Publication Date
1993
Location
New Zealand
Description
The proposed reduction in the price of cereals (29%) under the EC price reform proposals for agricultural produce will have n large effect on feed costs and on the balance between grass silage and concentrates in the diet of lactating dairy cows while indoors. The effect of n reduction in the price of dairy concentrates with varying silage production costs on the daily feed costs for a 525 kg cow yielding 25 kg milk/day in early lactation, while losing 0.5 kg/day body weight, was calculated when given a mixed diet of grass silage and concentrates to provide an MB intake of 164 MJ/day. Silage production cost (IR£315/ha) was influenced by the yield and quality of first cut silage, with ·settled silage yields of 4.5, 5.3 and 6.3 tonnes DM/ha for silages H (75% DMD), G (70% DMD) and M (65% DMD) and costing IR£70, IR£60 and IR£50/t DM, respectively. Inclusion of a land charge (IR£125/ha) increased silage costs to JR£98, IR£84 and IR£70/t DM for silages H, G and M, respectively. The effect of the level of silage offered, i.e., restricted or ad lib, (6-IO kg DM/dny) when appropriately supplemented to provide 164 MJ ME/day with a standard dairy concentrate (87% DM, 18% CP, 12.5 MJ ME/kg DM) and costing either IR£160, IR£130 or IR£100/t, on feed costs was calculated. When a land charge was excluded increasing silage intake to replace concentrates reduced daily feed costs to a similar extent for all silages, by an average of 9.0, 6.1 and 3.3 lRp/lcg DM extra silage at concentrate prices of IR£160, IR£130 and IR£IOO/t, respectively. The addition of a land charge increased feed costs ( + 12- 28 p/day) and reduced the saving achieved by replacing concentrates with silage, to 6.6, 3.7 and 0.9 IRp/kg DM extra silage, respectively, as concentrate prices declined. Increasing silage intake ( + 1- kg OM/day) and its quality ( +5% DMD) by earlier cutting at the expens�� of yield reduced feed costs at concentrale prices of IR£130 to IR£160/t but not at JR£100/t, and only at IR£160/t if a land charge was included. At similar intakes of silage higher yields of settled silage were required for H and G silages (5.6 and 6.0 t DM/ha respectively) to be competitive with M silage when concentrate prices were low.
Citation
Fitzgerald, S, "Effect of a Reduction in Concentrate Price on Feed Costs and its Implication for Grass Silage in the Diet of Lactating Dairy Cows" (1993). IGC Proceedings (1985-2023). 16.
(URL: https://uknowledge.uky.edu/igc/1993/session41/16)
Included in
Agricultural Science Commons, Agronomy and Crop Sciences Commons, Plant Biology Commons, Plant Pathology Commons, Soil Science Commons, Weed Science Commons
Effect of a Reduction in Concentrate Price on Feed Costs and its Implication for Grass Silage in the Diet of Lactating Dairy Cows
New Zealand
The proposed reduction in the price of cereals (29%) under the EC price reform proposals for agricultural produce will have n large effect on feed costs and on the balance between grass silage and concentrates in the diet of lactating dairy cows while indoors. The effect of n reduction in the price of dairy concentrates with varying silage production costs on the daily feed costs for a 525 kg cow yielding 25 kg milk/day in early lactation, while losing 0.5 kg/day body weight, was calculated when given a mixed diet of grass silage and concentrates to provide an MB intake of 164 MJ/day. Silage production cost (IR£315/ha) was influenced by the yield and quality of first cut silage, with ·settled silage yields of 4.5, 5.3 and 6.3 tonnes DM/ha for silages H (75% DMD), G (70% DMD) and M (65% DMD) and costing IR£70, IR£60 and IR£50/t DM, respectively. Inclusion of a land charge (IR£125/ha) increased silage costs to JR£98, IR£84 and IR£70/t DM for silages H, G and M, respectively. The effect of the level of silage offered, i.e., restricted or ad lib, (6-IO kg DM/dny) when appropriately supplemented to provide 164 MJ ME/day with a standard dairy concentrate (87% DM, 18% CP, 12.5 MJ ME/kg DM) and costing either IR£160, IR£130 or IR£100/t, on feed costs was calculated. When a land charge was excluded increasing silage intake to replace concentrates reduced daily feed costs to a similar extent for all silages, by an average of 9.0, 6.1 and 3.3 lRp/lcg DM extra silage at concentrate prices of IR£160, IR£130 and IR£IOO/t, respectively. The addition of a land charge increased feed costs ( + 12- 28 p/day) and reduced the saving achieved by replacing concentrates with silage, to 6.6, 3.7 and 0.9 IRp/kg DM extra silage, respectively, as concentrate prices declined. Increasing silage intake ( + 1- kg OM/day) and its quality ( +5% DMD) by earlier cutting at the expens�� of yield reduced feed costs at concentrale prices of IR£130 to IR£160/t but not at JR£100/t, and only at IR£160/t if a land charge was included. At similar intakes of silage higher yields of settled silage were required for H and G silages (5.6 and 6.0 t DM/ha respectively) to be competitive with M silage when concentrate prices were low.
