Publications

It can be all too easy to get dragged down by the negativity surrounding political changes, tight margins and consumer demands, but there are still so many things to be positive about as a farmer. As we enter a new year, now is the ideal time to sit down and reflect on what you are in control of and think about how you can shape your business to meet your personal and business objectives.

With an estimated 4,000 to 50,000 species of micro-organisms per gram, soils are considered to be one of the most diverse habitats on earth.

Data shows the proportion of cows being 'selected' to leave the herd is increasing, compared to 'forced' leavers, highlighting improvements in health and fertility. However, there is still huge scope to reduce the risk of cows exiting the herd early, particularly considering half of cows leaving do so within their first 3 lactations. Ultimately, cows with longer, productive lives spread herd depreciation over more lactations. This also lowers replacement rates and costs, whilst also reducing carbon footprint.

This workbook brings together the technical concepts introduced in the following insight publications: • Boost Your Soil's Power: Understanding Cation Exchange Capacity. • Beyond pH: The Role of Base Saturation in Soil Health Cation Exchange • Soil pH and Liming – it's not all about Calcium! and provides a practical guide to choosing the right liming product and applying it at the correct rate for your soil.

Integrated pest management (IPM) uses a variety of pest management techniques in a coordinated and planned strategy for the prevention, detection and control of pests, weeds, and diseases. IPM has long been associated with crop production and crop pests. However, IPM can also be applied within livestock enterprises through controlling crop pests on forage crops and controlling livestock pests and diseases. This Dairy Insight explores the control of pests on forage crops in an environmentally responsible and economically viable way.

Recognising the connection between soil, crops, and animals is essential for achieving successful and sustainable agriculture. This Dairy Insight explores the parameters of the Broad Spectrum Soil Health Analysis and provides information on interpreting the results of this analysis.

Healthy, fertile cows are the cornerstone to any efficient, productive dairy business. As such, fertility key performance indicators (KPIs) are an essential tool to track herd performance, identify areas for improvement and inform actions. This Dairy Insight explores the costs of infertility and offers some suggested KPIs for both all year round and block calving herds.

When evaluating milk production from forage for housed cows, several cow-related factors come into play. Understanding these factors is crucial for optimising forage-based feeding strategies, improving milk yields, and ensuring sustainable dairy farming practices in housed systems or during the housing period. This Dairy Insight is the fourth in the series of publications exploring milk from forage. It is dedicated to the cow aspects of maximising milk from forage whilst housed.

The pH status of a soil plays a hugely important role with plant growth and the nutrient content of the plant. Incorrect pH will affect the availability of soil nutrients. This can result in lower crop or forage yield, poorer quality forage and potentially reduced intakes, leading to increased feed costs. This Dairy Insight explores soil pH and the factors that influence it. It aims to challenge current practices and offer new perspectives on achieving optimal nutrient levels in grassland soils.

Increased milking frequency, whether through a parlour or robots, is often considered as a means of maximising herd genetic potential and income. However, before making any changes it's essential to weigh up the pros and cons of different milking systems and calculate the impact on the milk cheque, staffing and long-term sustainability.

The importance of formulating a well-balanced, appropriate ration for cows is well known. Once this is done, we must next focus on how we present this ration to the cow. A ration that is perfectly balanced on paper but is poorly presented, not well structured or unpalatable will not achieve the performance expected. This applies to all cattle, not just the milking herd. This Dairy Insight highlights the importance of feed presentation for cattle, offering advice on feed barrier design and tips for structuring rations efficiently.

Soil chemistry plays a critical role in soil health by influencing nutrient availability, pH balance, and the overall environment for micro-organisms, which are essential for maintaining soil structure and biology. For dairy farmers, understanding and managing soil chemistry in conjunction with soil structure and biology is vital for sustaining soil fertility, optimising forage production, and ultimately enhancing farm profitability and long-term sustainability. This Dairy Insight explores the concept of base saturation, its importance in soil health, and how it complements and enhances your understanding of soil pH.