Ma Mana nageme gement nt Fact actor ors s Impleme Implement nted t ed to o Maintain P Mainta in Produc oduction tion Dur During Times of ing Times of Hea Heat t Str Stress ess Morgan Overvest, M. Sc. Overdale Farms, L’Orignal , ON
Ov Over erdale dale Far arms ms Located in L’Orignal , Ontario
Welcome! elcome! • New robot barn built in 2016 • Owned and operated by Gerry, Linda and Morgan Overvest • 1 full-time employee, 1 part-time employee
Overdale Farms – The Big Picture Moved from tie-stall to free-stall robot on January 11, 2017 Today: ▪ 95 milking cows ▪ Current production: (Average of the month prior to submitting presentation) ▪ 42 L/cow/day ▪ 4.00% fat ▪ 1.68 kg/cow/day
Far arm Goals m Goals 1.High Production from High Type Cows 2.Cow Health 3.Animal Comfort and Welfare
Cal Calf F Facili acility ty • Robotic calf feeder • On the feeder at 7 d, 12 L limit, weaned at 60 d of age, step-down weaning • Fresh water intake encouraged. Hay and grain always available
Heif Heifer ers • Free-stall housed • Bred between 13-14 months depending on size • Fed haylage and high moisture corn in PMR and dry hay • Moved to robot barn 30-40 days pre- calving
Robot obotic Bar ic Barn n • 6 row, perimeter fed, free-stall barn • 120 stalls in milking group (1 group) • Milking with 2 Lely robots • 2.8 visits/day • 1x day feeding – high forage PMR • Fresh pen (8 stalls) • Dry cows housed in same barn
Healt Health Reproduction: • Herd health visits every 2 weeks • Fresh cows checked at 45 DIM • VWP: 65 days • Heifers bred ≥ 13 months • Pregnancy rate average of 2018 = 27%
Adapting to the new barn … • Production in the first year in the new barn = NOT up to expectations • 2x to 3x milking • Tie-stall to free-stall robot • Mobility – foot bath required (Copper Sulfate 1X week) • Hoof trimming: • Every two months and special cases as necessary • New feeding patterns – 6 times per day to once per day Huge transition for owners and cows
Adapting to the new barn… First summer in new barn was HOT – too hot • Struggled to meet production expectations • During 2017 – set goals for better management of heat for summer 2018
Pr Product oduction in y ion in year ear one one Average production from June – September 2017 Milk 35.4 kg/cow Milkings 2.8 per cow Refusals 1.8 per cow Fat % 4.07 Protein % 3.26 Fat/cow/day 1.44 kg
Far arm Goals m Goals 1.High Production from High Type Cows 2.Cow Health 3.Animal Comfort and Welfare
Planning for year two… • Change feeding strategy • From LOW energy concentration in the bunk • To HIGHER energy ration at the bunk • LESS grain in the robot • Improvement: Free choice HAY
Planning for year two … Improvement: more sand in stalls • Cleaned/leveled 4x per day • Lower SCC • Help stay close to or below 100000 during the summer months • Cow comfort … keeps production up
Planning for year two … • Management factors: • Robot access • Decrease access to lower producers • Example: 275+ DIM, less than 30L, less than 2x milking is OK • Improvement : more visits for higher producing cows
Planning for year two … • Water • Summer: • Cleaned/scrubbed every day, • Water trough dumped 3 times per day • Improvement: more frequent cleaning
Planning for year two … • Ration monitoring • 1x feeding (at 0900h), pushed up every hour • Check dry matter frequently • Increase refusals to allow better/more even access to feed • NO EMPTY BUNK • Summer - daytime temperatures may discourage daytime feed consumption • Improvement: Increase refusals, more consistent feed available
Planning for year two … AIR FLOW • Feed alley • High traffic in outside alleys for feeding and prime lying area • = congestion and bad air flow • No effect felt of large ceiling fans • Improvement : Added 14 new fans…
Orig Original inal vent entila ilati tion on
Orig Original inal vent entila ilati tion on
Upda Updates tes
Fans ans 14 new fans • Located at high traffic areas and popular lying areas not hit by large fans • 12 in milking cow group • 2 in fresh cow group • 5 foot basket fans • Turned on at 22-24 ºC
Pr Product oduction Summe ion Summer 2018 r 2018 Average production from June – September 2018 Milk 42.1 kg/cow Milkings 3 per cow Refusals 1.9 per cow Fat % 3.90 Protein % 3.31 Fat/cow/day 1.64 kg
Repr eproduct oduction C ion Challe hallenges nges Insemination Rate Pregnancy Rate All of 2018 66 % 27 % Summer 2018 56 % 21 % * VWP 65 days ~ 70% natural heats detected by activity monitors ~ 30% Ovsynch program • Less cows showing estrus behavior in the heat of the summer
Tak ake Home P e Home Point oints - Create a plan for the summer months - Small management changes (ex: more cleaning of water troughs) - Air flow - Makes the largest impact - New barns are not always perfect Don’t be afraid to alter plans/make additions/changes to new barns -
Summ Summar ary • We made both large and small changes in a 2 year old barn • Don’t be afraid to adapt • Goals for year 3 • Less decrease in fat test during summer • Achieve higher pregnancy rate during the summer Don’t get discouraged – summer adaptations require trial and error
Thank y hank you! ou! Que Questions? stions?
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