баренбруг нидерланды, кристиан хейнжик

High quality forage in modern farming

Christiaan HeijinkForage specialist

Content

•Intro: Importance of high quality forage•Monitor your grassland•Grassland and forage management•Discussion

Feed value of forages

Grass silage Alfalfa silage Corn silage

Sugar (g/kg DM) 80 5 10

Starch (g/kg DM) 0 0 320

NDF (g/kg DM) 460 475 380

NDF-digestibility (%) 72% 58% 53%

Crude protein (g/kg DM) 170 190 70

Energy for milk (VEM) 940 750 975

Dig. Protein (DVE) 75 45 50

Nutrient dynamics in ruminants

Protein Sugar StarchNDF

RumenProtein

Volatile fatty acids

MicrobialProtein

Protein Glucose & Fat

FEED

RUM

EN

BLOO

D

BY-PASS

BY-PASS



RumenProtein


MicrobialProtein


FEED

RUM

EN

BLOO

D

BY-PASS

BY-PASS

Corn + alfalfa diet :



RumenProtein


MicrobialProtein


FEED

RUM

EN

BLOO

D

BY-PASS

BY-PASS

Corn + grass diet :

Grass vs. alfalfa in feed rations

Price Alfalfa based Grass basedCorn silage 40,- 7,5 7,5

Alfalfa silage 39,- 7,5

Grass silage 52,- 7,5

Wheat straw 110,- 0,4 0,4

Soybean meal 400,- 0,5

Soybean meal by-pass 450,- 0,7

Concentrate mix 260,- 5,3 4,8

Total intake 21,6 20,8

Energy-supply 100% 104%

Dig. protein-supply 100% 100%

Feed costs/cow/day € 3,62 € 3,34

Grass in a corn-based diet

Price 30% grass 50% grassCorn silage 40,- 10,2 7,5

Grass silage 52,- 4,3 7,5

Wheat straw 120,- 0,8 0,4

Soybean meal 400,- 1,2 0,5

Concentrate mix 260,- 4,3 4,8

Total intake 20,8 20,8

Energy-supply 104% 104%

Dig. protein-supply 100% 100%

Feed costs/cow/day € 3,63 € 3,34

€ 105,- / cow / year

Feeding young stock

• Early development in calves, sets the stage for future milk production

• Higher average daily gain can result in as much as 900kg milk more in 1st lactation (average from 7 different studies)

• Calves need sufficient protein in their ration to optimize growth & rumen development

• Provide best possible roughage

Lucerne; the green source of protein

• A major forage crop in the world

• Fixes its own nitrogen from the air

• Drought tolerant

• Very palatable to animals

• Excellent protein source

Lucerne, a healthy crop for your soil

• Deep and intensive root system (1 – 3m): • improved soil structure• capillary rise • soil biological life

• Soil organic matter production:• Sowing year: 1350 kg OM/ha• 2nd year: 1600 kg OM/ha• 3rd year: 2300 kg OM/ha

• Nitrogen fixation brings 300 – 350 kg N/ha/year

Lucerne varieties

Advantages of Barenbrug varieties to “cheap ecotypes”:

•Ecotypes (domestic) have low adaptability to different areas•Barenbrug has tested in a wide area more persistent•Seed quality (germination, purity) of ecotypes is low•Barenbrug has selected all varieties for:

- yield- long term persistency- disease/drought resistance- forage quality (digestibility & protein)

Barenbrug variety

Ecotype variety

+ More leaves+ Less stems+ Healthier and stronger plant

= better forage quality= longer high yields

Importance of high quality forage

High quality forage results in :

•High feed intake•Increased total energy and protein intake•High liveweight gain (LWG) // Milk production •Higher possible stocking rate•More silage

BETTER ECONOMIC RESULTS

What is poor grassland? (1)

During growing season:

•Many plants are flowering•Many weeds•Slow regrowth •Wet areas on field after rainfall•Less than 75% good grasses

What is poor grassland? (2)

Harvest of silage or hay:

•Yield is too low•Crude ash% is too high•VC-OS is lower than 70%

Silage analyses will give you a note for your grassland!

Economic losses! :

Benefits of renewing pastures

Energy(MJ ME)

Old grassland Renewed grassland

Good grasses 11,1 60% 90%

Bad grasses 9,4 20% 4%

Weeds 8,8 10% 4%

Open spaces 0 10% 2%

Yield per ha 9200 11200

17000 MJ € 200,-

Pature renovation - reseeding

• Period:- Springtime - Late summer/early autumn

• Destroy old pasture• Good seedbed preparation and sowing• Fertilization according to soil analysis• Early weed control• First cut or grazing at low yield (2500-3000 ton)

Seedbed preparation

“Correct ploughing!”

