Failure to ensure the ration cows consume consistently matches formulation will undermine feed conversion efficiency (FCE), increase feed costs per litre and substantially reduce herd profitability, warns KW nutritionist Dr Anna Sutcliffe.

She said: "Any day-to-day variation in ration makeup or nutrient supply can massively disrupt rumen efficiency and given that even a 5% reduction in FCE will add as much as 0.65ppl to total feed costs on most farms*, the financial impact can be considerable.”

But the impact isn’t limited to FCE. Ration inconsistency can also reduce milk yield and quality, directly affecting income, plus undermine fertility if cows regularly dip into body reserves due to inconsistent energy supply.

“Forage is one of the main challenges, with feed value shown to vary by up to 10% across a single clamp face. Feed spoilage, overcrowded feeding areas and ration sorting will also alter nutrient intake, whilst staff can have a huge impact on ration mixing accuracy.

“Anecdotal reports suggest that TMR mixing errors of 5% per ingredient are common, which is why we’re seeing many farms replacing straights with a single custom blend.

“It might seem counter-intuitive, but the improvements in accuracy and consistency, plus reduced storage losses, mean overall feed costs per litre are actually lower.”

* Based on typically total feed costs of between 10-13ppl.