Herd Tasks: Your weekly farming checklist
It is critical that any meal storage facilities are spotless before the new grain is stored, advises Brian Reidy.
- Try to prioritise the best quality grass for the most productive stock on the farm.
- Make sure that you are using appropriate fertiliser for your land type and indices.
- Keep an eye on the water supply for all stock.
- Start planning for reseeding this autumn. You will, at this stage, have identified your underperforming paddocks.
- Keep parasite control up to date.
- If you are approaching the end of the breeding season, take care as stock bulls tend to get more aggressive at this time of year with less work to do.
- Start looking at any repairs that need to be done to winter accommodation.
- Clean out grain storage facilities thoroughly before harvest. It is critical that any meal storage facilities are spotless before the new grain is stored. This means power washing out sheds and using an insecticide to kill any mites etc that might carry over from last season.
- Make sure to creep calves for a sufficient period prior and post weaning to reduce stress and minimise weight loss post weaning.
- Watch for mastitis in dry autumn-calvers.
- Ensure that autumn-calvers are provided with a good quality pre-calver mineral and/or bolus.
- Autumn-calvers will all be weaned over the coming weeks if not already done so and are not far off calving again.
- Get calving boxes cleaned out in case you need to bring a cow with a difficult calving indoors for assistance.
- Recently-weaned calves should be monitored closely to ensure they don’t get sick due to stress.
