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Portway for half a day every month to discuss rations and costings. “I’ve been working with Simon for 18 years now and I’m happy with how the cows are performing. High yielders are fed 6kg grass silage, 28kg maize silage, 5kg wet citrus, 1.25kg nutrimaize, 2.5kg ground straw, 6kg brewers grains, 0.1kg optigen, 8kg blend and 0.35kg fats. Grinding straw has transformed the way rations are presented. ” As well as the TMR which is pushed up eight times a day, cows have access to out of parlour feeders with a maximum of 12kg of concentrate split in to four quarters of the day. Far off dry cows are turned out in a bare paddock during the summer and topped up with straw before being housed for one month pre-calving on a dry cow ration.
Routine management also includes a monthly foot trimming
visit. “I prefer to routinely trim cows feet and prevent having any problems. I also mobility score cows monthly which keeps me focussed on any cows that might need attention and body condition score cows quarterly.” Youngstock don’t see any forages until they go to grazing once they are in-calf or one month pre-calving, they are feed ground straw, grains and citrus, lows blend and minerals. Away from the dairy herd Mark’s uncle Mike and brother Charles manage the field work with the help of one full time employee. Everything is done in house except baling, hedge cutting and foraging. In total 750 acres are grown in oil seed rape, wheat and spring barley, with 200 acres of maize and the remaining 350 acres in grass. All straw is kept for use on the farm, while all the wheat grown is sold.
Since expanding the herd plans of being able to sell fresh heifers have been put to one side as the herd has been tied up with TB on and off for the past four years. “It is a real hassle testing every 60 days and we had to blood test twice in 2014 and have lost almost 50 cattle with no signs of lesions. “TB has made me focus on culling harder and I’ve also used more beef semen because when we are struggling for space, calves can be sold through an orange collection centre in the South West. “It is difficult enough managing a dairy herd, but adding TB in to the mix is just a different ball game. Heifers calve in to the herd at two years old yet you can’t predict two years ahead what will be happening in the dairy industry.”
Classifi cation has been taking place at Portway Farm for six years and Mark feels it’s important to help build up pedigrees.
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