Herd Management Plan
HERD MANAGEMENT PLAN
This section of the Ruralni Portal provides an outline of the High Forage Herd management system employed at Greenmount Campus. Details of the management and explanations behind the rationale for adopting the management policies are given. The Herd Management Plan covers:
Grassland management
Cows are grazed on flexible 24 hour paddocks with fresh grass made available at each grazing. Grassland is managed to give cows high dry matter intakes while maintaining high quality grass throughout the grazing period ....
Cows are grazed on flexible 24 hour paddocks with fresh grass made available at each grazing. Grassland is managed to give cows high dry matter intakes while maintaining high quality grass throughout the grazing period ....
Extended grazing
Producing milk off grass is a critical component of the project. When conditions dictate, the management aim is to graze cows from early March to late November with grass supplemented with silage early and late in the grazing season ....
Producing milk off grass is a critical component of the project. When conditions dictate, the management aim is to graze cows from early March to late November with grass supplemented with silage early and late in the grazing season ....
Silage production
Our policy on silage making is to produce high ‘D’ value silage with a relatively high dry matter to encourage high dry matter intakes ....
Our policy on silage making is to produce high ‘D’ value silage with a relatively high dry matter to encourage high dry matter intakes ....
Concentrate feeding
Cows are fed automatically to yield twice daily in the milking parlour. Feeding to yield is preferred as it allows cows with higher genetic merit to more readily demonstrate that potential ....
Cows are fed automatically to yield twice daily in the milking parlour. Feeding to yield is preferred as it allows cows with higher genetic merit to more readily demonstrate that potential ....
Herd calving pattern
To increase milk from grass and minimise our production costs in future, a management decision has been taken to move the calving pattern towards the winter/spring period. Cows will start to calve in November and run to March ....
To increase milk from grass and minimise our production costs in future, a management decision has been taken to move the calving pattern towards the winter/spring period. Cows will start to calve in November and run to March ....
Condition scoring
All cows are condition scored on a monthly basis at Greenmount Campus. Feeding strategy is aimed at minimising condition score loss during early lactation ....
All cows are condition scored on a monthly basis at Greenmount Campus. Feeding strategy is aimed at minimising condition score loss during early lactation ....
Fertility management
Records at the Campus are maintained on the Kingswood computer software, updated by the herdsman on a daily basis. A circular Bray breeding board and a dairy is also kept as a backup ....
Records at the Campus are maintained on the Kingswood computer software, updated by the herdsman on a daily basis. A circular Bray breeding board and a dairy is also kept as a backup ....
Breeding policy
The herd comprises of commercial and pedigree Holstein/Friesian. Breeding decisions over the last number of years have resulted in a herd capable of producing high yields of milk ....
The herd comprises of commercial and pedigree Holstein/Friesian. Breeding decisions over the last number of years have resulted in a herd capable of producing high yields of milk ....
Dry cow management
Dry cow management of cows in the High Forage Herd focuses on body condition score, length of dry period, and dry period nutrition ....
Dry cow management of cows in the High Forage Herd focuses on body condition score, length of dry period, and dry period nutrition ....
Heifer rearing and management
Heifers destined for the High Forage Herd are reared as part of the Dairy Heifer 2000 programme. Target age and weight pre-calving is 24 months and 600 kilos respectively ....
Heifers destined for the High Forage Herd are reared as part of the Dairy Heifer 2000 programme. Target age and weight pre-calving is 24 months and 600 kilos respectively ....
Animal health
The animal health routine carried out with the High Forage Herd involves vaccinations for leptospirosis and salmonella ....
The animal health routine carried out with the High Forage Herd involves vaccinations for leptospirosis and salmonella ....
Management records
Milk recording is carried out twice per month. As the milk from the High Forage Herd is collected in the same tank as that from The Protein Improver Herd, twice monthly milk recording improves the accuracy of measuring compositional quality from each herd ....
Milk recording is carried out twice per month. As the milk from the High Forage Herd is collected in the same tank as that from The Protein Improver Herd, twice monthly milk recording improves the accuracy of measuring compositional quality from each herd ....
Management decision making
Quarterly meetings are held with industry partners, Richardson’s Fertilizers when the herd performance benchmarked against Milk Chek and the 45 Hundred farmers is reviewed ....
Quarterly meetings are held with industry partners, Richardson’s Fertilizers when the herd performance benchmarked against Milk Chek and the 45 Hundred farmers is reviewed ....
Student involvement
National Diploma in Agriculture level 3 students are involved in presentations at quarterly meetings ....
National Diploma in Agriculture level 3 students are involved in presentations at quarterly meetings ....
