This episode featured in partnership with SealesWinslow.

Improved mating results from good cow nutrition can see gains reach beyond the vat. On a conservative $9 payout, improving a herd’s six-week in-calf rate by 1% could be worth about nine kilograms of milk solids per cow for every cow in the herd, according to DairyNZ modelling.

SealesWinslow Nutrition Extension Specialist Simon Butler says those returns are hard to price precisely, and the full value often shows up only after the season ends.

“That 9kgMS represents the compounding benefits of days in milk and improved culling

opportunities from having cows in calf earlier”

He says it is hard to pin down where that causation is occurring.

“Dairy farms are all very complex biological systems, and there’s a lot of correlation going on.

“Every cow after they calve, they’re going to mobilise some body energy reserve because they don’t have the appetite or the rumen capacity to eat enough to sustain milk production just yet.

“The biggest slice of the pie when it comes to talking about getting cows in calf is ensuring that they don’t spend too much time in that state of post-calving negative energy balance.”

He says the work needs to be done in this window of opportunity between calving and mating.

“The sooner that we can bring them back into a positive energy balance, that’s going to create a physiological state that’s going to support pre-mating heats, pre-mating cycling, and then that one good cycle that we need to get that cow in calf.”

He says it is hard to pin down where that causation is occurring.

“Dairy farms are all very complex biological systems, and there’s a lot of correlation going on.

“Every cow after they calve, they’re going to mobilise some body energy reserve because they don’t have the appetite or the rumen capacity to eat enough to sustain milk production just yet.

“The biggest slice of the pie when it comes to talking about getting cows in calf is ensuring that they don’t spend too much time in that state of post-calving negative energy balance.”

He says the work needs to be done in this window of opportunity between calving and mating.

“The sooner that we can bring them back into a positive energy balance, that’s going to create a physiological state that’s going to support pre-mating heats, pre-mating cycling, and then that one good cycle that we need to get that cow in calf.”

He says metabolic problems on farm now feed directly into that picture.

“If you’re seeing a lot of milk fever on farm, that’s going to directly impact those clinical cows’ ability to get in calf, but there might be an underlying subclinical milk fever effect on fertility as well.”

He says trace elements need the same early attention.

“If there’s a hidden trace element deficiency that’s present on farm right now, we really want to address those things as early as possible.”

He says to kickstart this process, farmers should get bloods, soils, and herbage tests done, and get a SealesWinslow Nutrition Specialist out on farm.

“We can use some diet modelling tools to have a look at what’s limiting and make sure that the energy in the diet’s there.”

This episode featured in partnership with SealesWinslow. Whether it’s a custom blend or dairy pellet, smart modelling tools, or advice tailored for your farm, SealesWinslow is about nutrition that delivers measurable benefits. Through science, teamwork, and practical guidance, we make sure what you do today sets your herd up for better performance tomorrow. For more information, visit https://sealeswinslow.co.nz/ 

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