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Using high sugar varieties has made the grass very palatable and cows are always keen to be turned out to grass
ABOVE LEFT On the left is Northleaze Bolton Beatrice 722, a sixth lactation cow giving 41kg a day and on the right is Northleaze Jupiter Val 253, a heifer projected to give 11,946kg.
ABOVE RIGHT Pictured left is fourth calved Northleaze Tangent Margarita 917 who is producing 42kg at 4.67%bf and right Northleaze Lucente Penny 842, a fifth calver giving 51kg and projected to give 12,528kg.
Wiltshire Grazing Group, there are a couple of good spring calving herds which have shown me what can be achieved from good grazing. I’ve learned a lot from Piers, particularly about getting residuals down and increasing quality.”
As well as a drop in costs by changing to grazing Robert has also noticed an improvement in general herd health, in particular foot health. This improvement has been in addition to an improvement in feet that was noticed after the move to three times a day milking in 2011. “Herd health has benefited from the decision to go three times a day milking, but also to graze. We initially saw an improvement in feet when we started milking three times a day by reducing the stress on the high yielding herd. I’m also noticing an improvement in udders of heifers that have calved in to the herd since three times a day milking started, their udders are wearing better.”
The same year as the decision was made to increase milkings to three times a day the direct to line Delaval parlour was extended from 16:16 to 20:20. This extension reduced milking time for the team led by herdsman Rob Sidebottom who has been at Northleaze for 26 years and is assisted by an assistant herdsman and stockman.
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“In addition to three times a day milking feet also improved when we started grazing, I think this has been due to getting them off concrete. The improvement in the herd following changes in management is noticeable and cows look to be lasting much longer.”
In order to manage high yielders
30 THE JOURNAL JUNE 2015
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