Herd Tasks: Your weekly farming checklist
Monitor grass growth and act to take out surpluses as they arise.
- Continue fertiliser application once paddocks are grazed.
- If you have had no rain or there is no rain expected, then you should consider the type of fertiliser you apply and when you apply it.
- Monitor growth and act to take out surpluses as they arise.
- Remember that by the end of June, on many farms, two-thirds of the grass will have grown for the year, so two-thirds of the nitrogen should also be out by then.
- Monitor performance and act on any drops quickly.
- Scan any non-cycling cows ASAP.
- Are you feeding sufficient energy and protein?
- Continue to supplement suckled cows at grass with magnesium to prevent tetany — use bucket licks or add to water.
- Where creep is being fed outside, ensure birds are not soiling the feed.
- Keep up heat detection recording. Accurate dates make management a lot easier around calving.
- Scan non-cycling cows ASAP.
- Breeding heifers on grass should be supplemented with a good quality calf/beef mineral bucket to aid fertility performance.
- Watch that cattle on heavy feeding are not getting digestive upsets. Look for loose dungs, cud balls, drooling of saliva and lameness.
- Make sure water is always clean and plentiful for cattle on dry feed.
