Evaluation of North Ridge Dairy
The Schlitzer’s
Michael Bahl
Strengths:
Production:
Since December 2012 your herd has increase over 1400 lbs. of milk and is continually improving show
in the graph from the herds tab in PC Dart. From the Dairy Metrics report below, your herd is milking above the
average of your peer groups of herds in Iowa, Wisconsin, and Illinois with 80-180 Holsteins, producing 23,297
lbs. and in the 54th percentile which is above average.
Udder Health:
Your herd is very low for
SCC, in fact it is in the 21st
percentile for Actual Somatic Cell
Count (SCC) which provides your
herd with increased premiums for
milk quality based off of Dairy
Metrics. The SCC Score for older
cows in their 3rd + lactations is well
below the average, which is really
good, whereas the 1st and 2nd
lactation cows are right on the
average. In the past five months you
have also decreased your SCC to
below 200,000. The 202 to the right
shows that your herd has a range of
117-312 thousand SCC throughout
the past year on test dates, keeping in
mind that these figures represent one
test day in a months period.
% Died on Farm:
Though many producers may not believe that this is strength, I believe that identifying and culling cows
before it is too late is important so there is some salvage value. With the three cows reported
that had died in the past year, it is within the 23rd percentile is outstanding, but the fact that
there were no cows in first or second lactation who died, but only cows over their third
lactation is impressive. However, the fact that they had died within 12 days since the start of their lactation is
room for improvement that I will cover in the opportunities section.
Opportunities
Component Composition:
Compared to your peers on Dairy Metrics, you are in the 20th percentile for Holsteins for daily fat % yet
doing very well for protein
within the 60th percentile.
With the average of rolling
fat and protein being with
the average of your peers,
at 860 lbs fat, 710 protein.
From the chart below, you have been on the steady decline on your fat tests in the past year. With a component
based price system for the Midwest, it is important to increase total lbs. of components, however an increase in
protein is much harder than an increase in butterfat, yet both are easy to drop quickly. For this reason I would
like to have a consistent average of 3.8 butterfat for your herd, producing at the current level of milk production,
having a rolling fat of 908 lbs. with an average increase of 48 lbs per cow. I took a look at the seasonal
consistencies with butterfat and protein, and it shows that it has been slowly dropping the past year as shown
below. With butterfat around $2.00 per lb. there is potential for great increases. On my farm visit I noticed that
the haylage and corn silage could have underwent too much processing, from ensiling to feeding. This could
possibly be due to the over processing that the upright silo. When temperatures are below freezing, silo
unloaders are well known for over processing frozen haylage, especially at the bottom of the silo where the
packing densities are greatest.
The rough estimate of the cost of your current
lactating cow ration is shown using the Spartan Dairy 3
computer program. Based on the batch sheet you had
provided me, I calculated the average costs of each
ingredient and roughly you are paying 12.9 cents per
lb. of dry matter in the ration, which equates to $6.16
per cow per day.
.
Component Composition Recommendations:
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Increase particle length of TMR to stimulate increased minutes of cud chewing which correlates to
increased saliva and rumen buffer, resulting in increased butterfat lbs. You can do this through two
ways:
o In the short term, add tub ground dry hay into the ration, while decreasing silo haylage to
increase fiber content to increase the theoretical length of cut, especially for the hay that will be
put into the silo. The average price to custom hire for a tub grinder in Iowa is $224 an hour based
off of 2014 Iowa Farm Custom Rate Survey.
o In the long term, or when first cutting comes in, put the haylage into bags, and corn silage into
the upright silo, for corn silage is less variable when freezing in the silo, so you can maintain
particle length consistencies throughout the year.
With 0.2% more fat, raising the total 860 to 908 lbs, while maintaining the average of 64.8 lbs per cow
and 119 cows at $2.00 per lb. of fat you are increasing your milk check by $31.30 a day or potentially
$11,424 a year for a butterfat average at 3.8%.
Talk with your nutritionists to regularly test your forages for nutrient composition especially when
changing bags and silos.
Herd Reproduction:
While looking through the Dairy Metrics report below, one can identify the opportunities to increase the
pregnancy rates by reducing the days open for the herd. Your herd is currently in the 19th percentile for year
average pregnancy rates. The calving interval average is at 14.3 months and the ranges are found also in the 202
report from DRMS.
On the 202 report to the right you can see that the average days to first service is at 96 days, so only 50%
of your herd has been inseminated by 96 days. Also your reported Voluntary Waiting Period (VWP) is stated at
60 days on several reports; however 11% of
all first services are below your VWP as
found on the 202 report. This is an area for
concern because the low pregnancy rates are
influenced by your VWP.
This next graph shows the conception
rates (vertical axis) in yellow increase as the days open increases (bottom axis). Even if you are getting cows
inseminated before 60 days, you only have 10% conception rate during the 50-60 days and zero conceptions
before 50
days.
The low conception rates before the VWP of 60 days directly influences the 3.2 services per conception
for all cows. If your breeder can be more compliant, by not breeding cows until after the VWP, and by watching
cows more vigorously for heat to reduce the average age at first service, you would be able to improve
conception and preg rates greatly.
The 202 summary to the right shows that the average age at first calving is 27 months and this next
graph shows the variation in the age at first calving for your herd anywhere from 23 months to 33 months.
Typical herds shoot for 23-24 months.
