Grassland

With a target of keeping clamped silage losses to below 5 per cent, the Halton family has assessed all aspects of silage making from cutting to clamping.

Good silage will be key to making the most of good milk prices in the face of high fertiliser and feed costs.

With input costs skyrocketing, looking at alternative home-grown protein sources could help bolster ruminant rations while reducing the reliance on purchased feeds. Farmers Guardian reports.

Inaccurate silage sampling can result in reduced performance and higher feed costs according to Dr Liz Homer from Trouw Nutrition GB who urges dairy farmers to make sure the samples sent for analysis are representative of the whole face.

Dairy farmers are constantly being urged to increase milk from forage, but the exact financial benefits of doing this are not always spelled out.

Taking a targeted approach to the use of manures and slurries as part of a comprehensive nutrient management planning process is essential to keep input costs manageable.

Ross Dilks, an agronomist with Agrii and a dairy farmer in Derbyshire, says although his clients have tried a variety of home-grown feed sources over recent years, his experience shows grass is consistently the most cost-effective way to feed dairy cows.

Yield mapping for grassland provides vital information to inform future decision making and diet planning and the technology need not cost the earth.

Market forecasts show fertiliser prices are unlikely to drop any time soon as the perfect storm of high energy prices coupled with supply side issues mean stocks are tight and will remain so for the forthcoming season at least.

Switching to precision slurry application techniques leads to reduced contamination and improved grass growth. Two farmers share their stories.