8th ProCROSS conference kicking off today in the UK by ProCROSS herds visits. First stop at Nixons Farm, Market Drayton, Shropshire.

Congrats to the owners for their achievements.

KEY FIGURES

• 360 Milking cows
• 8,800 litres milk yield
• 4.5% Fat
• 3.5% Protein
• Their holsteins used to produce 9,000 kg at 3.9% Fat & 3.27% Protein.
• 45% milk (3,960 litres) is from forage, 2,600 from grazing when they were pure Holsteins achieving 19% from forage.

 IMPROVEMENTS

Milk production is rising and they are producing 143,000 litres more with the same number of cows This is thought to be because the longevity of the herd is increasing.

Replacement rate

• 32% in 2018
• 19% in 2023
• -> -13%-units

 Conception rate

• 33% in 2018
• 53% in 2023
• -> +20%-units

Lifting fertility has lowered the replacement rate and reduced production cost by 1p/l

Semen use has dropped from 2.3 straws to 1.3 ( £27/cow on semen costs=)

Calf value has increased from  £73/calf to  £193/calf.

 £63 Vet costs / cow decreased.