Green Forage enjoyed an amazing day at the first Cheshire Ploughing and Hedgelaying Match the company has attended. Interest in the Bonino range of grazer wagons from farmers keen to reduce input costs was fantastic. Thank you to all those who came to chat to us and especially to Stuart and Charles who visited the stand and chatted about their experience of working with the grazer wagons (Stuart for 13 years!). We hope to see you all next year.
British Dairying Article
“Cumbrian-based Greenforage have introduced a portable analyser for forage and feed on to the UK market. AgriNIR is a portable NIR analyser for forages, grains and TMR that quantifies the percentage of moisture (dry matter), crude protein, starch, ADF, NDF and ash of the plant material being analysed in seconds.It allows farmers and nutritionists to carry out sampling more often so they can monitor rations throughout the year and make sure rations are fine tuned as quality fluctuates. Analysis costs are cheap—there are nearly no direct costs per single analysis after initial purchase and servicing costs of the analyser. The analyser is very simple to use and does not require any technical expertise. There is no need for pre-sample preparation such as milling or drying. Operators simply put the feed material in the sampling cup, insert the cup into the AgriNIR analyser and start the analysis. The result can be read on a display on the analyser. The analysis results can also be printed on a ticket or transferred to a computer using a USB memory stick. The forage analyser is pre-loaded with NIR calibration curves for seven NIR Families (Crop Families) and with a total of 44 curves. Other crop families and calibration curves can be supplied by the Italian manufacturer Dinamica Generale Srl. All of the components except the external power supply (AC or DC) are enclosed in a high-impact transport case that is equipped with wheels and an extendable handle. ”
Derek Haworth using a Bonino Forage Wagon
Derek Haworth has lived and worked at Rose Farm near Blackpool, since 1979. But he only started looking at robotic technology for use in his 70-cow herd in in 2002.
About 70 registered Holsteins, Ayrshires and crossbred cows are milked on the tenanted, 45ha farm with an extra 8-16ha rented each year depending on availability.
Average annual milk yield has reached 8,476 litres a cow of which typically 4,000 litres comes from forage, although in 2012 appalling weather meant that this dropped to 3,230 litres, still impressive when compared to a national average of around 2000 litres.
Robotic milker
Although Mr Haworth looked at robots more than 10 years ago it wasn’t until seven years later he felt confident enough in their reliability to buy his robotic milker. “I had always wanted to try milking with a robot, but the question was could I make it work with a forage system?”
The answer is a definite yes, says Mr Haworth. “Cows are grazed day and night using an A and B pasture system but this is supplemented with zero grazed grass every day and silage when necessary,” he says. A pasture gate from the housing leads to a fresh “A” paddock each morning, the “B” night paddock is more of a loafing area and this is where the zero grazing comes in.
Mr Haworth cuts and collects in one pass with his zero grazer, the same machine then dispenses the fresh grass down the feed barrier. This is done at 4-5pm each day, when the sugar content is highest and the cows all come in from their day pastures to feed. “There are only a few days, when they are on lush, fresh spring grass that I have to go and get them,” says Mr Haworth.
“The zero grazer works 365 days a year because in winter it feeds my silage too, although I always break blocks of silage open on the floor to loosen it up before putting in the machine. Zero grazing is a very efficient way of using your grass because there is so little waste compared to grazing.”
No concentrates are fed down the trough. Cake is fed through the robot and via out of parlour feeders (OPF), but built up slowly after calving to maximise forage intakes and prevent digestive/health problems.
After calving 2kg of cake is fed in the robot and 1kg in the OPF. Mr Haworth slowly builds the cows up over 35 days to a maximum of 10kg in the OPF and 6kg in the robot if they reach 50 litres.
Below this a maximum of 8kg is fed in the OPF and reduced further if cows are under pressure. The OPFs mean the feed is used efficiently. “To maximise milk from forage I use a very high quality cake, but I control where every single kilogramme goes,” he says.
