Changing to 100% spring calving

Description

  • Increasing grass output
  • Changing from autumn calving
  • Only breeding animals to calve in the spring
  • Better margain in spring calving, less labour over the winter
  • Installation of more calving facilities
  • More sustainable system of farming
  • Economic results
  • Cow must be fertile
  • Discussion groups

“Environmental improvements provided payback straight away on Cork dairy farm” – Irish Farmers Journal

Reason for the innovation

  • Increasing grass output, changing from autumn calving
  • Only breeding animals to calve in the spring
  • Calving facilities, fertile cow
  • Pasturebase Ireland

Farm description

Environment

  • Soil type: Clay soil
  • Climate: Temperate oceanic climate
  • Land area: 67.43ha
  • Stocking rate: 2.7LU/Ha
  • Slope: Variation across different paddocks
  • Altitude: Variation across different paddocks

Grassland management

  • Grazing: Yes
  • Grazing management type: Rotational grazing

Structure

  • Annual work units (AWU): 2.5
  • Main animal type: Dairy
  • Total Livestock unit (LU): 230
  • Breed: Fr

Animal performance

  • Milk production per head (l/year/dairy animal): 6200
  • Grassland management type: Rotational
  • Length of grazing period: 304 days
  • Fertilization rate (kg N/ha): 240

Why it is working

  • Increasing grass output
  • Better margain in spring calving, less labour over the winter
  • More sustainable farming system
  • Economic results
  • Calving facilities
  • Fertile cow
  • Discussion groups
  • Cost reduction

Additional information

Farming system

conventional farming

Domains of innovation

grazing management system, machinery, tools

Main types of animal

dairy cattle

Country

Ireland

Product type

Farmer portrait

Language

English

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