Tips for feeding supplement
- Ensure all feed allocated to your herd is of high quality this spring
- High quality pasture contains more energy than many supplements
- Scrutinise any supplement use – ensure you are getting a real benefit - do the sums
- Use supporting resources to ensure your information is correct.
Response to supplements
Look for every opportunity to reduce wastage when feeding supplements; this improves milk production responses and helps bring down the cost of the feed eaten. It also makes feed reserves last longer.
When grazing residuals are less than seven clicks on the rising plate meter (1450kg DM/ha), supplements are an option. The return from supplements depends on the payout, the severity and length of time of the feed deficit, and the quality and utilisation of the supplement as shown in Table 1.
Table 1. Response to supplement offered (purchased) in spring
|
Response |
Residuals & APC |
Supplement |
Other |
|
g/kg DM 11ME |
|||
|
>0 to 30 |
9.5 clicks or 1800kg DM/ha. At or above APC target |
Quality < 10.5 ME; Wastage 30% plus (fed in wet weather; poor stack mgt) |
Pasture quality in subsequent rotations poor & less pasture grown |
|
40-55 |
8-9.5 clicks (1600-1800kg DM/ha); stop feeding at target APC |
Average quality 10-10.5 ME; Wastage 25%-30% |
Supplement feeding stopped too late creating surplus |
|
60-80 |
6.5-7.5 clicks (1350-1550kg DM/ha if supplement not fed; residuals <8.0 clicks when supplement fed |
Good quality 10.5-11.0ME; Wastage 20% or less |
Short term feed deficit (<10days). Supplement feeding stopped before APC cover target achieved |
|
90-130 |
Residual < 6 clicks (1350kg DM/ha) if supplement not fed. When supplement fed residuals 6-7 clicks (1350-1500kg DM/ha); APC well below target (> 300kg DM/ha deficit) |
Good quality > 10.5 ME Low wastage 15% or less (feeding maize or PKE in bins/on feed pad) |
Cows grazing to < 6 clicks for 10 days plus; supplement feeding stopped in anticipation of target cover being met. Responses increase with the period of severe underfeeding (8.0g/ME at least 2 weeks; 10g/ME 4 weeks; 12g/ME 5 weeks) |
