Herd Tasks: Your weekly farming checklist
Use Urea, Lactose, Protein and Butterfat levels to assess the effectiveness of the nutrition you are providing your herd, advises Brian Reidy.
- Continue fertiliser application once paddocks are grazed to maximise grass production. One unit per day for grazing will suffice once Lime, P & K status is sufficient.
- Address parasite control for all types of stock. Most stock are out long enough for parasites to be affecting performance. Do finishers need dosing before you introduce or increase meal feeding? Milkers are beginning to cough!
- Continue to assess feedstocks so that you can construct a winter feed budget- Most have recently or will soon make first-cut silage and will then know, at that stage, how much more ground will need to be closed off for the second cut.
- Yards need to build up a reserve of fodder again, as most are almost or totally empty.
- Try to prioritise the best available grass for the most productive stock on the farm.
- Monitor milk volumes carefully; don’t allow any sudden drops to take hold of your herd.
- Use Urea, Lactose, Protein and Butterfat levels to assess the effectiveness of the nutrition you are providing your herd.
- Later-born bucket-reared calves that are behind in growth and weight will benefit from meals at grass for the whole grazing season.
- Replacement heifers should be kept on good-quality grass and supplemented with a calf/beef mineral lick.
- Autumn 2023 born calves will soon be weaned and should soon be on a good quality creep mix well in advance of being taken from their mothers.
- Continue supplementing cows with magnesium.
- Try to keep fresh calvers on good-quality grass to ensure cows return to cycling quickly and have sufficient milk to feed their calf.
- If you have cattle finished or close to finish, make sure to shop around for the best price for your stock.
