Herd Tasks: Your weekly farming checklist
If you can handle it, consider purchasing cereals off the combine- the harvest is moving on very quickly, so you need to act soon to secure value feed for the winter.
Native Irish Cereals continue to represent by far the best value for money for the coming winter.
Forward prices for cereals this winter will, as always, be well above combine prices, so now is the time to make very significant savings.
- Aim to get fertiliser out once sufficient rain in the forecasedt.
- Continue your parasite control programme. Use analysis to make dosing decisions Lungworms in particular can be a problem in younger animals in August.
- Current grass quality will struggle to achieve desirable cow performance.
- Supplementary forage in the form of grass silage, maize silage or whole crop are essential to maintain dry matter intake, energy intake and ultimately cow performance. Keep this in mind when feeding cows.
- Many will have seen lactose and urea’s drop in milk results; this indicates lower energy and protein in the sward. Intakes will drop in this scenario, and this will ultimately drop milk yield and quality performance.Higher protein concentrates may be required in these circumstances.
- Continue to feed dry cows to maintain/control body condition. Get calves off to the best possible start with a good supply of colostrum. Lazy drinkers should be stomach tubed, if necessary, within the first 6 hours.
- If you have vaccinated cows for scour, then the full benefit will not be transferred to the calves if sufficient colostrum is not consumed.
- Most will have begun creep-feeding spring calves - make sure that the concentrate being fed contains good quality ingredients to encourage intake. Get calves weaned, vaccinated and dosed well in advance.
Cattle to be finished on grass will now benefit from a few kg’s of a low protein, high energy concentrate to get the final cover on them. Keep blends simple with plenty of native cereals to optimise performance at best value. Minerals are important in these finishing blends to maintain health and performance.
For the majority, who now have little grass available and its quality is poor, housing advanced stock and feeding them on is the best option here.
