Five hundred cows are milked on the unit through a 28-point Westfalia rotary parlour, currently averaging a 305-day yield of 10,100kg.

The farm owner explained to me his strategy of feed reduction and feeding grass, which he started in 2014.

  • He feeds 35kg of fresh grass.
  • 2kg premix X 480 cows X 178 days = 170t.
  • 0.5kg soda wheat X 480 cows X 154 = 37t.
  • 0.25 molasses X 480 cows X 107 days = 13t.
  • No mega lac fed.
  • Premix protein reduction £27.63 fed at 8kg X480 cows X178 days = 683.520t.

    • So his cost reductions for feeding grass in 2014 was:

  • Premix @ £218 X 170t = £37,060.
  • Soda wheat @ £175 X 37t = £6,475.
  • Molasses @ £181 X 13t = £2,353.
  • Mega Lac @ £625 X17.8t = £11,125.
  • Premix ( less protein) £27.63 X 683.520t = 18,885.
  • Less sheets and additive = £2,000.
  • Difference to make extra silage = £11,500.

    • Total savings on feed costs £89,398.

    Jodie McGeever is an animal science student at UCD and travels on the professional work experience programme supported by the Irish Farmers Journal and the Agricultural Science Association.

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