Some maize silage is much better than others this winter


New tools make better breeding decisions


Two new online tools will help dairy farmers choose bulls that better match their requirements and improve the accuracy of se- men order volumes. Launched by AHDB,


the


Overall, Dr Homer believes early maize should complement this year’s grass silage well. The high level of fermentable carbohy- drates and glucogenic energy will balance the high NDF and lignin values in grass silage, but the total diet will need careful balancing.


“Cereals, for example, may


need to be trimmed back despite being good value as there will already be a good supply of fer- mentable carbohydrates from the maize. Many diets will also re- quire a supply of bypass protein. “The key message is to know


what you have got in your clamp and balance the diet according- ly. As maize starch fermenta- bility increases with time in the clamp, it will be important to get clamps analysed regularly and to fine tune the diet to maintain op- timum rumen health.”


Breeding Trait Selector enables farmers to identify and prioritise the best genetic traits for their herd. The Breeding Season Se- men Calculator works out herd requirements for conventional, sexed and beef semen. Marco Winters, AHDB head of animal genetics, said: “Genetics can have a huge positive impact on farm performance and profita- bility. The new tools speed up and simplify the process of shortlist- ing the best bulls for your herd.” The Breeding Trait Selector recommends the traits to focus on and suggests improvements and the Semen Calculator works out the number of straws need- ed to meet a herd requirements.


DECEMBER 2019 • ANGLIA FARMER 53


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