HERD UPDATE 22.04.19

General Details

• Newford farm is into its 12th week of the calving period.
  • 99 % of the suckler herd has now calved down. ( one cow left to calved down)
  • 109 cows calved with 108 calves ( 5 sets of Twins)
  • First calf born on the 30^th January
  • All cows and calves are very healthy
  • No calving difficulty to report on the farm at the moment.
  • The average calf birth weight is 41 Kgs
  • Calving scored for the herd so far is 1.29

• The Breeding season has started again on the 22^nd of April.
  • All cows were tail painted last week and heat detection was been recorded in a note book for the last 2 weeks
  • Two teaser bulls are running with the cows. One with each group
  • Each teaser bull is equated with an chin ball harness for marking the cows
  • 100 % AI is been used on the farm.
  • Breeding season will last for 10 weeks and  finishing on the 1^st 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)
  • The majority of Newford cows are in ideally body condition for breeding.
  • The benefit of turning out  the cows early after calving , has contributed to the cows been in good body condition and ready for breeding
  • Cows after been tail paint green

• The sires which will be used on the Newford Herd for 2019 are as follows.

• These bulls were selected on the following criteria
  • 5 Star Terminal Index
  • < 9 % calving difficulty for strong mature cows
  • < 7 % calving difficulty for mature cows
  • < 5 % for 1^st and 2^nd Calvers
  • > 40 Kg predicted carcase weight mature cows
  • >30 Kg predicted carcase weight first Calvers
  • Reliability of > 80 %
  • Cost of AI straw less than €15             
• Grass measurement taken on the 23^rd of April

• Newford has started its second rotation last week on the home farm.
• Grass growth has been excellent over the Bank Holiday period, which meant Newford was able to cut a number of paddocks for round bales (27 acres).
  • 190 round bales of silage were wrapped. 7 bales per acre.

• 2000 gals of cattle slurry has now been spread on those paddocks which the bales have come off. By using the Trailing shoe method
• Newford Farm is now closed to groups / visitors until the calving period is finished.
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• Key recommendations for this week

• Monitor all cows regularly for heat detection

• Watch out for any health issues with the cows , especially Grass Tetany
• Keep teaser bull’s ball harness topped up with paint
• Monitor grass growth closely
• Keep mineral buckets out in paddocks with the cows