Duncan Rose, Carrs Billington’s chief technical officer adds: “the concentrate feeding strategy during the dry period to calving and through the first month after calving is absolutely crucial and often not given enough attention on some farms, but Derek totally understands and practices this.
What will be a surprise to many is that no concentrates are fed in the dry period, but individual cows can be allocated up to 16kg a day. But, and it is a crucial but, the rate of increase from calving is very carefully and individually controlled to each cow or heifer,” he says.
The current 12-month rolling feed rate is 0.31kg/litre, but it has been as low as 0.24kg/litre. There are no moist feeds or “other purchased feeds used and the rolling purchased feed costs per litre are around 3ppl below the average.
Generally, three cuts of silage are made, sometimes four, as this fits in with the zero grazing. No artificial fertiliser is used except to give a field a short term boost, Mr Haworth says. “I am not organic, I just don’t fertilise or spray as much, but this is done for financial not political reasons. My system is sustainable not intensive.”
Heifers
Mr Haworth rears his own heifers which calve at between 2 and 3 years of age, depending on size and maturity. Replacement rates are low with only 10 -12 heifers brought in each year, this means surplus heifers can be sold.
Dutch genetics are generally sourced to breed replacements, mostly red and white Holstein or Ayrshire, but occasionally a black and white test bull is used.
Heifers are served with an Aberdeen Angus to give them an easy calving and a Limousin on cows not used to breed replacements. Beef and bull calves are sold off at 6 to 8 weeks through the local market.
A 365-day calving interval is aimed for, but service time depends entirely on the animal and if a cow is under the weather, or needs more time to recover from calving, then service is delayed. The actual calving interval is 418 days for the Holsteins and 398 days for the Red and Whites.
Milk is sold to Butlers Farmhouse Cheeses on a constituent contract. Milk quality is very important here, particularly protein and the current rolling 12-month figures are 4.48% butterfat and 3.30% protein.
Mr Haworth believes there is no need to expand cow numbers beyond 70-plus followers. “Most herds typically run around 70 cows milked for every full-time employee and if I expanded it would need a huge jump in cow numbers, land rented and infrastructure costs to provide enough work to justify another employee. My aim and philosophy has been to devise a system to achieve each cows economically sustainable genetic potential.”
The Greenforage team will be exhibiting at the Cheshire Ploughing & Hedgelaying Match the 25th of September 2013. This event is a unique opportunity for all dairy, beef, sheep, goat, pig and poultry farmers as well as farm managers, stockman, consultants, processors and retailers to see the best livestock, equipment, products and services available in the UK market.
COME AND HAVE A LOOK AT THE SPECIAL DEALS WE HAVE ON OUR SELF LOADING FORAGE WAGONS
Our knowledgeable and friendly staff is ready to show you our system that provides an opportunity to utilize the most important resource:
FRESH GRASS !!
One man, one tractor and a Green Forage Wagon: come and see how you can cut the costs and increase production
YOUR COWS WILL LOVE IT !!
Mr. McConochie of Wynnstay having a go with our portable forage analyzer
Our presence on the Royal Welsh Agricultural Show allowed us to present to the Welsh public the new AgrNIR portable forage analyzer, a system that in real time allows a NIR prediction of various forage materials. The response from both farmers and consultants was overwhelmingly positive as producers recognize the need to understand the nutritional composition of the dietry components and enable them to feed to optimal performance. The most appreciated features of the AgriNIR were the accuracy of the analysis, the user friendly interface of the machine, and the fact that there is no sample preparation to make. Positive feedback came also from the sales team of Wynnstay, that saw the AgriNIR as a power full tool to monitor the nutrients and the dry matter of silage, grass and TMR.
Our AgriNIR and some samples of grass and forage just analyzed
The results of the analysis of grass and silage samples executed in real time with some customers
Farmers Guardian’s Article on Greenforage Nir Analysis system
” Now in its fourth year of importing the Italian-made range of Bonino zero grazing self-loading feeder wagons, distributor Green Forage is also offering a portable forage analysis system.
