The majority of grass based milk production systems will dry off the remainder of their spring calvers over the next fortnight. A significant proportion of these cows will not calve until March and April 2017. Farmers like to get a break from the milking routine over the Christmas period. In contrast, there are a group […]
Read MoreEnsure you get a silage analysis. This will ensure correct diet formulation and required mineral supplementation. Start drying off cows at 190 days of pregnancy if BCS is below target and you do not have an option to supplement with extra concentrates. Prebreed scanning should start now for autumn calving next year. Ensure liver and […]
Read MoreImproved weather has enabled farmers to keep cows out by day and indeed by night on drier ground. Grazing conditions have been excellent. However, the feed value of grazed grass has been overestimated for cows on many farms. Supplementation with concentrates is justified where body condition scores (BCS) are below target in preparation for the […]
Read MoreWhat a difference a year makes! The month of September and beginning of October have been extremely wet in the west of Ireland. The month of October in 2015 was one for shorts and t-shirts on the dairy farm! The plight of dairy farmers in the west of Ireland has not been fully appreciated. The […]
Read More1 If your herd is at risk from salmonella get a vaccination programme in place now. 2. Start identifying cows for early dry off based on pregnancy ages and the presence of twins from your scan records. 3. Autumn calving cows need a consistent diet for a 6 week period pre- calving. Grazed grass with […]
Read MoreGrass dry matters are currently below 12 per cent. Grass growth rates have been excellent because of high temperatures and inclement weather. However cows are not happy in these grazing conditions. Cows are loosing BCS in a period when they should be gaining BCS prior to dry cow transition. 1 Get accurate aging of pregnancies […]
Read MoreBoth day and night temperatures are currently high for this time of year. The associated inclement weather has resulted in excellent grass growth rates. However grass dry matters are falling as low as 11-13pc. Many farmers are complaining that cows are not happy with current grazing conditions. Faecal passage rates are too high. This can […]
Read MoreAugust is a quiet month for spring calving breeding programmes. Cows bred now will calve next June, which makes no economic sense in grass based milk production systems. Bulls need to be removed 35 days prior to a herd scan to get a full picture of reproductive performance in your herd. Many farmers tell me […]
Read MoreSpring calving breeding programmes should be finished now. However, stock bulls are still running with all herds visited to date. Cows bred now will calve in May. These May calvers will have short lactations in strict grass based systems and will be the most unprofitable segment of your business. The sale of late born beef […]
Read MoreRemove stock bulls from your maiden heifers. Ensure these bulls are fertile by scanning your maiden heifers now. Transfer the stock bulls from maiden heifers to your dairy herd. Increase bull power available. Scan your cows now to identify cows with embryo death. These cows can not return to heat for 6-9 weeks after embryo […]
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