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Herd Update 21.03.16

General Details

  • Calving started on 14th February with 56/98 (30%) cows calved by Thursday 24th March and 54 live calves on the ground
  • Farm is now closed to all visitors until 1st May 2016, this is to ensure good disease control
  • 112 weanlings and 35 cows and calves currently grazing

Grassland Details

  • Average farm cover 793kg DM/day on 8th March
  • Average growth rate 9kg/dm
  • Soil temperatures in Athenry currently 7.6 degrees
  • Plan to have 40% of the farm grazed by 20th March, we currently have 48% of paddocks grazed on 24th March
  • Plan to be finished first rotation by 12th April
  • Plan to close silage fields in first week of April
  • 23 units/Acre UREA spread across 40% of the farm on 25th February
  • 35 units UREA/acre spread across 70% of the farm on the 23rd March
  • Will spread slurry on silage fields at 2500 gallons/acre next week, weather permitting

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
  • Plan to feed 56 grams calmag in 1kg meal per cow over the coming weekend to prevent tetany in cold and wet conditions

Key recommendations for this week

  1. Ensure calving pens are bedded regularly
  2. Check calves regularly for scour and pneumonia that are outdoors
  3. Currently cows penned according to BCS and feed is being restricted to cows over 4 BCS
  4. Pre calving cows being fed straw 3 days each week