Dairy Day GBFW 15

Bedding Options Panel

Participants:

• Joseph Doré, Heritage Hill Farms

• Steve Hammell, Lorncliffe Holsteins

• Jeff Stewardson, Stewardson Dairy Inc.

• Moderated by: Marlene Paibomesai, Dairy

Specialist, OMAFRA

Heritage Hill Farms

The Johnston family, since 1842

Our History

The Johnston family originally settled in Toronto Gore

(now Brampton) in 1842.

Currently operating as a joint-venture partnership

with James & Frances Johnston, Graham Johnston,

and Mary Ann and Joe Doré.

Moved the milking herd to New Dundee in March 2011.

Heifers moving to New Dundee in January 2015.

Our Operation

Milking: 60-64 cows, 2x/day.

Herd: 74 cows, 70 heifers, all purebred Holsteins.

Cropping: 650 acres (New Dundee: 400ac, Brampton: 250ac.)

Growing: Hay, Corn Silage, Grain Corn, Wheat, IP Soybeans

Sales: Purebred Holsteins, hay & haylage, straw (not in 2014, though)

Our Herd

34L/cow @ 4.1 BF, 3.4 PT

SCC: 200,000

Average DIM: 153

Preg Rate: 26% (last 6 months), 23% (last 12 months)

40% 1st , 28% 2nd, 32% >3rd Lactation

Voluntary Wait Period: 55 DIM

Average DIM to 1st Breeding: 70 DIM

Average Days Open: 126 DIM

Average Age at First Calving: 23.7 months

Our Barn

H-style, 4-row head-to-head freestall with 2 bedded packs.

48” stalls for cows, 36” stalls for breeding age heifers

2 milking groups, 1 far-off dry cow group, 1 close-up dry cow group.

2x8 herringbone parlour.

Automatic sort-gate with 20’x60’ sort pen in breezeway.

Rubber in front alleys, crossovers, holding area.

Diamond-grooved concrete back alleys.

Automatic alley scrapers

Automatic shuttle scraper retrofitted into “flow” gutter.

Composted Manure as Bedding

In use since moving to new barn in

March 2011.

Made using a Daritech Bedding Master

6-16.

Liquid manure is agitated, then

pumped into an EYS Screw Press.

Liquids go to outdoor storage while

solids enter the Bedding Master.

Composted Manure as Bedding

Solids tumble in the Bedding Master

drum for 36-48 hours.

Bedding exits the Bedding Master onto

a set of conveyors and is transported to

the bedding storage bay.

Bedding is taken from storage bay and

spread into the stalls every Wednesday

and Friday morning.

Bedding is also used to bed the sort

pen every 1-2 months.

Why Composted Manure?

Why Composted Manure?

Deep, loose bedding unequaled for cow comfort.

Fear of sand.

Wear and tear.

Hard work.

Supply.

Manure management.

Fear of straw.

Supply.

Manure management.

Environment.

Fear of sand applied to the fields over multiple generations.

Nutrient Management.

Impact of sand (gravel pits).

Why Composted Manure? Targeted application of solid manure.

Easy application of a pure liquid manure.

No agitation required at time of application.

Easily drag-lined.

Reduced liquid storage requirements.

No bedding added to manure cycle (made up entirely of food fibers).

Solids removed from liquid storage requirement.

Credit applied during Nutrient Management application at OMAFRA.

Endless supply of bedding.

Always more bedding than we need for the stalls.

Conveniently stored inside and always accessible.

How We Bed Using Composted Manure

Add fresh bedding on Wednesdays and Fridays using a Becker 80HTL Woodchuck side slinger attachment on a John Deer 320D skid steer with solid tires.

How We Bed Using Composted Manure

Pull back bedding

on Mondays with

a Bobcat 323

mini-excavator.

How We Bed Using Composted Manure

Groom stalls 2x

daily with a

Mensch sand-

groomer

attachment on

the skid steer.

How We Bed Using Composted Manure

Apply Stalosan Bedding

conditioner/sanitizer

every morning using an

AgMini push-style

electric side-spreader.

