submission 73 49 73
rate (%)
Days to 1st service 66 78 66
Heat detection rate 71 78 86
(%)
Heat detection 38 44 52
accuracy (%)
Conception rate 1st 34 41 67
service (%)
Conception rate 2nd 36 43 78
service (%)
Overall fertility performance- physical, 100 day in calf rate
Cows intended for rebreeding (number) 130
Cows in calf 100 days after calving 59
Your herd (%) 45
Average over historical seasons (06/07, 07/08, 45
08/09)
Benchmark average (%) 43
Top 25% benchmark (%) 75

Photo 2-
Heading out
to one of the
many
grazing
paddocks in
the rotation
at
Greenmount
Beechwood Farm, Lissue Holsteins

Herd background
Herd of 150 cows, currently 121 milking cows
averaging a daily yield of 32.8litres, consisting of
3.8% butterfat and 3.2% protein. The herd is
currently holding a calving interval of 405 days. The
herd was proudly shortlisted for the Gold cup in
2010.
Photos 3/4- welcome to Beechwood &
one to watch for the future
Breeding is one of the main drivers for
this business, son Connor is an
enthusiastic young breeder of the
future. Since finishing university he made the decision to come home to farm the family
Beechwood farm with his father Adrian. The main breeding families at the farm include Juror
faith, Red Rose, Regina, Raven, August, Frosty, Roxy Gloryland and Jodie.

The herd is run on Genus RMS and this includes the use of 5 different bulls:
Jeeves, Bluesky, Mamouth, Mc Cormick, Reece

Further information on the above bulls can be found by sire search at
www.genusbreeding.co.uk

Alongside the RMS programme top merit cows are flushed to provide the Lissue herd with ET
replacements, the current bulls used to compliment the cows are:
Man O Man, Seagual, Van Gough, Palermo, Goldsun, Damion, Windbrook
More information about the bulls used for embryo transfer can be found at
www.dairycobreeding.org.uk
For information on the Lissue Holstien herd visit:
www.lissueholsteins.webs.com
Tailor Maid Holsteins

Farm Background
Tailor Maid Holsteins is a family run unit by Robin, Winifred and George Bingham. The farm
consists of 90 ha owned and 168 ha conacre. Most of the farm is based on medium to heavy
clay loam, 450 feet above sea level with an average rainfall of 45 inches annually. Currently the
farm carries around 480 Holstein cows and 430 young stock.
Photo 5- impressive first view of the Bingham family’s new dairy unit

Business Objectives:
To make good sustainable profit and allow the business to grow
To produce approximately 4million litres of milk per year
To improve technical efficiency
Provide a good work: life balance
Maintain high levels of animal husbandry & welfare
Set realistic targets and aim to met them
Attention to detail
Photo 6- cows being brought in from grazing

Forage management:
Maximize use of grass silage on the farm
Make use of alternative forages to improve dry matter intakes (DMI), forage maize is
grown on the farm (18Ha) with a further 18 Ha grown under contract
WC silage has been grown in the past but not this year
Interest in high dry matter (DM) silage

Nutrient Management:
Fields are regularly soil sampled and the results are used to make decisions on fertiliser
applications
Zero P fertilisers, on fields with adequate P
Silage grown with slurry applications and straight N

Farm Developments:
2000
Returned home from Greenmount
150-170 cows
2000/2005
Rented additional land and built up cow numbers
First portal frame shed built
2008/2009
Underground slurry storage (FNMS)
New cubicle house and parlour 70:70
2010>
More land and reduce debt levels

Organic nitrogen (ON) loading:
A total land area of 258 ha is farmed
Total organic Nitrogen (ON) produced based on 480 cows plus 430 followers equates to
a total of 58 358kg (ON)/year
Current ON loading is 226kg(ON)/ha
1million gallons of slurry are exported from the farm
Photo 7- Bruce in the heart of the rapid exit parlour

Slurry storage capacity:
The construction of below ground tanks, capacity of 3 million gallons, in 2008 under the
Farm Nutrient Management scheme (FNSM) now provides a farm storage well in excess
of the required 22 weeks
Separate store for dirty water storage and rain water harvesting

Mastitis management:
Rolling SCC of 198
Pre and post milking teat dipping
Cubicles bedded twice daily with hydrated lime and shavings mix
Milking machine tested annually, liners changed as required. Silicone liners used to
increase lifespan
Summary of physical farm performance

2007- 2008 2009- 2010
Annual Milk yield 8156 7416
(l/cow/yr)
Buterfat (%) 3.88 3.95
Protein (%) 3.21 3.25
Concentrate 3332 2798
(kg/cow/yr)
Milk form forage (l) 750 1198
College of Agriculture, Food and Rural Enterprise (CAFRE)- Dairy Benchmarking 2009-2010

Rolling 12 month averages from FarmGate consultancy (as of 31.03.2011)
Litres sold 8279 TBC 18
Butterfat % 3.89 SCC 198
Protein % 3.23 Pence/litre 26.3

Milk form forage (l) 1474
Margin over concentrates (£) 1590
Margin over concentrate and forage (£) 1305
Concentrate cost per litre (ppl) 8.08
Concentrate feed rate per litre (kg) 0.39
Tones of concentrate fed (tonne) 2.98

For further details
please contact:
Robin or George
Bingham,
203 Sevenmile
Straight, Nutts
Corner
(Tel: [phone] or
Mobile: [phone]
199)

Photo 8- great
cleanliness & care for
future replacements
Ashdale Farm, Abercorn Holsteins

Farm background
Ashdale farm is a family run unit by David, Alan, Gloria and Julie Wallace. The farm consists of
97ha owned and 54ha conacre. Most of the farm is based on medium to heavy clay loam,
350feet above sea level with an average of 33 inches rainfall annually. Currently there are
around 210 pedigree Holstein cows and 200 young stock.

Photo 9- arriving at the immaculate Ashdale farm steading

Business objectives:
To make good sustainable profit
To allow the business to grow
Maintain high levels of animal welfare and protect the environment
To keep the farm tidy and presentable

Forage management:
Maximize use of grazed grass and grass silage on the farm
Make use of alternative forages to improve dry matter intake (DMI), currently growing
whole crop wheat and a pea & triticale mix
Interest in high dry mater (DM) silage