Aimed at nutritionists and feed companies, the £20,000 Agri forage analsier uses Near Infrared (NIR) technology to measure the nutrient content of feed materials including moisture, starch, crude protein, neutral detergent fibre, acid detergent fibre, ash and crude fat.
The manufacturer says with this system multiple samples can be taken in a short space of time to more accurately determine the makeup of your feed. This information can then be used by the nutritionist to determine diets.
It works by inserting a sample into the portable device which produces a digital readout within 60 seconds. This can also be printed out by the device, or the data can be transferred via a USB stick to be included in feed management tools.
The firm says it is accurate to within one per cent and only needs calibrating once a year. “
![agrinir[2]](https://www.greenforage.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/agrinir2.jpg)
During the Livestock Event 2013 in Birmingham Greenforage introduced the new portable feeds analysis AgriNIR. Appointed as the official distributor for the UK by the italian company Dinamica Generale, who produce the AgriNIR, Greenforage completes its range of products focusing on its mission of providing money saving solution for dairy farmers.
The AgriNIR™ is a portable NIR analysis system able to perform analysis on any type of cattle feed, in any weather condition and in real time.
There was a lot of interest at the show, from farmers keen to keep costs under control and to make the most of the feed they have available, but also from nutritionists and vets keen to be able to have a real time check of the feeds for the cattle of the farmers they look after.
Performing feed analysis can be expensive, often it is not available when needed, and the analysis is only “as good as the sample you test”. For this reason most of the farmers perform feed tests once in a while, missing most of the benefits that can come from an accurate check.
With the AgriNIR this can be done as many as as often as the farmers ( or the nutritionist ) need to.
We thank all the visitors that brought their feeds to our stand, had a free instant analysis with the printout of the result.
The Greenforage team will be exhibiting at the Livestock Event in Birmingham on the 3rd and 4th July 2013. The Livestock Event is the leading event for the UK livestock sector. It presents a unique opportunity for all dairy, beef, sheep, goat, pig and poultry farmers as well as farm managers, stockman, consultants, processors and retailers to see the best livestock, equipment, products and services available in the UK market
Controlling feed costs is central to efficient livestock management and well managed grass has always been central to achieving this.
Following its mission of providing money saving solutions for farmers, Greenforage introduce the first portable analyzer for forages
BRING A SAMPLE OF YOUR FORAGE (OR GRASS) AND WE WILL TEST IF FOR YOU IN REAL TIME
Our knowledgeable and friendly staff is ready to show you our system that provides an opportunity to utilize the most important resource:
FRESH GRASS !!
One man, one tractor and a Green Forage Wagon: come and see how you can cut the costs and increase production
YOUR COWS WILL LOVE IT !!
Bovine TB is having devastating effects in certain areas of the country. The link with the bovine TB to wildlife is controversial (see The Times article here) but many farmers are not willing to risk contact between livestock and wild populations, resulting in continuous housing. Green Forage have recently supplied a grazer wagon to one such farm, allowing grass from away land, where no wild populations exist, to be brought back to the farm.
This approach demonstrates the flexibility the Bonino machines can offer to farmers, ensuring fresh grass is fully utilized and expensive bought in alternatives are not required. By cutting and carting the grass productivity is increased by approximately 30% as no poaching and fouling takes place, thereby maximizing the amount of cutting ground set aside for silage stocks.
Contact the Green Forage team for details of the various machines in the Bonino range and how they can help your individual circumstances.
Available for immediate delivery the AB70 and AB60 grazing forage wagons. They have a loading capacity of 28 CuM and 24CuM respectively. Both machines come with a two drum1,85 mt mower and require a power of 80/90 HP. The harvesters are equipped with a two drum mower which delivers a clean and precise cut, even on uneven land. The loading conveyor is mounted in a way that enables the cut material to be loaded directly into the wagon body without touching the ground, avoiding contamination with soil and any spoilage. Both models have rear cross conveyers fitted to allow delivery to each side of the machine. Alternatively the cut grass can be unloaded directly through a hydraulic rear back door. See the video on the 3-in 1 page of this website.
Click here to request more info or for a quote.