Our Schedule

AM PM

Monday 1. Pull bedding back from front

2. Apply Stalosan

1. Groom

Tuesday 1. Groom

2. Apply Stalosan

1. Groom

Wednesday 1. Groom

2. Bed milking groups

3. Apply Stalosan

1. Groom

Thursday 1. Groom

2. Apply Stalosan

1. Groom

Friday 1. Groom

2. Bed milking groups & heifers

3. Apply Stalosan

1. Groom

Saturday 1. Groom

2. Apply Stalosan

1. Groom

Sunday 1. Groom

2. Apply Stalosan

1. Groom

Udder HealthSCC: 350,000 200,000 after moving from tie-stall.

SCC as low as 78,000 but as bad as 350,000.

Mastitis: 1-2 clinical cases per month.

Factors:

Teat end health.

Stall condition

Stall cleanliness

Stall dimension

Consistency

Striving for consistent 150,000 SCC and reduced clinical

mastitis.

Important

Stalosan = 10,000 – 20,000 SCC reduction

Grooming 2x daily = 50,000 SCC reduction

Stall maintenance & dimensions

Increased stall occupancy

Increased lying time

Straighter cows

Cleaner stalls

Fresh cow health/monitoring critical to reducing illness, including mastitis.

Costs

Fuel ($175/month)

Screens & equipment maintenance

($500/month)

Electricity (~$400/month with TOU Hydro

schedule)

Stalosan ($100/month)

Costs

Specialized equipment :

Skid steer, side slinger, groomer, lime spreader, mini-

excavator.

Labour: including (34 hours/month)

Total: $55/day, < $0.59/stall/day (+ capital

costs)

Savings

• No bedding to purchase.

• Relatively small storage for bedding (continuous flow).

• Liquid manure is easy to spread.

• $6,800 to drag hose vs. $10,000 to tanker vs. $15,000 to haul sand

• No wear on equipment.

Pros & Cons

Pros Cons

Endless supply Labour intensive, cow wait-time.

Cow comfort Bedding packs hard over time

Cow cleanliness Wide range of equipment needed for

maintenance

Non-abrasive Will not flow well in a gravity system

Pure liquid manure Can lead to slippery floors

Indoor storage Equipment maintenance

No bedding to purchase Retains moisture & bacteria

Pack bedding Grooming is hard on skid steer tires

Environmentally friendly Udder health issues if management slips

Targeted solid manure application

Things to consider…Volume of bedding spilled from stalls is significant.

Tail-to-tail stalls may be better for loading alley scraper

evenly.

Flow gutter will not work without mechanical assistance.

Bedding is highly absorbent but also dries to a fine

dust.

Curtains equipped with wind/rain sensor are a must.

Side-slinger works best from directly behind the stall.

Planned on bedding both stalls from one side.

Slinger will throw far enough, but very messy and doesn’t

apply bedding evenly.

Things to consider…

Not suited to a one-person operation.

Labour

Timing

Composted Bedding will NEVER outdo

mats/mattresses/water beds for labour and cost

efficiency but is a very attractive option for

loose bedding.

Steve Hammell, Lorncliffe Holsteins

Peat Bedding

Presentation

Longevity• January 2012 23% of Herd in 3rd Lactation

• December 2014 58% of Herd in 3rd Lactation

• Top 10% of Herds on DHI

Somatic Cell Count• 2013 104 000

• 2014 115 000

• Avg L.S. 2.3 = Top 15% of herds on DHI

Production• January 2012 29L BCA 188 192 194

• December 2014 36.5L BCA 220 241 231

• Top 20% of herds on DHI

Advantages • Soft, Absorbant, non-Abrasive

• Easy on Manure Equipment

• Low SCC count

Disadvantages • Appearance of "dust" on cows/equipment

• Potential Handling of Peat Moss/Labour

$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$• Range of 55-75 cents per stall per day

• Purchase half load – 595 bales or full loads

• $6.80 a bale

Stewardson Dairy

Sand Bedding Presentation

Outline Farm Description

Past Bedding Program

Current Bedding Program

Effects on Herd Health

DHIA Facts

Economics of Sand

Sand Challenges

Summary

Farm DescriptionLocated in Lambton County

225 Milking

900 acres Farmed

Main Dairy Constructed in 2001

Stewardson Dairy in

2013

Original Farm House

Stewardson Family

Original Dairy Facility

Pasture Mats

Sawdust Bedding

Converted to Heifer Barn

in 2001

Discontinued use and

removed in 2011

Past Bedding Program

Previous Bedding Surface

* Replica image of Sawdust and Mat Bedding

Experienced difficulties with cow comfort & udder health.

