An occasion hosted by the Agriculture and Horticulture Improvement Board (AHDB) subsequent week goals to focus on how higher use of grazing may also help enhance revenue margins in a high-yielding herd for dairy farmers.

The occasion might be hosted on Maenhir Farm in Whitland, Pembrokeshire, on Friday, August 11, 2023. It’ll run from 10.00am till 2.00pm.

AHDB stated many milk contracts anticipate cows to be at grass particularly throughout the summer time, and that whereas this “isn’t at all times straightforward”, the occasion will showcase a lot of methods dairy farmers can maximise using grazed grass when circumstances enable it.

On the occasion, advisor from the Livestock Enchancment Company (LIC), Piers Badnell, and the Twose household will discover grazing ideas – specifically, these regarding increased yields.

The assembly will embody a pasture stroll and a dialogue on planning grazing rotations.

Matters mentioned on the occasion will embody:

  • Concentrating on which inventory to graze and when;
  • Coaching cows to graze;
  • Managing expectations within the bulk tank and measuring value profit;
  • Managing residuals and common farm covers;
  • Balancing a TMR ration alongside grazing;
  • Grazing infrastructure.

Lunch might be included for attendees and anyone fascinated with attending can guide their place by way of the AHDB web site.

Breeding potential workshops

In the direction of the tip of the month, AHDB will start to host workshops centered round discovering the “untapped potential” of herds in terms of breeding.

The ‘Unlock your herd’s hidden breeding potential’ occasions will kick off in Northallerton on August 29 at Northallerton Rugby Membership in Brompton.

Additional occasions will then happen in:

  • Carlisle;
  • Derbyshire;
  • Cumbria;
  • Stranraer;
  • Dumfries;
  • Larkhall;
  • Shropshire;
  • Leicestershire;
  • Dorset;
  • Wiltshire;
  • Staffordshire;
  • Carmarthenshire;
  • Monmouthshire’;
  • North Wales;
  • Cheshire;
  • Gloucester;
  • Macclesfield;
  • Kent/Sussex;
  • East Anglia;
  • Lancashire;
  • Cornwall;
  • Exeter;
  • Holsworthy.

The occasions will run by way of September and October and can end up in Holsworthy on November 9.

The workshops goal to disclose “hidden gems” in herd knowledge that can allow farmers to stroll away with a tailor-made report that can take their “breeding choices to the following degree”, AHDB stated.

The board stated the workshops are designed for anybody with a milk recorded herd who needs to be extra actively concerned of their breeding technique.

Locations for workshops may be booked by way of the AHDB web site and solely dairy farmers and herd managers are invited to attend.

At every workshop, AHDB stated one among its genetic specialists will:

  • Create clear breeding targets tailor-made to every farm’s necessities;
  • Entry and analyse the genetic potential of herds with a personalised report;
  • Establish a herd’s baseline and determine areas for enchancment;
  • Consider knowledge and select the precise bulls for every herd.