Lecture 3 Flashcards

1
Q

List the 2 production systems in the dairy industry:

A

-Spring Calving System
-Autumn Calving System

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2
Q

What are majority of the hers in Ireland and what % of herds are they?

A

-Spring Calving Systems
-90%+ herds are spring calving
-Involved in production of seasonal milk processing

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3
Q

A cows year:
List the different parts of a cows year cycle and how many days in each:

A

1- Calving
2- Early lactation (100 days)
3- Mid lactation (100 days)
3- Late Lactation (100 days)
4- Dry Period (65 days)

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4
Q

What is the predicted yield of a dairy cow?

A

305 days

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5
Q

When do most metabolic issues happen on a dairy farm?

A

80-90% of metabolic issues occur from calving through to milk season

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6
Q

When do cows reach peak lactation?

A

6 weeks into lactation

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7
Q

When is the transitional period of a cows cycle?

A

14-21 days before calving and 14-21 days after calving

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8
Q

When do cows need a high energy status?

A

In early lactation- conception must be managed correctly
At least 130 days

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9
Q

When does peak grass growth occur?

A

When peak milk production occurs, usually in june/july

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10
Q

How much crude protein do dairy cow require in their overall diet?

A

17% CP

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11
Q

What happens of you give too much protein?

A

Its excreted through urine in faeces

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12
Q

How much nitrogen can a cow retain?

A

up to 25% - they excrete the rest

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13
Q

Spring Calving Based System:
1-What do you feed the cows?

2- What % of total milk production comes from this feed?

A

1- Grazed grass = lowest cost feed , high quality grass.

2- 90% of total milk production is from grazed grass.

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14
Q

Increasing milk production from grass=

A

Reduces costs and maintain farm incomes

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15
Q

If you increase grazed grass by 10% in a feeding system the cost of milk produced will be …

A

reduced by 2.5 c/l

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16
Q

Whats the CP DM % range in grass?

A

16-28% /kg DM

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17
Q

Whats the UFL range in grass DM?

A

0.85-1.05/kg

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18
Q

What is the average CP g/kg in medium grass :

1-Average:
2-Spring:
3-Summer:
4-Autumn:

A

1- 199
2- 203
3- 198
4- 196

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19
Q

What is the average Energy (UFL4/kg of DM) in medium grass :

1-Average:
2-Spring:
3-Summer:
4-Autumn:

A

1- 1.04

2- 1.03

3- 1.06

4- 1.01

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20
Q

Spring Production System:

1- When does calving start and how long does it go on for?

2- When are majority of cows calves?

3- What months are calves morn between?

4- How long do calves get milk for and what’s the process afterwards?

5- When are cows turned out to grass , how long to they stay out for?

A

1-Calving starts in Jan/Feb and goes on for about 12 weeks

2- Majority of cows calve in first 6 weeks (Target!)

3- Calves born (mostly) between January and April

4- Calves milk-reared for 8 weeks+ – then weaned. May be sold or kept on dairy farm as a beef enterprise

5- Cows are normally turned out to grass quickly after calving and stay out until late autumn (Oct or Nov)

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21
Q

What does turnout date depend on?

A

Location in the country

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22
Q

1- How long is the dry period ?

2- What are the breeding options for the herd and does breeding start?

3- How long is gestation of a cow?

4- How long does breeding season go on for?

A

1- Dry period for approx. 8 weeks before they calve down again

2- Breeding: AI or stock bull – starts around 1 May for 1 Feb calving

3- Gestation = 280 days approx

4- Breeding season is usually 12 weeks – cows not in calf at this stage are culled from the herd

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23
Q

When is there a deficit of grass?

A

Jan-April and Sept-Dec
Must feed supplement like conc or forage

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24
Q

How do you calculate lactation yield?

