Spring calving tips for winter milk producers

WINTER milk producers have been advised to take a leaf from the book of spring calving herd owners on attention to fertility for a lifetime increase of €500 per cow in profit.

Revealing research carried out by Teagasc using monitor farm performances has found that while cows in winter producing herds with a long calving interval produced more milk on a seasonal basis, their lifetime performance was less than those with the short calving interval.

George Ramsbottom, Teagasc Specialist Services, Grange, says farmers should pay more attention to fertility and EBI in winter milk herds.