Roughage tour Week 12
Every dairy farmer has his own vision of the grazing season
The cows smell spring and the first couples have already left the house as the overture to the new grazing season. There are many different strategies to get the most return from the pasture. The dairy farmers who participate in the Roughage Tour all have their own meadow vision for the current season.
Frank Rooker, dairy farmer in Aartswoud (NH), kicked off within the Roughage Tour: on 19 March the cows were allowed back into the pasture. Rooker says that in recent years he has started grazing earlier and earlier in his business. "This time of year is when grazing is at its best," he says. The temperature and palatability of the grass are good. In summer the conditions can be less, so we may also keep the cows indoors for a period of time.
Back in concentrate, but gain in litres
At Bert Wissels (Gld.) the cows went outside last Friday 25 March. Conditions are good now. The cows walk on a high plot with a lot of grass, which made it impossible to fertilize. The choice was therefore clear: first graze and then fertilize. When the cold nights continue, the question is whether enough grass is growing to continue grazing on other plots. Wissels indicates that he has never gone out so early with his cows. In addition, he says: "this means we are going back in concentrates, but we do gain in liters", referring to the high concentrate costs.
Joost van Nostrum (NB) and Robert Welhuis (Dr.) expect to start the grazing season at the end of this week. "The grass has a good color and there is no shortage of moisture," says Welhuis. At Jan Henk Waterink (Ov.) the cows are expected to go outside in mid-April. Stand meadow is used at Waterink. In combination with robot milking, that suits him well.
First mowing strategy
At Sander Vijverberg (ZH) the entire first cut is first mowed, after which the partial meadow of the Vaarzengroep is started. This fits best within his business strategy in combination with robotic milking and labour. Also at Silvain Kusters (L) the entire first cut is mowed before the cows go outside. In the past, partial grazing was always used, this may change to full grazing in the coming season. At Jan Dirk Ubels (Fr.) the first cut is also made, after which the cows go outside. In the barn, the cows are fed as needed to keep them in perfect condition.
Reuben van der Maas
© DCA Market Intelligence. This market information is subject to copyright. It is not permitted to reproduce, distribute, disseminate or make the content available to third parties for compensation, in any form, without the express written permission of DCA Market Intelligence.
