Level II Agricultural Business Operations

Basic principles & decisions Basic principles of maximising feed intake Feeding systems: Conventional versus TMR Cattle feed decisions

◦ Individual animal groups◦ Target performance◦ Feed cost & budgets

Getting winter feeding decisions right:

Improves animal performanceReduces days to slaughterCuts production cost £££££

Lots of things impact on winter feeding decisions:

Cattle weight & stage of production Calving system Cow condition Silage availability & quality Price of concentrate Cattle market value

Basic Decisions

The five freedoms are:

++ Freedom from hunger and thirst

++ Freedom from discomfort

++ Freedom from pain, injury and disease

++ Freedom to express normal behaviour

++ Freedom from fear and distress

Maximising dry matter intake is key to achieving high animal performance

Present fresh palatable feed.Have water available at all timesProvide adequate feed spaceProvide adequate lying spaceProvide a dry lying area

A well designed and managed feed area can be as important as what is fed

Very smooth clean surfaceEating surface 10cm above hoof heightClean out refused food regularlySite water trough to avoid feed being splashed

Rub marks on neck rails – shows wrong position

Pro’s:

•Flexibility•Inclusion of commodities•Reduced feed space requirement•Acidosis control•Mixing precision•Potential for improved feed efficiency – properly balanced rations•Utilisation of low quality forages

Con’s:

•Price•Operational costs (fuel, labour, wear)•Building and yard layout•Complicates feeding if a lot of feed groups

Pro’s• Low level mechanisation• Low operating cost• Simple management of different feed groups

Con’s• Physical input• Potentially lower feed precision• Potentially higher feed waste

Important: What stage of the production cycle are your cattle are at? Store & finishing cattle

Silage quality

Winter gain (kg/d)

Grazing gain (kg/d)

Gain/year (kg)

Feed cost/kg (p)

Poor 0.0 1.2 220 95

Average 0.5 1.0 275 83

Good 0.8 0.8 290 98

It is important to find a balance between animal performance and cost of production.

Silage quality Average daily gain (kg/d)

Poor 0.00

Average 0.35

Good 0.55

Good (high dry matter) 0.70

Need to be careful with a no-meal strategy

Silage Quality Silage Fed (Kg)

Concentrate (Kg)

Daily Feed Cost (£/day)

Good 23 - 0.57

Average 21 0.8 0.70

Poor 16 2.5 0.90

Assume: Silage £25/t, Concentrate £200/t

300kg Ch store bullock◦ Output◦ 180 day housed @ 0.6kg/day = 108kg ◦ 108kg + 300kg = 408kg at turnout

◦ Cost ◦ 21kg silage + 0.8kg meal = £0.70/day x 180days◦ Vet, Med & Misc = £20◦ Interest (6%) = £25

= £171

◦ If worth £750 (£2.50/kg) in Sept 2014◦ Need £921 (£2.26) in March 2015 to break even◦ Need £1011 (£2.48) in March 2015 to get £15/month

Store ration (kg/t)Store ration (kg/t)

Maize glutenMaize gluten 450450Rolled barley Rolled barley 200 200 Soya hullsSoya hulls 200200Maize Distillers Maize Distillers 100100MolafermMolaferm 25 25 Minerals Minerals 25 25

ME 11, CP 16 as fedME 11, CP 16 as fed£180/t£180/t

Front load concentrates Better to overshoot target early, rather than

later in winter No meal for at least 1 month pre-turnout Aim for turnout as soon as ground conditions

permit

Growing to finishing – the big change!Timing is the key to changing successfully from the growing to the finishing ration.

Target Days on Finishing

ration

Daily Liveweight Gain (kg)

Feed PeriodGain (kg)

Continental 80 – 100 1.2 - 1.5 120 – 150

Traditional 60 – 80 1.0 - 1.4 80 - 90

Silage Quality Silage Fed (Kg)

Concentrate (Kg)

Daily Feed Cost (£/day)

Good 22 4.5 1.45

Average 20.0 5.5 1.60

Poor 15.0 7.0 1.77

Assume: Silage £25/t, Concentrate £200/t

Finishing ration (kg/t)Finishing ration (kg/t)

Maize meal Maize meal 300300Barley Barley 250 250 Maize Distillers Maize Distillers 150150Rapeseed mealRapeseed meal 125125Citrus pulp Citrus pulp 100100Molasses Molasses 50 50 Minerals Minerals 25 25

ME 11, CP 13% as fedME 11, CP 13% as fed£200/t£200/t

Diet 1:

20kg Average Silage 5.5 kg Concentrate

Diet 2:

5kg Silage 3kg Concentrate 3kg Wholecrop wheat 3kg Bread 5kg Potatoes 2kg Straw 1Kg Molasses

Both Diets deliver the same level of feed energy and output

500kg steer @ 1.90/kg = £950

100 day feed period20kg silage + 5.5kg Conc. = £1.60/day x 100 days = £160Veterinary & Miscellaneous = £35 £195

Total Cost = £950 + £195 = £1145

620kg @ 55% KO = 341kg341kg @ 350p = £1193Total costs = £1145Margin = £48Margin/month = £15

Sensitivity Analysis:

+/- 10p/kg beef price = £34 per head

You have 30 Aberdeen Angus cross heifers on the farm as housing time approaches. They have an average weight of 450kg.

What are you going to do with them?

Silage Quality Silage Fed (Kg)

Concentrate (Kg)

Daily Feed Cost (£/day)

Good 29 - 0.73

Average 32 - 0.80

Poor 36 - 0.90

Assume: Silage £25/t, Concentrate £200/t

Important: Ensure sufficient feed space when restricting silage

Cow Condition Silage Fed (Kg)

Concentrate (Kg)

Daily Feed Cost (£/day)

High (4) 24 - 0.60

Good (3) 32 - 0.80

Low (2) 40 - 1.00

Assume: Average Quality Silage £25/t, Concentrate £200/t

Important: Ensure sufficient feed space when restricting silage

Silage Quality Silage Fed (Kg)

Concentrate (Kg)

Daily Feed Cost (£/day)

Good 45 - 1.12

Average 40 2.0 1.40

Poor 33 4.0 1.62

Assume: Silage £25/t, Concentrate £200/t