With problems like mud hay wastage and poor silage usage causing production losses there had to be an anlternative to their currnet hay feeding regime.

However there were some problems.

• The rolls of silage would run out on July 20.
• The wastage of good quality hay was horrible in the calf paddock.
• The heifers are always the ones to suffer most.
• "Must we have this much mud?"

There were other less obvious problems too.

• How much leaf was being lost?
• Are shy feeders getting a fair go?
• Must feeding out really be an everyday job?
• Is there a chance of reducing pellet feeding?
• How can we best utilize the 18 month old poor quality hay?

And on top of these was the "Triple Whammy"

David said, "I can take you to the last silage I fed in the paddock. It burned off the pasture where it lay. Some of the silage was lost as waste and nothing has grown there since!

"There are problems judging how much to feed and where to feed it. If you feed too much today the cattle can eat it tomorrow, but only if you put them back into that paddock. You've lost the opportunity to rotate them to another part of the farm and the grazing management suffers."

David and Jane set up a simple "Waste-Not" Feed Pad in April 1995 using 2 existing concrete yards close to the exit of the dairy. Each yard held a two-roll "Waste-Not" Feeder. Each Feeder could easily feed 21 cows without bossing and bullying, while the next 21, ie 3 sides of the herringbone - were being milked and let out into the second yard.

Three sides of the herringbone usually takes 20 - 25 minutes to milk, so the cows have that time - twice daily- to eat whatever they need to balance their diet - silage, milking-quality hay or fibre. Once their time is up each batch is easily moved out and another batch take their turn.

What did the Trabants find when they set up their feedpad?

• Silage usage went down from 3 rolls daily to 4 rolls each 2     days. (Labour saving as well as feed saving.)
• Wastage was reduced to only inedible matter.
• Heifers were immediately "lifted" into the mob.
• As all feeding and hay movement was now on concrete or gravel areas near the shed, the mud problem virtually disappeared.
• Cow condition and conception rates were dramatically improved.
• Pastures recovered quicker.
• Silage was fed until August 12, that was 3 more weeks!

Jane answered, "We didn't get a huge jump in production - they only went up 2 litres per cow per day!" This first increase was in seven weeks since setting up the Feeders.

In August 1995, over 25 litres per cow was going into the vat - about 4 litres per cow MORE than they ever had before - at a time when production had usually dropped below the autumn peak. This increase was achieved with about half the concentrate.

"Trouble is, now our vat is too small. We have to buy a bigger one, said David.

Jane summed up the effects of the "Waste-Not" Feed Pad:  "We now have control of the situation-

• Control over the waste ...
• Control over the mud ...
• Control over who gets how much ...
• Control over better pasture management."

"We placed the feedpad as Terry suggested near the shed, but then decided to see how it would work if we kept it full of silage for them all day in the lane next to their grazing paddock.

"We set the 2 Feeders up with 2 rolls in each and let the cows at it. Every cow had her share and all the 4 rolls had disappeared.
This was not how we planned it, so we only put 2 rolls in the Feeders. This cut down the feed usage of course, but now the shy cows missed out. "We took the Feeders back to the shed and set up as a Feed Pad again."

"We regained control", added Jane.

The Trabants are confident that the better pasture management has resulted in increased silage being cut and available for summer/autumn feeding, to feed the cows both before and after calving.

They have also utilised the "Waste-Not" system to feed heifers and springers and even dry cows.

And I love the little calf Feeder," said Jane. "Instead of wasting up to 30 rolls for the calves to play in and ruin, this year they ate all of the 5-6 rolls we put through their Feeder".

The sums are easy. The 3 litre per cow extra production the Trabants milked in the first 42 days paid for the Feed Pad. All of the other benefits were cream.

A very good return for the modest investment of about $20 per cow!

When visited in June 1996, milk yield was 27 litres per cow per day.