Milk quota situation and meal feeding

Due to the continuous rain in August, cows have lost yield. Nationally what will the milk quota situation be on September 1? Some of our major processors may struggle to fill their milk quota. September is a good month to introduce 2kg of ration to dairy cows. Why? Autumn grass, while it has excellent digestibility and high intake potential, has a lower energy value due to the fact that it is low in water soluble carbohydrate, i.e., sugars. As a result, the response to meal feeding in the autumn is high but the milk yield response achieved will depend on two factors.

The grass allowance to the cows.

The genetic potential of the cow for milk production.

For instance, in a tight grazing situation, allocating 15kg/cow, the milk response rates were similar regardless of genetic potential. A 1:1 response rate was achieved, i.e., a kilogram of milk for every kilogram of ration.

However, if you are allocating 20kg of grass per cow, then the response is reduced to 0.86kg milk per kg of ration fed. Breeds with lower genetic potential for milk yield achieved a response of 0.34kg of milk for each kilogram of ration fed. Clearly this is a loss-making situation.

Meal feeding in the autumn also has the potential to push too much grass ahead of cows, so care is needed.