| 19 nzdairy DAIRY PEOPLE » Barnan Dairy Farm Fine tuning minerals to combat empty rates Sue Russell Darrell and Julie Wendelgelst have a real pioneering quality to farming, and the challenges it can sometimes throw up. The couple run a System Five 400 cow Holstein Friesian high production herd, milking all year and supplying Fonterra from their 190ha (175ha effective) gentle rolling former beef and sheep farm, 20 minutes west of Balclutha. Four kilometres away from the home farm is a 140ha support block, which plays an integral part in provision of crop feed fed to the herd and as a place to fatten The conversion took place in 1996 and since then they have worked hard to continually improve the farm’s look and performance, including investing in a 450-bail, free-stall barn and a 300-cow feed pad and undercover loafing area where 200 cows can easily calve in. Plagued with a history of higher than acceptable empty rates, ongoing high mastitis counts led the couple to fine-tune minerals provided to the herd with support from an animal nutritionist business. Advice given was to test for Iodine levels and Darrell discovered that, under the existing feeding regime, a significant percentage of the herd were testing either just above or below 45 micrograms per litre. Following recommendations to change the composition of the mineral supplement Darrell soon saw measurably significant improvement in Iodine levels. “Our aim was to have the herd in top condition pre-mating which meant looking at a broad range of minerals that all contribute to cow health at this time, and impact directly on cow fertility.” Their minerals include selenium, copper, cobalt, iodine and magnesium which through calving can become quite depleted. Darrell says changing to a pre-mixed blend with the minerals at the right rates best suited for his herd has made a difference and given him more confidence around reducing empty rates. Testing four months later having changed the nutritional offering resulted in iodine levels almost doubling and selenium and copper levels also lifting. More recently, in September, the Wendelgelst’s decided to invest in new technology, in the form of cow collars, in a bid to have at arm’s reach comprehensive real-time cow-fertility information. “We went with GEA Collars. It’s technology that has been around a long time. For me it was about improving the mating side of things through more time-sensitive heat detection. It has shown up we have a lot of heat cycles that are not that regular.” As a result of introducing the collars, the in-calf rate has been improved by 10 weeks. The herd is not split 50:50 in terms of calving with a quarter to a third calving in Autumn and the balance in Spring. Darrell says he’s been very pleased with production with a great spring boosting pasture production and the cows responding accordingly. With strict compliances bearing down over winter grazing Darrel says he’s ensured any nitrate leaching is minimised, with the cows housed inside. “We’ve built enough effluent storage to hold six months.” Like many farmers, Darrell shares a frustration about all the compliances surrounding operating a dairy farm with very little in the way of framework setting out how to achieve compliance. “One of the challenges in this area we have is that the country we are on has slopes above 10° which brings in more stringent nitrate leaching regulations.” And despite continued challenges Darrell says he wouldn’t be anywhere else. “I love farming. It offers a wonderful lifestyle. I just wish the wider community and those enacting policy impacting on us had a better understanding that we’re all working our land mindful of regulations but also understanding our farming business has to be financially viable, or none of it works.” “Our aim was to have the herd in top condition pre-mating which meant looking at a broad range of minerals that all contribute to cow health at this time, and impact directly on cow fertility.” Brad Hosking 027 754 6075 - 24 hours of ce@highlinedairy.co.nz MILKING SYSTEMS ead Specialising in: • Complete Dairy Shed Maintenance • New Dairy Shed Builds • Platform Repairs and Maintenance • Water and Effluent Management • General Engineering • Registered Milking Machine Technician LUBRICANTS AUTHORISED STOCKIST Martin Darmody P: 027 227 2410 E: martindarmody@xtra.co.nz • GENERAL ENGINEERING • HYDRAULIC HOSE & VALVE REPAIRS • GRAIN & MOLASSES FEED SYSTEMS • FARM MACHINERY SERVICE & REPAIR • ATV SERVICE & REPAIR • GORSE SPRAYING Southland farmers Darrell and Julie Wendelgelst. Photo: Dairy Business Centre.
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