Getting your herd prepared for a long and wet autumn

Ground is getting soft around the country, and some surface damage by stock is almost unavoidable, warns ruminant nutritionist Brian Reidy.

Storm Agnes has come and gone, but unfortunately, the rain keeps coming and ground is now getting wet, while grass utilisation is now very poor in most parts of the country.

Housing is a reality for many dairy herds by night at this point, while some beef herds have housed finishing cattle and suckler cows near calving. I’m well into calving at this point on the home farm and have so far been able to keep cows and young calves outdoors, bar a set of twins and a cow that had a caesarean.