If we invest in a green worth that capture its benefits to the fullest! Some simple concepts are determinants, these are easy to explain but require leadership and focus. Here are some concepts to optimize the use of the verdeos winter.
Dr. Gonzalo Tuñon is a recognized consultant specialized in grazing and feeding of livestock in general and milk in particular. Continuing with our series "From grass to milk" we ask that you write a few lines to move forward with the concepts of harnessing the grass.
The economic results of dairy farms pastoral explains approximately 40% for the harvest of grass, that is to say, more harvest of grass has, the greater chance of achieving profitability. Harvest direct pasture quality is not an easy task. But doing the right things is a way of lowering the costs of power in a forceful manner. A ryegrass well fertilized can accumulate a lot of dry matter throughout a season, let's say about 8 tons. This in us and the focus that you set. We can harvest the 70 or 90%, i.e. 5.6 or 7.2 million tons. The difference can be 1600 kg of dry matter of grass of high quality that do not have chances of becoming a milk How do we start?
The first question is typically when we go out to eat. It is worth understanding that the leaves of the grass are going to appear and spread non-stop. The rate of appearance of the leaves depends on the temperature and radiation, or is, the higher the light and heat, the faster they leave the leaves. The size of each sheet, on the other hand, depends on the nutrients available to the plant, so that one can have in a same plot two tillers with three leaves but with different size leaves. The plant is almost always kept alive three sheets. When extending the fourth leaf, which had come out first, it begins to die. That is why the australian Fulkerson and Donaghy proposed in 2001 that the optimal time to harvest a plant ryegrass was the window of time between 2.5 to 3 sheets (see Figure below). They argued that this was the point of optimum quality, production and ensured persistence. And you get it right because the work that followed confirmed his proposal. Now, this means that a plant can be “ready” in three sheets and 8 cm, as in the case of a first food post-planting (the case of the photo, where it is recommended that a grazing lax and then a fertilized with urea), or “list” of between 2.5 and 3 sheets of 15 cm in a third meal.. which is the mark of the timing are the leaves that grew up after the grazing above.
In addition to the time of entry (the grazing is not so easy), if we manage to control the following 3 points we have high chances of capturing the benefits that it gives us the green:
1.- The remnant do not exceed 5 cm This is the critical point more important. Numerous works show that in this point it is the compromise between speed of regrowth and quality of the offer at the next meal. Lower and delayed regrowth, and highest quality is lost in the next grazing and lower the chances of controlling the remnants.
2.- The clumps of rejection does not exceed 15%. These are places with urine or dung. When you pass this threshold, it starts a vicious circle of shading, lower density, elongation of stems, shading... if we get there we have to act with any corrective action and begin anew.
3.- And we did not touch on flare-ups if they went over 24 hours. The plant defoliada makes a huge effort to produce a resurgence in average 24-hour post-grazing; the other defoliation is usually lethal for the plant.
To apply these rules requires a lot of conviction, communication with the team and discipline. The benefits are enormous. We can not know with certainty how much grass they eat cows and which we assume to be consumed by each animal is very variable, but we will be making to lower the cost of the diet and increase the chances of achieving the premise transform grass into milk... or maybe we should think of grass in silver.
Gonzalo Tuñon
gonzalotunon3s@gmail.com