Your weekly glimpse into research in action at Southern Dairy Hub.
Insights
Pregnancy Results: Pregnancy results are in, with six-week in-calf rates of:
77% in the Standard herd
74% in the Future herd
We’re pleased with these outcomes overall. A full review will be completed next week and shared in the upcoming newsletter. There are a few points to unpack, particularly from week five onwards in the Future herd, along with the slightly higher than desired Not in Calf rates of 12% and 13%. We'll keep you posted.
Standard herd
Future herd
Imported Silage: We have secured 120 tonnes of imported silage to support spring feed demand. Delivery to the stack is expected in the coming weeks.
Feed quality analysis shows:
Crude protein: 15.4% DM
Metabolisable energy (ME): 10.6 MJ/kg DM
Protein levels are strong. ME is slightly lower than ideal, likely reflecting species composition and pasture management. We will factor this into spring feed planning.
Johne’s Testing: Johne’s test results were received earlier this week. Blood samples have been sent for confirmation.
Initial results show:
Standard herd: four positives and one suspect
Future herd: one positive and two suspects
Southern Dairy Hub has been testing for Johne’s since conversion in 2017, helping maintain low prevalence across both herds year on year. Once confirmatory blood results are returned, any confirmed positives will exit the herd. For more information on Johne’s testing, visit LIC’s Johne’s disease testing page.
Standard herd
Average BW Southland herd stocked at 3.2 cows/ha at peak, up to 180 kg N/ha and wintered on swedes.
Future herd
Higher genetic merit herd (127 BW difference) stocked at 2.5 cows/ha at peak, up to 180 kg N/ha and wintered on baleage.
If you have any questions about this week's HubWatch, please contact our team.
