Brian Reidy: Grass growth improves but cow performance issues in the dairy herd remain

Any dramatic drops in milk yield, protein, butter fat, lactose and urea are indications your herd is not receiving and/or digesting sufficient nutrients to maintain performance

Autumn fertiliser plans, reseeding, third-cut silage, scanning, monitoring heifer performance and winter feed budgeting must now be focused on.

Grass growth has improved of late and many herds are finally seeing a little surplus on the grazing platform. Unfortunately, the cows have not been able to respond to having access to extra grass. 

Herds have not had an abundance of grass since the late turnout and realistically cows have had very poor practice in eating big volumes of grass, resulting in a drop-off in milk in many herds when buffer feed in or parlour feeding has been reduced lately. The cows simply have not been able to consume enough grass dry matter to make up the difference when complementary feeding has been reduced.