Herd Tasks: Your weekly farming checklist
Discuss the correct dosing protocol for your herd with your vet.
- If you have a silage result, act on it — devise a nutrition strategy for all groups of stock. Silages are variable this year, so feed accordingly. Many silages have very low protein levels.
- Any savings on meal type are welcome in the current climate.
- Excess protein in a diet will result in energy wastage, while a protein deficiency will depress intakes and performance will suffer.
- Discuss the correct dosing protocol for your herd with your vet.
- Ensure that the dose you use is given at the correct rate and that you are targeting the correct parasites.
- Set targets for animal performance once indoors — base this on available forage quality.
- Get any repairs to sheds, equipment, and other facilities done ASAP.
- House cows by night to prolong grazing by day.
- Supply quality forage to help utilise grazed grass efficiently.
- Up protein content of the concentrate fed once silage volumes increase.
- Act on any parasite testing results.
- Group dry cows according to body condition at housing, and feed them accordingly.
- Get autumn calves off to the best possible start with sufficient colostrum.
- Provide high-magnesium licks to cows rearing calves.
- Supplementation at grass or housing at this stage is necessary to maintain animal performance.
- Compiled by Brian Reidy, an independent ruminant nutritionist at Premier Farm Nutrition.