A

Peak yield x 220= lactation yield

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25
Q

Teagasc 2027 Sectorial Roadmap:

1- Current Milk Solids:

2- Current research performance milk solids:

3- 2027 goal milk solids:

A

1- 417

2- 480

3- 465

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26
Q

Teagasc 2027 Sectorial Roadmap:

1- Current herbage utilised (tonnes DM/Ha):

2- Current research performance of herbage utilised (tonnes DM/Ha):

3- 2027 goal herbage utilised (tonnes DM/Ha):

A

1- 7.8

2- 12.9

3- 9.8

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27
Q

Teagasc 2027 Sectorial Roadmap:

1- Current conc per cow (kg):

2- Current research performance conc per cow (kg):

3- 2027 goal conc per cow (kg):

A

1- 1,176

2- 500

3- 750

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28
Q

How long is gestation of a dairy cow?

A

282 days

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29
Q

Importance of fertility in a spring calving system:

1- What is the ultimate tome to inseminate a cow after calving?

2- After inseminating on this day, between what days after calving is implantation ?

A

1- Day 80 insemination

2- Between day 100-130 implantation

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30
Q

How long is the Oestrous Cycle?

A

21 days (1.95 cycles)

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31
Q

Window to get a cow back in calf after calving :

A

80-83 days

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32
Q

Voluntary waiting period - what day?

A

Day 42

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33
Q

To get a cow in calf - what day?

A

Day 41

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34
Q

What should your 3 week submission rate be?

A

90%

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35
Q

What should your conception rat after 1st serving be?

A

> 60%

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36
Q

What is the ideal calving interval length?

A

365 days

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37
Q

What is the % culling for infertility rate ?

A

<10%

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38
Q

What is the cost of infertility?

1- One months slippage ?

2- 10% Higher than planned empty rate =

A

1- >200€/cow

2- >100€/cow

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39
Q

Why is AI the more favourable option than stock bull?

A

Genetic gain outweighs stock bull

40
Q

What sort of AI is used for replacements ?

A

Sexed semen, then conventional AI

41
Q

How many live exports leave our country every year?

A

200,000+

42
Q

Whats the average amount of kilos from a cow years year?

A

5,000 kilos

43
Q

How many kilos /day from a cow at peak 6-8 weeks post calving ?

A

25 kilos/day

44
Q

What is the culling rate %

A

18-20%

45
Q

Trends in Dairy Fertility:
As milk yield/ cow is increasing….

A

Conception to first service is decreasing

46
Q

When was EBI introduced?
What does it address?

A

-Introduced in 2000’s

-It was brought in to address the fertility in the herd.

47
Q

What does pasture based milk production system highlight?

A

It highlights the feed input and milk output over a 12- month period

48
Q

Whats the average:
-Fat
-Protein
in a Spring milk production system?

A

Fat- 4.7

Protein- 3.6

49
Q

Whats the average grazed grass tonnes DM?

A

3.5 Tonnes DM

50
Q

Whats the total average tonnes of DM intake?

A

5 tonnes DM intake

51
Q

How heavy are UCD Lyons cows and how many tonnes of DM annual feed are they consuming?

A

620 kilo cow

6 tonnes DM annual feed

52
Q

In an Autumn Calving system Winter milk system:

1- When do you start calving?

2- When is Peak milk production?

3- Why is it more expensive to be in winter milk system?

A

1- Start Calving in September

2- Peak milk production in November/ December

3- Diet costs are much higher indoors

52
Q

How many registered liquid milk producers are there in IRE and what % of national production do they supply?

A
  • 1,286 registered liquid milk producers that supply just over 8% of national production
    (915 million litres)
53
Q

How many ‘other’ liquid milk producers are there in the country that supply milk under various non-registered price incentive schemes?

A

600-800 producers

54
Q

Why is winter liquid milk important ?

A

Important to ensure year round supply pf high quality milk

Cows in winter milk will produce good quality milk in the time of year where the spring systems milk quality decreases, its important to have a fresh supply of good quality milk entering into systems

-It ensures we have high quality milk throughout the winter months

55
Q

What happens to cows milk as she’s milked through the season ?

A

Poorer milk quality, the type of fat and protein starts to change and the SCC increases as the cells get leakier. TBC increases

56
Q

What are Spring milk production systems adequate for?

A

The production of commodity based products with a long self life

57
Q

1- What is Winter milk Supply good for the production of?

2-What are milk from these products produced under?

