General Details
- Calving started on 14th February with 88/98 (90%) cows calved by Monday 18th April and 84 live calves on the ground
- Mortality rate: 5.6%
- Grass growth rate has improved over the past 7 days
- All weanlings and 61 cows and calves currently grazing
- All steer weanlings turned back out on Monday 18th April
- 25 replacement heifers moving to contract rearer on Wednesday 20th April
Grassland Details
- Average farm cover 753kg DM/day on 14th April
- Average growth rate 39kg/DM/Ha
- Average Demand 18kg/DM/Ha
- Soil temperatures in Athenry currently 8.3 degrees
- Silage fields closed on Monday 4th April with slurry spread at rate of 2000 gallons/acre last week. 100 units nitrogen/acre to be spread this week if conditions allow
- 23 units/Acre UREA spread across 40% of the farm on 25th February
- 30 units UREA/acre spread across 70% of the farm on the 23rd March
- 1 bag pasture sward/acre spread across 80% of grazing paddocks on farm on Friday 15th April
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
Key recommendations for this week
1. Ensure calving pens are bedded regularly
2. Check calves regularly for scour and pneumonia
3. Move replacement heifers to contract rearer
4. Give all calves first vaccination for pneumonia this week
5. Give all claves first vaccination against clostridial disease this week
6. Give calved cows pre breeding Letpospirosis vaccination this week
7. Fencing maintenance needed in Gort na hAbhainn around handling unit