Show Notes
Feed is the biggest controllable cost on most dairy farms, and the easiest place to quietly lose money. George Dodson and Conan Moynihan sit down with dairy nutritionist Shaun Balemi (myCOW) on feeding efficiency: fillers vs concentrates, early vs late lactation, palm kernel and protein, what rumination data is really telling you, and what nutrition does to in-calf rates. Plus why a hungry cow is a stressed cow — and an expensive one. George puts his own farm up for some free consulting.
More from Shaun: https://mycow.nz
CHAPTERS 00:00 A hungry cow is a stressed cow 00:32 How good's dairy? 01:11 Thirty years in, and what farmers taught him 03:08 Three big opportunities for New Zealand dairy 05:01 Drowning in data: which numbers actually matter 06:46 George on farm: stock sense vs the computer 10:06 Collars, rumination and reading the paddock 11:32 Feeding efficiency without breaking the bank 14:30 What counts as a starchy feed 15:23 Pasture-only vs a complete diet, and the digestion army 17:23 Fillers vs concentrates, and what NDF means 19:25 When early lactation becomes late lactation 20:07 Palm kernel, DDG and getting the protein right 22:53 Can you actually measure the payback? 25:08 Pasture harvested per hectare: the number that pays 27:29 Silage quality: New Zealand's blind spot 29:13 Nutrition and reproduction: consistency is the lever 31:53 Minerals, selenium, B12 and the transition window 35:06 Soil, nutrient density and where this is heading 36:58 Shaun's one piece of advice 39:46 Where to find Shaun and myCOW 41:02 Takeaways and wrap
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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