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HERD UPDATE 17.06.19

General Details

  • The Breeding season started on the 22nd of April.
    • Eight weeks now breeding
    • 105 cows and 107 calves at grass. Mineral buckets are with the cows in the paddocks to prevent Grass Tetany
    • 100 % AI is been carried out on the Newford Farm.
    • 101 cows for breeding this year
    • 100 cows have been inseminated to date since the breeding started.
    •  One cow which has not cycle yet, was treated with a cidr on Monday. She was one of the last cows to calved down
    • 93 cows were AI’d in the first 3 weeks
    • The first 3 weeks cycle period for repeats started on the 13th of May and all cows are being monitored closely at the moment.
      • 29 repeats to date ( 18th June)
    • Two teaser bulls are running with the cows. One with each group
    • Each teaser bull is fitted with a chin ball harness for marking the cows and the teaser bulls are playing a very active role in seeking cows out who are in heat.
  • Breeding season will last for 10 weeks and  finishes on the 1st July
  • Once a day AI used, cows are been inseminated at midday each day.
  • If a cow is AI at 12 o’clock and if she is still showing signs of been in heat again that evening , that same cow will be AI again the next day ( 12 o’clock am)
  • Each cows tail is also been clip at inseminated time.
  • All the cows were treated for their annual Inactive IBR vaccination
  • Breeding on the contract rearing farm in Co, Leitrim, ceased on the 3rd of June.                        
  • 6 weeks AI breeding only.
    • 21 heifers were bulled
    • 7 repeats during the 6 weeks  AI period
    • Scanning will take place early August
  • All the suckler cows and calves were weighted on the 14th June. This weighing of both the cows and calves will be used for the BEEP scheme.
  • All the calves have been treated for Lungworms
  • The following is the summary of the calves’ weights
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  • The store Bullocks and Heifers were weighed on Wednesday the 19th. The bullocks are 88 days at grass since turnout and the heifers are 113 days at grass since turnout. Summary as followed
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  • Newford Farm has a new Farm Manager “Iarlaith Collins”. Iarlaith will have the responsible for the daily planning, organisation and administration of activities on Newford Farm.
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  • Grass measurement taken on the 17th of June
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  • Weather conditions and utilisation of grass in paddock is excellent at the moment
  • 375 surplus round bales of silage have been taken off paddocks from the 3 farms so far this year.
    • 40 round bales of first cut silage were also made.
  • Half bag of protected Urea (38N+S) is been spread after each grazing. Some paddocks did get 2,500 gallons of cattle slurry per acre (dribble bar).

Key recommendations for this week

  1. Monitor all cows regularly for heat detection
  2. Watch calves closely for pneumonia.
  3. Keep teaser bull’s ball harness topped up with paint
  4. Monitor grass growth closely
  5. Keep mineral buckets out in paddocks with the cows