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GrassWatch Reports Updated Regularly by Mole Valley Farmers | Contact our Feed Line for more information, advice and assistance on 01278 444829

GrassWatch 2011

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September 2011

View the full set of GrassWatch results for September 2011 Update (PDF, 50KB)

See our archive of GrassWatch reports.

We are approaching the end of the grazing season now and grazed grass is showing the signs of a diffi cult season.  Also, with the recent wet weather, grass DM has dropped signifi cantly.  Care should be taken to not overestimate the value of late season grazing, but for the right cows there is still the opportunity to get some cheap efficient milk from grazing, particularly late lactation staler cows.

The grazed grass analysis statistic I am going to look at this month is oil.  Now oil isn’t one we consider too carefully and we have only really been monitoring it for the last two years, so we haven’t got a longer term trend to compare against, but it is still worth evaluating the information we have.

Oil is an energy source just like the sugar in grass, but isn’t quite as readily available.  The oil type is in the form of unsaturated fatty acids, made available in the rumen. However, rumen fermentation does not work well with higher levels of fats/oils, as it inhibits fibre digestion and the overall production of microbial protein and volatile fatty acids, which actually feed the cow.  It also has the effect oflowering butterfat % because of the reduced fibre digestion and lower acetate production.

High oil levels are not a good thing in terms of butterfat and rumen function, but that said, there are some benefi ts to the particular oil in grazed grass. It has been proven to be higher in Omega 3 oils, which is good for cow and human health.  It also helps cow fertility, particularly in the crucial egg implantation stage, as well as lessening the effect of SARA (sub acute ruminal acidosis) because of the slower fermentation rate.

The graph shows we are running at a higher overall oil content this year compared to last and this could cause butterfat levels to be lower, where most milk production is coming from grazed grass,but would also suggest fertility should be better than last year.
 
Interestingly, the oil content in September has dropped markedly from the rest of the season.  Some of the total oil content is contained in the waxy leaf coating on the grass and with all the wet weather, some of this coating could have been lost, lowering the total oil content measured.

Oil Content in September

The overall message is, don’t be unduly worried about higher oil levels in your grazed grass, but be aware of the possible effect it can have,  We will be to monitoring the levels over the coming years to see where the trend goes and what different feeding strategies we need to follow to utilise grass oil content better.
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September GrassWatch Table

We are very grateful and thank our members on the GrassWatch farms, as without their help and support we could not provide this service ... and we do seem to ask a bit more of them each year! Look out for the GrassWatch Reports each month and you can always contact your local Feed Specialist/Agri Business Development Manager who will be able to tailor a GrassWatch programme for your farm.

Read Zoe's Blog Read Zoe's Blog.  Zoe farms 170 all grass acres (some rented) at Northlew, near Okehampton, Devon. She milks 95 Holsteins averaging around 9,500L. Zoe rears all her calves putting the bulls and beef ones right through to finishing. A small flock of sheep covers a few fields unsuitable for cattle.  Zoe makes her our own silage and also contract for some of her neighbours. For the last 18 months Zoe has been milking three times a day.  Read more ...

See our archive of GrassWatch reports.

 

 


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