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Improving milk production through feeding
• Grazing and supplementation interactions
– Developing robust and reliable feeding systems on pasture
• This research will define an optimal feeding system that balances ewe production with price of inputs, is resilient from week to week and year to year and makes use of current feed resources (pasture).
• Year 1: Compare production and costs from
– Pasture only system using the grazing residual as a buffer – Supplemented system (minimum 16% of the diet)
• Research postponed to the coming year
Designing early
weaning approaches to op2mise lamb
growth and milk harves2ng
Presented by Sue McCoard AgResearch Grasslands
Background:
• ~25% of total milk yield is produced in the first 30 days of lacta;on
• Dairy ewes can produce more milk than required by suckling lambs for normal growth
• Overseas mixed systems that allow suckling and machine milking (sheep and goats):
• Can increase lacta;on milk yield by 27%
compared to not milking for the first 30 days
(
McKusick et al. 2001)
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Target outcomes:
• Evaluate impact of early weaning on:
• Lamb growth
• Rumen/metabolic development and immune func;on pre- and post weaning
• Commercial milk produc;on + composi;on
• Prac;cality
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Approach:
Standard
Weaning Early Weaning
No. Ewes 50 50
Early separa;on - 8 h separa;on from 2 weeks
Weaning age/
criteria ~5 weeks +
(min 15kg) 4 weeks + (min 10-12 kg and good body condi;on) Pre-weaning
milking No 1x daily from 2 weeks
Post-weaning
milking 2x daily 2x daily
• Pasture grazing with meal supplement offered to ewes and lambs in both groups
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0 50 100 150 200 250 300 350
Pre weaning ADG Post weaning ADG
Average daily gain (g/day)
1-EW 2-Cont
Early weaning Standard weaning
• No adverse effect of early weaning on lamb growth
• Post-weaning ADG lower than indoor systems overseas – pasture diet effect
• Commercial milk es;mated to ↑ ~25%
Effect of early weaning on lamb growth
Conclusions so far
• Restricted sucking + early weaning does not
adversely affect growth (rumen development and immune func;on results pending)
• Similar observa;ons in literature (McKusick et al., 2001)
• On-farm prac;ce to be refined
• Gives opportunity to yield more commercial milk
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Prac2cal observa2ons
• Posi;ve experience – working together with industry to find prac;cal solu;ons
• Focus on the trial objec;ves gave incen;ve for greater aben;on to animal health and management prac;ces
• Good dracing systems required for lamb separa;on
• Some teat damage of early-weaned ewes observed – need to address
• On-farm prac;ce to be refined but results are promising and will be evaluated on-farm again next year
Acknowledgements:
Kate Lowe
Holly Kjestrup Taina Silvestre Nina Hennes Valen;n Cadars David Stevens
The image part with relationship ID rId2 was not found in the file.
Improving milk production through feeding
• Grazing and supplementation interactions
– Developing robust and reliable feeding systems on pasture
• This research will define an optimal feeding system that balances ewe production with price of inputs, is resilient from week to week and year to year and makes use of current feed resources (pasture).
• Year 1: Compare production and costs from
– Pasture only system using the grazing residual as a buffer – Supplemented system (minimum 16% of the diet)
• Research postponed to the coming year
