Strategic Dairy Farm Autumn Block Calving Farm Excellence Platform Strategic Dairy Farm Autumn Block Calving Buscot Wick Farm, Faringdon, Oxford, SN7 8DJ By kind permission of the Kinch family

Background to the Farm Autumn Block Calving Strategic Dairy Farm Phil Kinch & Ben Redman

Buscot Wick Farm– The History Background to the business Tenancy Value of discussion groups Managing a system change – physical and financial challenges Setting targets – benchmarking & KPI’s What next….?

Buscot Wick Farm– Aims Buscot Wick Farm Strategic Dairy Farm Consistent Return on Tenants Capital of >32% Enjoyment by all 3 Million liters sold Autumn block 9000l average Calved in 9 weeks Sell youngstock Keep Calving interval <370 days Continuous challenge Maintain focus Identify areas of weakness Be employer of choice

Managing fertility performance Dave Gilbert MRCVS

Plan Fertility performance Buscot Wick performance 2018/19 Targets Key drivers Identifying the gap Buscot Wick performance 2018/19 Changes Impacts Reviewing performance Target setting Action plan

Value of fertility

AHDB targets

Calving pattern MacMillan, J. 2012. Proc Dairy Cow Fert Conf. Pp6-18

What drives in calf rates Uterine health Recovery time Calving ease Infectious disease Insemination technique Submission x conception Lameness Mineral status Body condition Heat detection Heifer growth Bull management

6 week in calf rate vs 6 week calved rate

Fertility KPIs

Buscot Wick Farm

Cows and heifers calved within the first 6 weeks (%) * Number of cows and heifers calved in the first 6 weeks from the planned start of calving ÷ Total number of cows and heifers due to calve×100=6 week calving rate %

Fertility targets

Managing fertility performance

The fertility year Calving Start mating End mating PD & Review Dry off

Measure to Manage – Review to Improve

Maximising herd performance Calving pattern Nutrition Cow health Heat detection Genetics/AI Bull management Heifers Non cyclers

Where’s the gap?

Breeding plan Consider all the factors Team approach – advisor/vet Assess areas that influence success Calving pattern Health Nutrition Adapt plan each year based on risks & objectives

Current KPI Performance – table target vs actual Key Performance Indicators Excellent (Top 5%) Good (Top 25% ) Average (Industry average) Buscot Wick Performance Cows and heifers calved within the first 6 weeks (%) >90% 80% 70% 89* Herd replacement rate(%) <20%, 22% 26% Milk solids output per hectare (kg MS/ha) (litres) >1500kg/ha 1250kg/ha 1100kg/ha 1277 Milk yield from forage (litres) and (solids) >5,000l (427kg) 4,000l (342kg) 2,750l (235kg) 3425 268 Overheads (excluding rent and finance)   <9ppl 10.5ppl 12.5ppl 9.8 Genetic Merit 5th % 25th % 50th % 33% Full economic net margin (ppl) >7ppl 2ppl -3ppl 5.2 Full economic costs of production (ppl) Block <24ppl 30ppl 34.5ppl 25.6 Return on tenants-type capital (%) >2 0 % 14% 3% 16%

Take Home Messages Review your System Know your KPI’s Benchmark against the best

Resource links Sexed semen for Block calvers Tim Downes and Tristan Dale https://ahdb.org.uk/events/practical-use-of-sexed-semen-for- block-calvers-webinar Sexed semen calculator https://ahdb.org.uk/semen-usage- calculator Herd Genetic Report https://dairy.ahdb.org.uk/technical- information/breeding-genetics/herd-genetic-reports/

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