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Earlier this week, 98 cows were selected and CIDR’d to take part in the Moorepark sexed semen trial that has started. These cows had previously been scanned and condition-scored. They are a mix of first to fourth calvers.
The core objective of the sexed trial this year is to test timing of sexed semen insemination as it is suspected to have a big impact given the sexed semen product won’t last as long once inseminated in the female. Hence, a fixed-timed AI protocol is under the spotlight. Greenfield is not a research farm, but, like some other commercial farms this spring some of the herd is being used to test the science.
Fixed-time AI
The farm is also going to use fixed-time AI on the maiden heifers this year. Again, they are being served to a team of sexed Jersey and Holstein Friesian sires. The sire team is not nailed down 100% just yet as availability of some of the sires is still in question.
Between the sexed sires, 50 or so Gene Ireland straws, and some high EBI sires the farm should have very close to enough dairy replacements from this first round of AI.
The growth rate was recorded at 46kg per day on Tuesday this week. Demand is now at 65kg per day as the growth is expected to take off and perhaps even hit close to the 100kg/day mark when it is measured next week. The stocking rate is set at 4.8 cows/ha at the moment.
The growth rate was recorded at 46kg per day on Tuesday this week
Looking at the grass wedge, the farm has a number of paddocks that are heading for surplus with six or seven paddocks heading over a 1,400kg cover. Farm cover was measured 861kg. The last load of nuts arrived two days ago (GAIN Prime) at €305/t retail.
The cows are yielding about 2.1kg of milk solids per day with the last quality results showing 4.42% fat, 3.67% protein and 4.95% lactose with SCC 223,000 cells/ml, and TBC 12.
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