A

1-
Yogurt
Dairy Deserts
Soft Cheeses
Probiotic Milk Drinks
Cream Liqueur

2-
Produced under contract by certain milk suppliers who undertake to supply a minimum level of milk during the critical winter months (Oct-Feb)

58
Q

How is the bonus for Winter milk payed?

A

Its payed over the base price available for seasonal milk to cover the higher cost of producing milk during the winter

59
Q

How is Winter milk generally produced by suppliers?

-Talk about Split herds:

A

In split calving herds: system evens out the supply of milk throughout the year but complicates management

-A portion of the cows (30-50%) calve in Autumn (Sept-Dec) to supply winter milk.

-The remainder of the herd calve in Spring (Feb-April) and produce milk off mainly grass - no bonus.

60
Q

What is one ‘hidden cost’ to a split her?

A

The fact that you can allow your cows to creep into the different split herd in infertility occurs- this is costing the farmer money

61
Q

Additional Costs to autumn milk production:

A

-Calve at end of grazing season
-Off grass silage and concs
-Lower potential production than spring grass

Additional conc supplements need to be fed to cows calving in the autumn compared to cows calving in the spring

62
Q

What does your silage need to be:
UFL and DMD?

A

ULF= 0.8
DMD= 70-72%

63
Q

Why is 12 week breading season in an autumn calving her poor?
3 points:

A

-Short days
-Crowded housing
-Reduced oestrous detection when based on tail paint observation

64
Q

In an Autumn calving herd how long do youve to feed silage and con for?

A

3-6 month period

65
Q

What is a superior feeding system?

A

Grazed grass in superior in feeding value compared with grass silage in terms of milk production and protein content

66
Q

For farmers that consider a split system, what are the KP’s for success?

A

Milk solids 417, Goal: 465

Herbage utilised 7.8, goal: 8.9 tonnes DM/Ha

Conc per cow kg 1,176, goal: 750

67
Q

In 2018, each additional tonne of grass utilised per hectare was associated with an increase profit of ?

A

€256

68
Q

Why is grassland systems the predominate system in Ireland?

A

Increased grazed grass proportion in the animals diet decreases milk production costs.

69
Q

What is the relative cost differences from feeding:

1- Grazed grass

2-Grass silage

3-Concentrates

A

1- Grazed grass= 10 c/kg DM (Ratio :1)

2-Grass silage= 20 c/kg DM (Ratio 2:1)

3-Concentrates= 30c/kg DM (Ratio 4:1)

70
Q

When you are in a low input system, list 5 features to this system:

A

1- Matching stocking rate to grass growth rates

2- Max utilisation of least cost feed

3- Competitive resilience

4- May be suboptimal in times of higher
milk price

5- Farm expansion reliant of high animal
numbers

71
Q

on the Teagasc 2027 Sectorial Roadmap, what is being shown in regards low input systems?

A

There has been alot of research performance on low input systems to date and this data is shown on the right side of the column.
(learn all figures :0)

72
Q

List features of a TMR/High input system? (7)

A
  • TMR, confinement
  • High output
  • Scalable
  • Reliance on purchased feed
  • Risky (ability to cope with
    volatility)?
  • Complexity
  • Cost control issues – low margin high volume
73
Q

How much grass do we want our cows to consume in a feed budget?
-If the cow is 600 kilos?

A

General rule of thumb is you add a 0 to it.
Which means 600 kilo cow= 6 tonne feed or 6,000 kilos

74
Q

If a farm is growing 12 tonne of grass, how much of this grass do we utilise?

A

-A very good farm will utilise 85% of this grass through grazing and silage

75
Q

Whats Lyons situation?
-Tonnes of grazed grass
-Stocking rate

A

Lyons farm have 3.5 tonnes of grazed grass
There stocking rate is around 3- gap needs to be filled if your not growing enough feed.

76
Q

The higher the yield milk yield….

A

The lower % of fat and protein

77
Q

List the 4 different systems that they use in Northern Ireland :

A

1- Confined

2- Conventional

3- Spring Calving : Holstein Friesian confined until turnout

4- Spring Calving : Jersey cross confined until turnout

78
Q

Explain what the confined system in Northern Ireland is?

