We will eliminate grain feeding during spring through to end of the lactation, depending on our pasture supply and cows' production. Its difficult for me to quantify how big a benefit barley feeding is to us, because we're using it as feed supplement when pastures are short, plus to increase the energy density of diets. And the grain feeding allows us to run more cows and graze harder at certain times to increase pasture utilisation and maintain pasture quality. Hi everyone, FW Owen asked some questions about grain feeding in South Australia. Here's what we do on the Flaxley farm.
All grains are roller-milled and mixed.
Just before the start of mating we drop lupins out of the ration. There is also some suggestion here that some reduction in protein intake just before mating may marginally reduce butterfat production in the herd and again improve cycling in the cows. Interested in people's comments on this. We're aiming to lift our milking peak as high as practicable because this should improve milk production throughout the lactation. We'll rely on pastures later to support this production.