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Herd Update 14.05.18

General Detail

  • 101 cows and calves at grass on the home farm, plus 5 cull cows which will not be AI this year.
  • 90 % of the herd was now been AI within 3 weeks of the breeding season commencing (23rd April).
    • 94 cows have now  been inseminated to date , Friday 18th May
    • 5 repeats to date , Friday 18th May
  • Once a day AI used, cows are being inseminated at midday each day.
  • Cows (10) which had shown no signs of coming into heat cycle were treated with Estrumate this week to encourage them to cycle.
    • 8 cows were treated with Estrumate and 4 came bulling  since
    • 2 cows were  only 29 days calved and were not treated
  • After treatment any cow that does not shows of heat, will be check and scanned by the vet and treated accordingly
  • 84 % of the Replacement heifers (21) bred to AI on the contract rearing farm in Tuam out of 25 heifers within 3 weeks. AI also started on the 23rd of April with the replacement heifers
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  • A selection of Newford animals.
  • Mineral buckets are out in the paddocks with the cows to prevent grass tetany
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  • Grass cover taken last Monday the 14th of May.
  • 3 hectares of surplus grazing paddocks were taken out this week for round bales
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  • I bag of Can +S  per acre is been spread after each grazing  on the GortnaHabhainn  farm
  • Newford started its 3rd rotation this week on the home farm.
  • Weather conditions and utilisation of grass are improving. But some paddocks are still very soft and wet.
  • 25 units of N is been spread after each paddock which has been grazed in Newford and Touhy’s  
  • The below diagram shows how difficult spring grass growth this year is, as compared to 2017.
  • 2018 grass growth is the green line
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Key recommendations for this week

  1. Monitor all cows regularly for heat detection
  2. Watch out for Grass Tetany and keep mineral buckets  topped up
  3. Power wash sheds
  4. Keep the teaser bull’s   chin ball harness topped up with paint
  5. Watch the estruses cows closely after treatment