Equalizing – exactly 90 to soil surface

Plough settings

Wrong ploughing

Seedbed preparation

• Leveling

• Flat and equal surface

• Top two centimeter

• Weed control (false seed bed)

“Failures will always be visible !”

Seedbed preparation

Seeding after seedbed preparation

• Seeding should be done in 1-2 days after • After 5 days the first weed seed have emerged and are

ahead of the grasses• If not, make a ‘false seedbed’ and kill weed seedlings by

harrowing (2-3 times is even better). After that, start seeding

(look into the upper layer of the seedbed what’s happening)

Optimal is:• Sowing depth: 1-1,5 cm• Sowing distance (rows) : 6-10 cm or broadcast sowing• Use a roller to ensure seed-soil contact• Grass seed sowing machine: Vredo, Hunter, Brillion, etc.• Sowing rate 40-50 kg/ha

Practise is:• Too deep sowing (>2 cm)• 15-18 cm row distance• No roller• Cereal sowing machines (Amazone, etc)• Low sowing rate less than 35 hg/ha

Sowing and technique

Sowing depth

1 cm deep, 8 days after sowing

Sowing depth


Sowing depth


Sowing depth

Difference in machines

Effects of wide row distance

Effects of wide row distance

False

Correct

Sowing advice when rows are too wide >10cm :

Sowing and technique

Square Cross

Weed control

• Under high weed pressure, apply herbicide. Select herbicide based on main weeds in the field.

• Watch out with clovers!

• After sowing, a first care cutting (15-20 cm) can be done to remove weeds and improve tillering

• On fields with expected high weed pressure, autumn sowing is recommended

Choose the right mixture

Focus on main goals:

•Grazing / cutting•High / low input•Climate and soil conditions

Choose the right mixture

Demands:•High dry matter yield•Winter hardiness•Persistency•Excellent disease resistance•Nitrogen efficiency•Digestibility•Forage quality

Fertilization

• Soil analysis are important• Growing grass requires per year*:

- 250 – 350 kg N- 75 – 95 kg P2O5- 350 – 400 kg K

• Clovers can deliver 150 kg N• Slurry and manure are cheap and

supply extra minerals

* Recommendations given based on sufficient soil elements

Effect of fertilizing

Low input

High input

Fertilization – practical tips

• Supply (animal) manure early in the season: as soon as the frost has gone, and the soil is not too wet

• Supply artificial fertilizer when grass growth starts soil temperature: 8 C

• If possible, select fields with low P and K-status for a higher amount of animal manure


• Calibrate the fertilizer spreader for an equal distribution

Slide Slide 4646


• Driving with heavy machines under wet conditions….

Reasons of winterkill grass

• Still active (growing) when winter comes• Too much nitrogen left in plant• Too long grass on the fields• Traffic on the fields

• Main reasons: frost damage and disease (Fusarium)

Too long in winter

No traffic on snow and frost

Fusarium

Grass going into winter

• Grass needs approximately one month to go dormant before winter

• No growth activity when the first frost and snow comes• No traffic on the fields if grass is frozen• No fertilizers, manure or slurry• Potassium (K) works as anti-frost: make sure enough K

has been supplied in 2nd half of season (Jul-Sep)• Grass length about 10 cm. = best guarantee for maximum winter hardiness

Clover

• Aim for 30-50% clover in the fields• Manage clover by cutting height:

- high cutting depress clover- low cutting improve clover

• Choose the best varieties for yield, persistency and winter hardiness

bloat

White clover (%) 0 20 100 8040 60

optimu

m

N-lossesDM-yield

Animal performance

High

Low

Clover

Cutting management

• Start harvesting at the right time

• Silage at 35-45 cm for highest feed quality

• Cutting height 5-6 cm, no lower!

• Short field period (max. 3 days)

Cutting regime: 3 vs. 2 times

Difference is €300,- / ha !!

Silo management - harvesting

Basic rules:•Harvest at optimum DM: 35-45%•Fill up the silo in thin layers•Good compressing•Close silo a.s.a.p.

Silo managemant - feeding

Maintain quality by:•Check coverage weekly to avoid air penetration•Feeding speed per week: > 2.00 mtr. (to avoid warming up)•Sharp cutting edges to avoid air penetration and heating up

Conclusions

• Monitor your pasture and do structural renovation• Take the best mixtures for your situation• Optimal forage management for the best

economic results at your farm

“Great in Grass”

Presentations & Public Speaking

баренбруг нидерланды, кристиан хейнжик