Herd Tasks: Your weekly farming checklist
Consider introducing creep meal to reduce grass demand and take some pressure off cows where grass is getting tight.
- It looks like the weather will remain exceptionally dry for a while yet, so it is essential that you lengthen your grazing rotation to insure you keep grass ahead of stock.
- Avoid topping as this will suppress growth in very dry conditions.
- Consider your fertiliser application strategy as if we get no rain then there is little point in applying granular products until there is a prospect of rain in the forecast.
- No major changes should be made to a herd’s nutrition in the first four to five weeks of the breeding season.
- Any drop off in energy supply during breeding will reduce conception rate.
- Grazing excessively strong grass will reduce total energy intake.
- Continue to supplement Suckled Cows at grass with Magnesium to prevent Tetany–Bucket licks, bolus or add to water.
- Consider introducing creep meal to reduce grass demand and take some pressure off cows where grass is getting tight.
- This will be particularly advantageous for autumn born calves which will soon be weaned and under SCEP will need to be fed pre weaning anyway.
