Feeder calibration is a job that on many dairy farms, was probably overlooked, but increased costs have made it important to ensure that the correct amount of feed is being distributed.
Input costs on farms are high, so it is important to obtain the maximum benefit from these inputs.
It is not uncommon for feeders to be dispensing the wrong amount of concentrates, in fact quite often, one or more of the feeders is considerably off compared to the rest.
Feeders should be checked, especially if the feed being given to cows has changed or the feeders haven’t been used for a number of weeks.
Feeder calibration
Feeders that haven’t been checked for a number of months may be over, or underfeeding cows.
This could be resulting is significant cost increases due to extra concentrates that are not required being fed to cows.
There is a simple method to determine if the feeding rates on a feeder are correct: Simply place a bucket or bag under the feeder and allow the concentrates to fall into the bucket and then weigh the contents. This will determine if the feeder is giving the correct amount or not.
This method should then be repeated on all the feeders in the milking parlour.
If we take an example of feeders that are off by 150g and you have 150 cows, that means there is 22.5kg being overfed or underfed at each milking, or 45kg/day.
As the milk production season progresses it is important to continue to monitor these feeders.
It is recommended that feeders are calibrated every month to ensure that the correct amount of concentrates are being fed.
If you change the feeding rates you should also check the feeders to ensure that the correct amount is being fed.