Displaying items by tag: feed

Making high-quality pasture silage should not be difficult, but it must be viewed as a supplementary feed, rather than just a necessity to manage pasture. 

Making silage is a balance: when a paddock is closed, yield increases but quality declines.

At this stage of the season, levels of Neutral Detergent Fibre (NDF) rise very rapidly in typical NZ pastures as ryegrass starts to form seed head.

Many regions are experiencing an early spring. The collective sigh of relief is almost audible as we exit a winter and spring very different from last season.  

The old policy of filling gaps with PKE from September comes with its very own headache this season – the FEI issue. 

Wintering cows on crops is a common strategy to help keep them in good condition, but it may result in them getting sick. 

Maize is a vital crop that consumes a lot of farmers’ time and money, says DairyNZ.

Fodder beet, while having been grown in New Zealand for many years, has only recently gained popularity as an important part of dairy cow winter feeding systems.

Maize silage is a good fit with New Zealand systems because the rumen is a microbial environment, full of bacteria, fungi and protozoa which eventually help to produce milk or weight gain.

As a result of the last two seasons’ historically low payouts many farmers have become very cost focussed.