A

Calving:
Oct-April
-Total confinement calving to 180 days

-35% forage and 65% concentrates

-Then 40% concentrates and 60% forage

79
Q

Explain what the conventional system in Northern Ireland is?

A

Autumn Calving:
Oct-April

-Confined calving until turnout then…

-Rotational grazing with 5kg feed/cow/day

80
Q

What does the Teagasc 2027 Sectorial Roadmap measure?

A

It measures Efficiencies

81
Q

Confinement diet : NI dairy systems:

A

Conc- 3.08

Grass silage- 2.53

Maize silage- 0.67

82
Q

Conventional diet : NI dairy systems:

A

Conc- 2.18

Grass silage- 1.16

Maize silage- 0.4

Grazed grass- 2.04

83
Q

Spring Calving Holstein : NI dairy systems:

A

Conc- 0.74

Grass Silage- 1.05

Grazed grass- 2.79

84
Q

Spring Calving Jersey Cross : NI dairy systems:

A

Conc- 0.74

Grass silage- 1.07

Grazed grass- 2.69

85
Q

What are the 3 things the eProfit Monitor talks about/measure?

A

1- Physical Performance Measures

2- Financials -Variable and fixed costs

3- Compare spring vs winter
(milk output, number of farms, drives of cost/profit between 2 systems)

86
Q

How is profitability measured?

A

1- Net margin/cow

2-Net margin/litre

3- Net margin/ha

87
Q

What is the cost of on-farm family labour?

A

-Teagasc NFS data from 2016, places a value on own labour input equipment to 12 cent/litre or €1,201 per hectare.
-An assumed wage of €15 per hour.

88
Q

1-According to the Teagasc Profit monitor 2018
Spring milk Dairy farms, the farms that were in the top 1/4 of producers, what were their variable costs like?

2-What were there fixed costs like?

3- What was the overall net profit like compared to average farms?

A

1-Variable costs were €11 lower per cow but €244 higher per hectare

2-Fixed costs were €56 lower per cow

3- Overall net profit was €300 higher per cow and €992 higher per hectare which is 64% higher than the average spring milk producer

89
Q

1-According to the Teagasc Profit Monitor, what were the Spring milk producers that were larger scale and more intensively stocked consuming of grass?

2- How much more milk solids/cow?

3- What was the gross output of the top quartile compared to average spring milk producers?

A

1- 1.6 tonnes DM/Ha more grass
19% more than your average farm

2- 38kg more milk solids per cow - 8% higher yield

3- €1,266/Ha greater than average

90
Q

Teagasc Profit Monitor 2018- Winter milk Dairy Farms:

1- What way are winter milk systems stocked compared to spring milk ?

2- how much more Tonnes DM/ha is consumed?

3- Whats the gross output of the top quartile?

A

1- Similar in scale to spring milk but more intensively stocked at 12% higher stocking rate and consumed 1.1 tonnes DM/Ha more grass (13% greater)

2-Their produced 37kg more milk solids per cow (8% higher yield) of higher fat and protein content and 228kg more milk solids per hectare (20%) higher

91
Q

Teagasc Profit Monitor 2018- Winter milk Dairy Farms:

1- What is the difference in variable costs ?

2- Whats the difference in fixed costs?

3- Whats the difference in overall net profit ?

A

1- Variable costs were €14 higher per cow and €94 higher than that of the average wonter milk producer as a result.

2- Fixed cots were €63 lower per cow but €15 higher per hectare for the highest profit quartile

3- Net profit was €306 higher per cow and €981 higher per hectare (57% higher) than the average winter milk producer who completed Profit Monitor

92
Q

What sort of profit/cow/year are you hoping for?

A

€1000

But teagasc figure is €2500

93
Q

What is the average cost of production ?

What is the issue?

A

40c/litre = cost of production

But the requirement has gone up by 10/15 cent to ensure a proper income

94
Q

From the years of 2020-2023 what is the story with Dairy farms income?

A

Hugely varied

95
Q

What is the replacement Target rate on Dairy Farms?

A

18%

96
Q

Where in the country generates the most amount of gross output profit?

A

€5,460