By pushing for high-quality grass this month and taking out the 1-2kg concentrate per day, a typical 100-cow dairy herd could save up to €3,000, according to Teagasc.
And the next four-to-six weeks is an important time to target savings on concentrate feed, it says.
Cows have passed peak milk production, body condition is stable and beginning to rise, and the majority of the herd are hopefully back in calf, Teagasc says.
With good grazing management, according to Teagasc, herd average milk yields of 23L to 25L can be supported on grass only.
There may be some cows (late calvers etc.) yielding well above this level but it does not make economic sense to feed supplement to all cows to cater for this small percentage of the herd, it says.
Examine your dairy herd average milk yield at this point; could this be achieved on a grass only diet?
The key grass management techniques (weekly grass covers, removing surpluses as bales and so forth) should be in place to ensure high quality grass, Teagasc says.
Remember, if you see a noticeable lift in milk yield and protein when cows move to silage after-grass, then grass quality on your paddocks is lacking, it says.
See also: How to manage cash flow on a dairy farm
