By frequently taking a fresh grass sample, Wout Huijzer can ensure that the protein level in the pellet is adjusted based on this analysis.
In addition to fresh grass, the cows receive 3kg of dry matter from the bale.
meter. The data he obtains are sent to the computer. The farm has used feedwedge, from the Irish company AgriNet, for four years now. For the last two years, however, they’ve been using the “Grip op Gras” feedwedge. Its measurements make a reasonable prediction of grass growth. In addition, they regularly take a grass sample in collaboration with ani- mal feed company De Heus Voeders. Based on its analysis, Wout and Nely aim to achieve optimal urea content. “It’s a challenge to keep it around 20. Depending on the protein in the grass, we experiment with the protein levels in the con- centrates.” Now, they use concentrates that contain only 110 grammes of raw protein. In order to maintain a low urea content, the grass should not contain too much protein. The only way to ensure this is through fertilisation. “That means we are continuously seeking a balance. On the one hand, you don’t want too much protein, but you also don’t want to give the cows so little that growth and yield are put un- der pressure.” The average grass yield in recent years has been around 11 tonnes of dry matter per hectare. In the
The entrance to the meadow is located along a path. The water trough is on the other side so that the cows are spread across the meadow.
more fertile years prior to that, the average was around 14 tonnes.
Only one silo bunker The grass that is not pastured is used for silage. Huijzer and Schutte have a 40-metre-long and 10-metre-wide silo bunker. They use its contents for feeding between the beginning of October and the beginning of April. The rest of the grass is baled. “We use the bales in winter for the dry cows and the youngstock. It costs a little bit more, but we also feed the bales to the dairy cows in summer, in addition to pasturing.” Wout feeds about 3kg of dry matter per cow per day. “That’s too little to get from silage, because it will lead to too much heat generation in the silage, causing mould. With the baled grass we can manage the feed requirements of the dairy cows. Sometimes we might choose a bale with a little more dry matter or structure, while we may need more protein-rich autumn grass at another time. It’s a question of dotting the i’s and crossing the t’s.”
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