GOLD CUP WINNER
Better to sell as barren
than cull
With more heifers coming into the herd - due
to the shorter rearing period and the use of
sexed semen - there’s been the opportunity to
sell some of the older cows as barrens.
Peter explains: ‘John’s an excellent stockman,
he knows the herd really well. So he can
look at a cow, and based on her history and
current performance, assess the likelihood of
problems in the next lactation. However, it’s
a double-edged sword, because these older
cows are the ‘cash cows’ - they’ve paid off
all their rearing costs and are now making
money. But if kept on for too long, they will
start to cost more than they can earn.’
John says: ‘The temptation has been to hang
onto cows for too long. But it’s better to be
brave and get rid of them a bit younger
whilst they are still healthy. We can get
around £1,000 for a barren cow - well that
nearly pays for the rearing of a heifer.’
Peter adds: ‘The emotional impact on farm
staff, and vets, of watching a sick cow
deteriorate, is often under-estimated. No-one
ever wants to have to shoot a cow. Selling
a healthy cow is far more preferable.’
Like many south-west farms, starling
infestations in the winter months had been
a huge problem up until four years ago
when the Taylors decided they had had
enough! Investments in a rigid wire mesh
were made and the whole cattle shed -
including the parlour - has now been
enclosed and made starling-proof.
‘It’s made a tremendous difference,’
explains Peter. ‘Bird droppings meant
feed was spoiled, intakes depressed, and
cows would suffer a variety of digestive
disorders. This all combined to reduce
milk production.’
Getting the right size of mesh proved a
trial with error! John explains: ‘We think the
starlings are slimmer at the start of the
winter than they are at the end! In the
autumn, they could squeeze through the
mesh we’d installed! So we had to re-do
the job with a finer mesh - 2.5cm by 7.5
cm. The difference has been amazing - not
only is cow health so much better, but we
are getting an extra 3 litres/cow/day.’
Starling-proof buildings
Peter says: ‘John is very forward-thinking.
He doesn’t wait for something to break,
he takes action and sorts it out beforehand.
The barren cows are one example, the
mattresses in the cubicles are another.’
The mattresses have been down for around
15 years and are becoming worn. John
had noticed a few swollen hocks, so had
ordered replacement mattresses. These will
be fitted in stages over the winter; this is
easily achieved as there are 50 spare
cubicles. John prefers to be under-stocked
than over.
John would like to expand numbers up to
500 cows, but is mindful of having the
ground and buildings to be able to support
this. He explains: ‘We’ve got the land to
make sufficient forage, but it would make
conditions at housing too tight for the in-calf
heifers and dry cow groups. So for now,
we will allow herd size to increase slightly
using our own replacements, until we can
take on extra facilities.’
Peter adds: ‘Our job, as vets, is to support
John and Pam by working with them in
partnership, helping them to fulfil their long
term ambitions and goals.
‘It’s not surprising that Worthy Farm won
the Gold Cup. John and Pam’s attention
to detail and dedication have made this
an outstanding dairy herd, full of happy,
healthy and productive cows!’
Thinking ahead
Winning statistics
Over the qualifying period (year ending Sept 2013), the herd averaged 12,101kg
of milk at 3.96% fat and 3.11% protein on twice a day milking with an average
lifetime daily yield of 15.39kg. The average somatic cell count was 173,000/ml,
calving interval was 398 days and margin over concentrates was £2,619 per cow.
Although some of the troughs are on the outside of the building, the mesh screens have been designed
to swing in, to allow feed to be deposited before they are fastened back again.
WINTER 2014/2015 ISSUE
LIVESTOCK MATTERS
14
Light and airy calf shed at Worthy Farm
John and Peter - good working relationship
