ABOVE LEFT Cow comfort is evident in the deep sand bed cubicles.
ABOVE RIGHT New cubicle sheds are light and well ventilated.
BELOW John aims to breed a functional type of cow that lasts well.
FARM FACTS r Cow numbers: 600 r Average lactation: 10,700kg 3.98%bf 3.44%p ACC140 Bactoscan 13
r Reasons for culling: In the old system cows were culled for mastitis and infertility, now culling is more on age and voluntary.
r Sires used: Brekem (sexed), Masterful (sexed), Lincoln (sexed), Artist Red (sexed) and stock bull Sterndale Radiate.
r Modern technology: Automatic footbath, spray robot, teat brush and pedometers.
centres. Cows in both sheds are fed on the outside. From their travelling Andrew and John had decided on a 10ft over hang to cover the silage feed space better on the outside of the sheds better than the standard 8ft over hang.
“Having done so much research in to this project we knew what we wanted and pushed the builders to provide it,” comments Andrew. Andrew’s strengths are crop growing and grass management, with the massive change in cow numbers he has had to look at the best ways of providing forage from the land. “We aim for a ration of one third whole-crop, one third maize and one third grass silage, however, the heavy land on the farm has proved unviable for growing maize as it struggles to recover. We are now renting an additional 300 acres to allow extra silage to be taken and the only stock turned out at Sludge Hall Farm are far off dry cows in the summer and the grass is let for sheep grazing over the winter,” explains Andrew. John adds: “Our milk is sold to Long Clawson for Stilton Cheese, the biggest Stilton suppliers in the world handling 70 million litres of milk a year. We are paid on a standard solids contract of 4.1%bf and 3.3%p with a bonus for volume. This puts focus on components for breeding and feeding.” “It costs £2500 a day to feed the herd while we push for components, over and above the base of grass silage, maize and whole-crop there are 12 different ingredients: rolled wheat, wheat distillers, soya hulls, soya rape blend, by-pass soya, protected fat, lucerne, minerals, salt, limestone flour
£2500 PER DAY TO FEED THE HERD
THE JOURNAL FEBRUARY 2015 25
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