In a recent farmer presentation by Max Sealy and myself, we looked at how we could incorporate more grazing into diets on Waitrose milk contracts.  Producers with high yield systems mean that excess protein from grazed grass can have detrimental effects on conception and fertility.  This was quite a useful exercise because Soya derivatives including Meal and Hulls cannot be fed due to Waitrose commitment to no Soya. Butterfat and Bypass protein therefore must be carefully considered to offer the dairy cow a balanced diet. The tendency would be for Rape meal or Distillers based proteins to fill the Soya meal void, although grass bypass protein and Prairie meal offered good solutions, albeit the later, at a much greater feed cost.  Grazed grass offers a good supply of the amino acids Lysine and Arginine, which reflects the benefits of feeding Soya Meal.

Palm Kernel and Sugar Beet Pulp offered more traditional options for maintaining butterfat although back fencing, grazing at correct grass regrowth, chopped straw and enhanced straw including NIS
(Nutritionally improved Straw) offered some useful alternatives.

If this sounds of interest to you, please contact Wesley at wesleyhabershon@fcgagric.com or your local FCG Office.