Advanced Heifer 24 Building the Herd of The Future


Advanced Nutrition have launched a new heifer rearing program as part of their long term vision to produce healthy, profitable cows.


Advanced Heifer 24 Building the Herd of The Future

Advanced Nutrition have launched a new heifer rearing program as part of their long term vision to produce healthy, profitable cows - targeting 50 tonnes of milk throughout their lifetime. Central to this vision is calving at 24 months which research has proven that it improves fertility, increases milk yields throughout each lactation and ultimately provides the farmer with a healthy cow that lives a long life in the herd.

Figures from AHDB state that calving heifers over 24 months increase rearing costs by £2.87 per day – that’s an extra £344 per heifer calving at 28 months. So, this can have a huge financial impact on your business. Further to that it’s estimated that up to 15% heifers leave the herd before 100 days in milk. These animals have all the costs attached to them without any returns. Calf health has to be top priority.

Liz Newman is Advanced Nutrition’s dedicated Heifer Rearing Specialist. Liz comments, “Heifer rearing is crucial to a successful dairy business and I’m passionate about being at the start of that journey. It’s essential for farmers to measure, monitor and set goals for this area of the business to ensure youngstock have the best opportunity to be healthy through all their lactations.”

The program centres around the 4Cs:-

  1. Colostrum management
  2. Cost effective nutrition
  3. Cutting down on antibiotic usage
  4. Calving at 24 months

 

It’s a rigorous management and nutritional program that helps their customers start their calves on the right path. It all starts with a performance audit which looks at:

  • Health and welfare
  • Comfort and environment
  • Building layout
  • Colostrum management
  • Hygiene
  • Management practice
  • Nutrition

Liz advises her customers of any bottlenecks affecting their current system and they work together to an agreed set of KPIs. The program focusses on five major periods of the youngstock’s development – from the first hour of life up until her first calving. Liz ensures that her customer’s calves as measured, monitored and managed correctly to improve health, rumen development and growth. Growth weight targets are based on the mature body weight of the herd from which the heifers originate.

 

If you’d like to benefit from this comprehensive program and target calving at 24 months, or simply improve the health of your calves, then please give Liz a call on 07722 147 982 or email liz@arn-ltd.com

 

 


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