DairyCo

Reduce culling and save money

Published 19 May 08

Reduce culling and save money

Dairy farmers are losing thousands of pounds through excessive cow culling, according to DairyCo.

Controlling production costs while maximising income is a priority for dairy farmers.  Maintaining herd size is a major driver for turnover, yet the cost of rearing replacements is not well enough managed by the majority of farmers.

Current UK culling rates range from under 18% to well over 35% per annum.  More management control is needed as many cows are culled prematurely resulting in increased heifer demand.

Current replacement costs average at around 2.6ppl, but for many herds this is closer to 3.2ppl.  Most farmers should be able to adopt strategies that allow for replacement costs to be reduced to 2.0ppl.  The financial benefit of such an improvement would be around £90 per cow extra gross margin or £14,400 per annum for a 160 cow herd.

Charlotte Bullock, project manager at DairyCo says: "The cost of rearing replacements, less the value of culls sold, is a major proportion of the dairy herd variable costs, and is typically the second highest variable cost after feed and forage. The biggest barrier to managing cull cow numbers is a lack of proper recording, including taking note of the reasons for those culls.  If you can't measure it, you can't manage it."

She continues: "There is usually something which can be done immediately to improve a farmer's rearing programme, but it can take a few years for costs to be influenced.  It's important for farmers not to be put off by having to play a bit of a waiting game, but to realise and keep in mind the costs savings which are there to be made."

Strategies to reduce culling is available as a booklet from DairyCo which identifies ways for farmers to reduce culling rates and replacement with the aim of reducing herd replacement costs to below 2.6ppl.  A culling assessment calculator is also available and is downloadable from the publications area of the DairyCo website.

Other DairyCo publications which will also help farmers reduce culling levels include; pd+ Fertility Improvement Programme, Housing the 21st Century Cow, Minimising slurry pooling in dairy housing, How to make sure feeding systems don't cause lameness, Effective foot bathing for dairy cows, Cattle purchasing checklist and Heifer rearing calculator.  For copies of any of the above please email publications@dairyco.org.uk, call 01285 646510 or visit the publications section of the DairyCo website, www.dairyco.org.uk.

Ends

Date 19 May 2008

For further information:
N:    Vicki Hill
T:    01285 646544
E:    vicki.hill@dairyco.org.uk

Notes for Editors:

DairyCo Limited was set up in April 2008 following a fundamental review of agricultural levy boards by Defra. The five existing levy boards (including the Milk Development Council) were replaced by one statutory levy board, the Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board (AHDB).

Reporting in to AHDB are six sector companies - DairyCo will cover the milk sector.

DairyCo is funded entirely by milk producers, via a statutory levy on all milk sold off-farm, at the rate of 0.06p per litre.  This provides an annual income of around £7m.

DairyCo's current focus is on improving the profitability of dairy farming by focusing on four specific areas:
•    The provision of a world-class information service
•    Helping dairy farmers meet and manage environment needs and regulatory requirements
•    Helping promote the positive perception of dairy products and dairy farming with the general public
•    The development of DairyCo towards a self-sustaining model.

DairyCo co-funds the industry's nutritional and issues management resource - The Dairy Council - with the processors' trade body Dairy UK.