Dear Member,
New Insights to Help You Boost Cow Health & Forage Performance
In this mailing we are sharing two new Dairy Insight publications packed with practical tips you can put into action straight away.
A Practical Guide to Ration Assessment
Understanding how well your cows use the ration doesn’t stop at the mixer wagon. This guide highlights the simple checks; rumen fill, rumination behaviour, dung scoring and even listening to rumen contractions, that give you a real picture of how the diet is performing in practice.
By building these checks into your routine, you can spot small issues before they become costly problems, and ensure the ration your cows actually consume is as close as possible to what you’ve paid for.
The Role of Sulphur in Grassland Soils
Sulphur deficiency is now common in UK grassland, and it has a major impact on forage quality, protein levels, clover performance and overall cow nutrition.
This publication explores how sulphur drives soil biology, improves crop quality and increases the value of every tonne of home‑grown forage. With clear guidance on testing, deficiency signs and fertiliser options, it’s full of practical steps to improve your grassland this season.
Both publications offer practical steps you can implement straight away. We encourage you to review them and consider where small changes on your farm could deliver improvements in cow health, forage utilisation and overall ration efficiency.
Don’t forget your £50 Kingshay Member Voucher - Your £50 voucher was sent out in mid‑December, have you used yours yet? It can be redeemed against most Kingshay services. Whether you want to invest in leaf analysis, soil testing, ration support, herd data services or one of our Dairy Insight publications, the choice is yours. What will you use it for?
If you have any questions about the enclosed insights or would like support applying the recommendations on your farm, please get in touch. We are here to help.
Many thanks,
NIAB, Maize Growers Association & Wessex Water Survey
Undersown Maize - please share your experience – Fill in form
Niab, in collaboration with the Maize Growers Association, on behalf of Anglian Water, are investigating the under-sowing of maize in the UK. With the aim of developing a decision support tool for farmers to use to aid species selection, establishment and management.
The following link and QR code will take you to a survey which aims to capture farmer/grower experiences of establishing, managing and harvesting undersown maize and we also welcome the experiences of advisers and researchers.
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Contact us with any technical queries on contact.us@kingshay.co.uk or call 01458 851555