General Details
- Calving started on 14th February with 30/98 (30%) cows calved by Tuesday 8th March
- Farm is now closed to all visitors until 1st May 2016, this is to ensure good disease control
- Weanling Heifers housed last week due to ground conditions but replacement heifers remained outdoors
- Plan to turn out cows and calves this Thursday 10th March in sheltered paddocks
Grassland Details
- Average farm cover 1049kg DM/day on 8th March
- Soil temperatures in Athenry currently 6 degrees
- Average winter growth of 3.79 kg/dm/day
- Plan to turn out cows and calves on Thursday 10th March
- Plan to have 40% of the farm grazed by 20th March
- Currently 11.2 Ha grazed (20%) on Tuesday 8th March
- Plan to be finished first rotation by 15th April
- Plan to close silage fields in last week of March
- 23 units/Acre UREA spread across 40% of the farm on 25th February
Housing/Nutrition details
- All cows receiving pre-calving minerals at rate of 100 grams/head/day
- Pre calving cows on restricted diet with straw included
- All concentrates ceased to weanlings and young stock
Key recommendations for this week
- Ensure calving pens are bedded regularly
- Currently cows penned according to BCS and feed is being restricted to cows over 4 BCS
- Pre calving cows being fed straw 3 days each week
