We aim to feed them to appetite 13-15 kg of dm. We cant get them to eat more and they lose weight for the first 8 weeks of lactation. We dont trade in feed a lot relying largely on home grown feed. All of which is pasture derived. WE are short of feed in the winter as growth barely meets demand in mild winters in the north island.
Winters are usually cool and wet.
If we fed cows better during the dry period they would probably be able to eat more after freshening produce more and lose less weight. WE are certainly trying to feed cows better and raise per cow production. This is being emphasised a lot by extension an dresearch people. Farmers are responding by feeding more grain and using more nitrogen to grow more grass in early spring to fill the regular feed gap. Nz Cows average 3 lactations.