$1,886
$5,777
$2,358
$1,061
$1,415
$707
$1,179
The 32 animals that are past 25 months of age are eating away at profits. On average a heifer at 26 months will
eat $3.93 a day in feed according to the University of Illinois in 2013. For the two heifers that calved in at 33
months, you are losing $1,886 just in feed costs over the 8 extra months they are on feed. This is shocking for
the average cost to raise a heifer to calving in
2013 was $1,862. Of all the animals in the red
box, you are spending $14,383 in feeding your
older heifers. Cows that have high age at first
calving’s have been shown to decrease in their
305 day milk yields as shown on the graph to the
left.
Herd Reproduction Recommendations:
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Use proper heat detection by applying either Kamar or EstraDetect pads at 60 days post fresh to detect
heat quickly. Check for colored pads at least 2x a day during each milking, along with visual heats
anytime you are feeding cows. For cows that have not shown a heat by 81 days, start them on an
Ovsynch protocol to inseminate the remaining animals who have silent heats.
Proper semen handling and sanitation techniques need to be followed to decrease services per
conception. Possibly have employees re-trained in artificial insemination.
Make sure strict compliance is followed through, so that cows are being inseminated at the desired time
(60 day VWP, start OvSynch at 81 days).
Confirm pregnancies earlier, with use of ultra-sound, instead of palpation. With this there will be a need
to double check, once around 30 days, and sexing
around 65 days, however if open at 30, start on
OvSynch protocol, to get another opportunity to
breed.
Reduce the age at first calving by grouping heifers
with herd mates similar in age, applying either
Kamar or EstraDetect pads at 12 months, checking
twice daily when feeding for heats.
By reducing the age at first calving for the older
heifers, you can decrease rearing costs by up to
$14,383, see faster returns when they enter the
milking herd earlier. This will also increase the
amount of animals within the herd, which has
potential to sell more heifers or cows for dairy
purposes.
Transition Cows:
There is reason for concern with the total amount of first lactation cows being sold within 30 days. The
area with greatest concern is from the DHI Survival Analysis with the 5 out of 10 of first lactation cows sold
and 8 out of the 32 sold for the 2+ lactation animals being sold within the first 30 days, for the first lactation
cows have not paid for their own rearing costs. Of these who have left, the reasons are because of injury, udder,
and low production for 1st, and mastitis and died for 3+ lactations showing that these animals are having a rough
transitions during calving and adjusting to the milking herd.
This is a report that I made using PC Dart,
showing cows that have left since they were fresh
along with the reason, lactation number, and index. It
shows that there were13 cows that left in the first 30
days since freshening, suggesting an opportunity for
improvement in the transition cow program
This next graph shows the survival curves by days in milk, the yellow line shows the first lactation cows
have been reduced to only 88% of their original numbers. Considering the second lactation animals are thriving
during this time, there seems to be a problem with the heifers adjusting to a different peer group.
The next graph from PC Dart shows the effectiveness of a dry cow treatment program, showing that
13.4% of animals are getting new infections during the dry period, or between calving and first test whereas
only 7.5% are being cured. Typically we would like to see more cured that infected during the dry period.
Going back to the culling report, 4 culled in the first 30 days had a dry period and were culled for mastitis in the
first 30 days.
I picked this graph
which I created from PC Dart
to show your RHA based on
number of cows you have.
Your RHA increases to close
to 23,300 (green) when you
have lower cow numbers,
closer to 110 (red), showing
there may be a problem with
your current stocking
densities of 146% calculated
by total number of cows milking divided by total stalls and/or feed space. The free stall barn only has 80 stalls
some which are incapable of being used due to maintenance. With the feed bunk is only 160 feet long, allowing
only 16.4 inches of space per cow, when ideal width is 24 inches per cow. As you can see on the far left it
shows that when you have close to 130 cows, you had a 21,500 RHA.
Transition Cow Recommendations:
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Possibly cull cows that are not producing, especially with high beef prices and based on the last chart
showing RHA vs. number of cows. Typically with the amount of free stalls that you have, along with the
amount of feed bunk space, it would be ideal to limit the milking herd size to 90 head with a 112.5%
stocking density, allowing transition cows and two years olds to have a smooth transition, allowing them
to reach max potentials.
Reduce stress as much as possible for the first lactation fresh cows, by providing a steam up diet for the
close up cows and heifers, which resembles the same diet as the lactating cows. This can be done by
dividing up the dry cow shed using gates so that both pens have access to waters, hay, and their
individual feed ration.
Clean dry cow area frequently to prevent new infections from occurring. Provide adequate space for dry
cows and springing heifers so that there is not stress within this group. Provide supplemental minerals or
fresh cow tubs and roughage (hay bale) for fresh cows so to reduce metabolic stress
Summary:
Overall your herd is performing well compared to your peers. In this report I have highlighted several
opportunities for improvement to increase profits. Within my recommendations I have provided figures and
feasible goals that can be obtainable through stricter management, yet with minimal daily work, keeping in
mind your goals of gaining more family time. With increased particle length in your TMR, you have a potential
of $11,000 from raising the butterfat from a 3.6 to a 3.8. By reducing your age at first calving, you have the
potential to save over $14,000 in feed costs. By decreasing stress on the transition cows, you will be culling less
cows in the first 30 days, yet have more peak cows ready to sell for dairy purposes. If you have any questions
please feel free to give me a call and I would be more than willing to help you increase your farm’s profits.