ÉrimaxFarmInc.
FeedingStrategies
• PropertyofSergeLeblond• Sonofdairyfarmers
• Startedinbeefproduc7oninfall2002• Cow-calfproducerwithminimalinfrastructure• 120cows• Gelbvieh,AngusandSimmentalxCharolais• Calvessoldasbackgrounders
• Objec7ve:increasethebreedingstockto200cows
Érimax Farm Inc.
Érimax Farm Inc.
• 2017broughtalotofchanges:• Lossof300rentedacres• Purchasednewland• Landclearing
• 630acresin2017vs300acresin2018• Thepoten7alyieldofcropsmustbemaximised• Useof7le-draining,lime,fer7lizers,andcertaincul7vatedspecies• Herdandfieldmanagementisapriority!
Érimax Farm Inc.
• Upgradingtono-7lltechniques• Frostseeding
• Foragemixtureswithredcloverand7mothy• Intensivepasturemanagement• Useofcustomwork• Seedingandharves7ngcornsilage(40acres)
Winter Feeding
• Self-servecornsilagesystemataheapsilo• 2heapsilosof50x100feet
• Ra7oningwithanelectricwire• Thelessdominantanimalshavenoproblemwithaccess
• Animalsadapttothesystem...andfindtricks!
• Animalshavefreechoiceaccesstostraw
Self-serve corn silage system at a heap silo
Self-serve corn silage system at a heap silo
Self-serve corn silage system at a heap silo
Winter Feeding
• Self-servecornsilagesystemataheapsilo• Needtobringdown/rotatenewmaterialdaily
• Morethanonceadayduringverycoldweatherduetoicecrea7on
• Heapsiloactsasawindbreak• Feedingataheapsiloispossibleun7lthelastfrostinspring
• A^erthawing,grasssilagebalesarefedonaconcretepla_orm
Animals have unlimited/free-choice access to straw
Animals have unlimited/free-choice access to straw
Winter Feeding• Animalshaveunlimited/free-choiceaccesstostraw• Whatiswastedbecomestheirbedding• Thelargeamountofle^-overbeddingactslikeaspongeinthespring• Excellentreten7onofliquidsduringthespringthaw
• Withcerealrota7ons,itbecomesnecessarytoburythestrawtoreturnorganicmabertothesoil• Lessavailabilityonthemarket• Win-winstrategy:trademanureforstraw
Summer Feeding
• Intensivemanagementofpastures• Rota7onalgrazingvaryingfrom1dayto6daysperpaddock• Grazingfrommid-MaytoNovember• Free-choicesaltandminerals• Wateravailableallthe7me
Érimax Farm Inc.
• Thefeedingstrategiesusedallowedthefollowingresultsforthecalvesbornin2016:• Averageageatweaning:240days• Averageactualweightatweaning:679,5pounds• ActualADGpriortoweaning:2.47lb/day• Calvesmortalityratepriortoweaning:4.9%
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