News

Shed feeding lessens stress - Courtesy of Dairy News

by Tony Hopkinson

IN-SHED FEEDING to dispense PKE, minerals and molasses – plus automatic cup removers – have greatly improved cow flow, labour use and stock health on John and Colleen Campbell’s farm at Awakeri, Bay of Plenty. They have owned the farm since 1985.

The milking platform is 232ha (eff) plus an 80ha self-contained run-off used for rearing replacements, growing maize for silage and harvesting grass silage. Wintering is done there for 50% of the milking herd.

The milking platform is flat and free draining, centrally raced with a 46 bail rotary built in 1995. They milk 840 Friesian and Friesian X cows, supply Fonterra and begin calving 10 July. Rainfall is 1400mm and the area can become dry in the summer.

Maize (250 t DM) is fed to the milking herd in autumn as the rotation is slowed and to improve cow condition before winter. The maize is fed in the paddock using a feed wagon.

“Last winter was wet – 1m of rain in one month – and some of our paddocks suffered damage,” says Campbell.

On the damaged paddocks they are planting 24ha of turnips and chicory. The chicory will handle the dry weather, continuing to grow and at five-six weeks can be grazed again. The ground will be returned to new grass before next winter. Campbell says they are feeling their way but if this is successful they intend to continue.

 The farm is managed by lower order sharemilker Gregg Young with staff Harry Brown, Justin Engle and Jordan McDonald and casual staff for calf rearing. “I am still involved on the farm in an executive floater/go-fer position,” says Campbell, with a smile.

In 2006 they started feeding PKE to their stock from portable troughs. The PKE was supplied by J Swap Stockfoods. It was fed through spring until November, to fill feed gaps in summer and mixed also with the maize in autumn.

This feeding was labour intensive so in June 2011 they installed a Corohawk in-bail dispensing system. There are three silos holding 48 t adjacent to the shed. The feed is augured to the milking platform feeding trough where a measured amount is dropped in front of each cow as it enters the platform.

“Chris Hawkins designed the dispensing system for PKE minerals and meals and he got it right,” says Young.

The set-up can also dispense molasses at the same time to the rotating feeding trough. Rumensin, magnesium, zinc and other minerals can be mixed with the PKE before dispensing into the troughs.. The mixing is through an in-line mineral dispenser which is part of the total installation.

“This removes another labour intensive job as we no longer have to dust the paddocks in the spring and summer,” says Young.

He believes he is using less as the animals are all getting their quota and bossy cows do not upset feeding patterns as they did with trough feeding.

A major side effect is that all stock including first calvers are quieter and keen to enter the bail area. Little use is made of the backing gate, reducing stress.

“We have always got our PKE from Swaps. We have an excellent working relationship and they give us top service,” says Campbell.

This season they have added other meal/tapioca mixes to the PKE; these mixes are also supplied by Swaps. With three separate silos storage has not been a problem.

Ex mechanic knew just what to do

SHAREMILKER GREGG Young’s enlightened approach to staff management makes for happy workers who enjoy working for him and the Campbell farm.

“I was a mechanic by trade, used to working to different time frames. I believed a lot of this could be applied to running a dairy farm.”

The farm has a split herd system and with a three day rotation the employers and he have a plan that varies jobs and times so they all finish the day’s work earlier.

The first staff member begins milking the first herd by 4.30am. The in-shed feeding and cup removers enable the herd to be milked by one person. One hour later the second staff member arrives with the second herd. As the first milker locks away his herd he sets the gate for the second herd and helps clean the yard and shed. The third staff member begins work at 8am. Young fits in for days off.

Afternoon milking begins at 2pm and the day is done by 5pm. 

In the busy early spring and mating time another innovation is to provide breakfast at the shed. “We supply the food and the benefit is not having all three away at breakfast, so we are set to go to get calves as a team.”

Farm owner John Campbell is pleased with the Corohawk in-shed feeding system, the cow flow helped by the PKE and cup removers, and the relaxed working. “We work as a team here and we are all getting payback from these investments.”