A database program to assist in the allocation of pasture and supplements to grazing dairy cows

Accurate daily feed allocation to dairy cows is important for optimising the response to supplements and pasture utilisation in a pasture-based system of dairy farming. A major factor in feed allocation is obtaining an accurate estimate of pasture mass (PM). Pasture mass can be estimated, either visually or with one of a number of pasture meters (rising plate meter or electronic pasture probe). The tedium of walking the farm and in the calculations involved in converting this data into a form on which meaningful management decisions can be based, discourages farmers from adopting this technology. A database program, FeedSmart, has been developed to calculate pasture mass available, and pasture accumulation rate from weekly pasture walks, while animal requirements are obtained from live weight, milk production and calving pattern. The implications of using various supplementary feeding options to fill any feed deficit, in terms of total ration nutrient characteristics (metabolisable energy, crude protein and acid detergent fibre) and cost, are then calculated. FeedSmart has been refined to its present form by on-going input from practising dairy farmers and extension specialists. This paper outlines feed allocation methodology and its incorporation into a decision support tool.