Good food helps cows perform

More milk and better quality is required of cows.

New Zealand dairy farm systems have undergone significant transformation over the years, with the increased use of supplementary feeds. This presents new opportunities for the Livestock Improvement Corporation (LIC) and genetics that meet the needs of high input farmers.

Over the past 10 years, the proportion of high- and medium-input farms has more than doubled, and the number of farms in low input systems has almost halved (DairyNZ, Dairy at Work).

The changes bring new challenges and opportunities for LIC. Cows have to efficiently use pasture and supplements and maintain longevity and fertility while under increasing pressure to perform. Farmers are also increasingly using information and automation tools to farm in high input systems to reduce the labour demands of feeding supplements.

As a result of an LIC survey that focused on identifying the needs of high-production farms and learning more about their breeding practices, LIC has split the high-production farmer-segment (System 5) into three categories to better understand and service these farms' breeding requirements. They are:

Seasonal In addition to production, udders and capacity, these farms also placed a high importance on fertility and longevity.

Split-calving Similar emphasis on the traits important to seasonal farms. Great importance in pasture management and efficient converters of feed.

Year-round calving Operate quite differently, often housing the cows and extending lactation.

Although pasture management remains important, these farms had incorporated international dairy practices into their operations. All three categories aim for high milksolids production (with a focus on protein) coupled with strong udders and capacity.

However, depending on the type of farming operation (seasonal, split or year-round calving), additional breeding requirements tend to vary.

Breeding recommendations For seasonal and split-calving farms, LIC recommends breeding worth (BW) as the best index for selecting animals to breed from.

BW identifies animals that most efficiently turn feed into profit in New Zealand dairy systems. On most system 4-5 farms, up to 60 per cent or more of the diet remains pasture.

A range of high BW bulls with a focus on udders, capacity and fertility are offered in the LIC sire catalogue. Three generation pedigrees for these sires are also available.

For year-round calving farms, LIC recognises their breeding requirements are not always primarily focused on BW but recommend that when selecting the genetics for their farms they keep BW as part of their selection criteria.

LIC will continue to annually evaluate overseas genetics that may suit these year-round systems when combined with New Zealand dairy animals.

The future Moving forward, we will continue researching how LIC genetics perform in all three farming categories.

The LIC high-input index will also be reviewed and updated where necessary.

Ensuring the economic weightings and traits are still the most relevant for high-production farmers in today's dairy environment.

LIC's sire analysts will also continue to monitor the performance of overseas genetics in New Zealand systems. If a suitable sire is identified with traits that suit high production systems in New Zealand, consideration will be given to include it in the breeding programme.

More information about different farming systems is available on the DairyNZ

website: www.dairynz.co.nz/farm/farm-systems/the-5-production-systems/

Ariane Bailey is LIC Genetics business manager