Current Bedding Program

Current Drivethrough Dairy Barn

284 Sand Bedded Freestalls & Straw Bedded Box Stalls

Double 10 Paralell Parlour

House Milking and Dry Cows

Skid Steer Scraped/ Gravity Flow Manure

New Idea?

Sand QuarryBedding Sand Supply near Grand Bend Ontario

Screened Sand3 mm screen used

Low Clay content

Truck Unloading Sand3 loads every 2 weeks (82 mT)

Important truck is clear of large stones

Sand Slinger

Skid Steer Attached

Conveyer Bucket

Heavy Duty 1 ½ yard

capacity

Sand Rake

Raked used when

freestalls are under

utilized

Empty Freestall

Sand Freestalls Bedded

every 14 days

Picture approximately 7

days after bedding

Effects on Herd Health

Cow Standing in Freestall

8 year old cow

Hocks/ knees in excellent

conditions

Cow Laying Down

Sand conform to the

shape of the cow

Note Cow Udder

position

Cow’s Foot

Uneven hoof

growth

Excellent

Strawberry foot

control

DHIA Facts

- Herd Management Score 924

- Avg. S.C.C 81,000

- 10 years General Milk Quality Award 2002-2011

- 3 years Gold Milk Quality Award 2012-2014

- Calving interval 12.3 months

- Avg. days open 98

- Avg. D.I.M 145

- Preg. Rate 26

- 38% 1st. lact. 22% 2nd. 40% 3rd. and later

- Voluntary wait 1st. lact 60 days , 2nd and

later 50 days

- Avg. milk production DHIA 38.4 litres/day

3.9 B.F 3.3 Protein

- B.C.A 259-263-256

- Age at 1st calving 23.8 months

Economics of Sand

Dollars and Cents82 mT of sand used every 2 weeks.

Cost at $9.50/ mT delivered

284 mature cow freestalls (20kg (45lbs) of sand/freestall/day)

Sand Cost / Freestall / Day

82Mt x 9.50/mT = $779

779/ 14 days= $55.64/ day for 284 freestalls

55.64/284 = 19.6 cents/ freestall/ day

Sand Challanges

Contaminated Sand

Used yearly

Removal of

Contaminated Sand

Back 3 feet of

contaminated sand

freestall removed

Entrance Ramp to Gravity Flow

SystemHeavy settle Sand

accumulates under

barn

Requires loader to

remove from under

barn

Clean 2 times a

year

Specially Designed Manure

Agitator

Requires constant

operator

Adds costs to

manure removal

Manure Agitator View from

Seat

Liquid Manure Pit near

Empty Liquid ring created on outside

of pit

Center mount of Sand is

gradually mixed into outer

liquid ring

Liquid from adjacent heifer

pit added to help mix

Manure Removal cost

increases with more equipment

Extra Sand Challenges

Delivered Frozen Sand

Dulls clipper blades

Abrasive to anything sand comes into

contact with ie. milk pumps, washing

machines, inflations etc.

Physical labour/ heavy material

Inconsistent freestall dimension

Extra Sand Challenges Cont…

Regular surfaces like cattle trailers and straw bedded box

stalls becomes slippery because cows are not used to a

surface without sand particles.

Sand is a non-renewable resource.

Requires increase fiber in diet (not eating bedding)

Sand dries out cows teats

Summary

Economical bedding choice

Great Udder Health and Cow Comfort

Poses challenges in the manure system

Appraise nature causes wear and tear

If building new again would choose sand

bedding.

Would consider sand separation in the future

for reusing bedding.