Brian Waymire, dairy manager at DeGroot Dairy Farms, is seeing overall improvement in his herd’s repro performance, milk production and herd health after adjusting his cows’ diet and conducting feeding trials through the hot summer months when milk production historically can take a major hit.

Longtime dairyman and farmer, the late Tony DeGroot, who died in a tragic plane crash in Alaska last September, milked 4,200 Holsteins three times a day on his two dairies in Hanford, California, where he also farmed nearly 2,400 acres and grew all the dairy’s own forage crops. Tony DeGroot Jr. and his son, Jason, carry on the family farm operation.

Known for his progressive dairying practices, DeGroot placed a lot of confidence in his young dairy manager, who has set high standards for himself as he continues to press to improve multiple aspects of their dairy operation.

Waymire’s on-farm feeding trials are good examples.

His feeding of omega-6s in the close-up pens and EPA/DHA omega-3s to the fresh and early breeding groups has validated university research on omega balancing and its impact during the critical transition period and the blistering heat of California’s summer days.

Internationally respected researchers studying fatty acid nutrition extensively at University of Florida, Cornell University and University of California – Davis have blazed the trail that Waymire is walking at the dairy he manages.

“When we started on these feeding trials with Virtus Nutrition, we fed omega-6s and EPA/DHA omega-3s – both calcium salt of fatty acid supplements – June 10 of last year through October,” said Waymire.

“After taking winter months off the program, we started feeding both supplements again March 10, 2015. In cooperation with our nutritionist, Randy Bowen, we’ve fed omega-6s for 21 days pre-fresh at one-fourth pound per cow per day – and omega-3s from calving up to 150 days in milk to provide the proper levels of omega-3s to our lactating cows’ diet. I’ve seen marked improvements in our first and second service conception rates and a reduction in fresh cow metabolic disorders.”

Repro program evaluated during trial

Improvements in herd reproduction were significant. Waymire’s feed trial showed based upon a 21-day bred sum average, early abortions went from 21 to 11, saving 10 viable embryos, when comparing July 2014 to January 2015. He calculated that the dairy saved $30,000 – the total cost of replacing 10 aborted calves ($3,000 each, the cost of replacement and calf’s value). Overall Waymire saw better conception and embryo retention numbers.

He explained that $30,000 (total cost of 10 abort replacements) minus $18,781 (the total cost of the omega-6s and omega-3s program, minus cull cow income) showed a cost savings of $11,219 per 21-day period or $16,027 per month.

According to Waymire, “In addition to cost savings with each cow that doesn’t abort and makes it to her next lactation, she will provide more milk overall and the herd will perform at a higher producing lactation average per cow.

“We received an added benefit when we started feeding omega-6s on March 11, 2015,” observed Waymire. From March 1 to 15, some 70 head of DeGroot Dairy’s day-old heifer calves tested for protein serum levels by the calf ranch – Grimmius Cattle Co. that raises DeGroot’s calves – were rated at 86 percent optimum or adequate, while 14 percent were listed as partial failure or failure, he reported. However, from March 16 to 31, some 95 day-old heifers tested at improved protein serum levels of 93 percent optimum or adequate, and only 7 percent as partial failure or failure.

“We’ve come a long way in lowering our abortions, while increasing the number of healthy calves we raised,” Waymire said.

Milk gains measured in on-farm trial

When feeding omega-3s and omega-6s from June 2014 through October 2014, Waymire saw his milk production consistently rise through the summer months when compared with the same months in 2013. Increases during those summer months averaged 3.37 pounds per cow per day.

Waymire stopped his omega applications during the winter months – November 2014 through February 2015. He restarted his supplementation program March 1, 2015, and by the end of the month, milk was up 7.65 pounds per cow per day to 87 pounds per cow per day.

The rest of the summer’s production held strong over 2015, with gains per month ranging from 1.3 to 4 pounds improvement over 2014. This was particularly good news, as California’s overall production per cow was down compared with 2014 every month of the year.

Effects on colostrum observed during trial

José Santos, University of Florida, in the conclusion of his research paper, “The Role of Specific Fatty Acids on Dairy Cattle Performance and Fertility,” said that heifers born from cows fed diets supplemented with essential fatty acids were more productive in their first lactation.

In the DeGroot on-farm trial, “No ration changes were made until we added the omega-6s and omega-3s to the diets on March 11. The upward move in test results at the calf ranch from 86 percent to 93 percent protein serum was significant,” noted Waymire. “To us, it was an indication that the quality and quantity of the colostrum produced by the cows had increased due to the addition of omega-6 fatty acids. The omega-6 was given to close-up cows March 11. Four days later, the cows had enough protein serum in their system to boost colostrum quality.”

“That change in colostrum quality will help young calves in a number of ways,” Waymire said, including a decreased likelihood to get sick, fewer treatment costs in the first 30 days and other lifetime production and productivity benefits.  PD

—Submitted by Virtus Nutrition

Check out previous coverage of Tony DeGroot Sr. from Progressive Dairyman:

2012 World Ag Expo Virtual Farm Tour: Tony DeGroot Dairy

Tony DeGroot Sr.: ‘I’m a guy that likes to try things’

PHOTO: Brian Waymire at work. Photo provided by Virtus Nutrition.