Managing dry cows:

Keep an eye on dry cows. You could very easily sleep walk into a problem with body condition score (BCS) at this time of year. There is only a month or so to go before the first cows start calving. Cows should be calving down at a BCS of 3.25 (range 3 to 3.5). There are two problems to avoid: overfat cows and cows that are too thin. Most cows should be close to target BCS now. You need to take action with the ones that aren’t. Those that are in low BCS (less than 3) and calving early (February) need to be separated and given special treatment. They won’t gain condition in the last two weeks, so these next few weeks are critical. Special treatment involves giving the best quality silage, plus 2kg or 3kg of a high energy and a low protein meal such as rolled barley. There is usually a variation in silage quality within a pit, so target the drier silage near the top for the thin cows or, better again, give them good quality high dry matter round bales, if you have them to spare. Later-calving cows that are on target for BCS only need a maintenance diet between now and calving. You don’t want these cows getting too fat. Fat cows are more likely to lose excessive BCS post-calving, get metabolic disorders like milk fever and ketosis and will be harder to get back in calf for next year.

Cash budgeting:

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I was with a discussion group during the week where monthly cashflow budgeting was discussed and there was nearly a mutiny in the camp. Getting farmers to sit down and analyse money in and money out either a year or a few months in advance seems to be harder than teaching nuclear physics. Yet, as the discussion went on, it emerged that most of them were already doing it in one form or another but probably not in a structured or clear way and they weren’t keeping proper records of it. This is probably 60% of the way there. While this is a good start, to capture the real benefits of cashflow budgeting it should be more routine, more structured and not just done when milk prices are low. Doing a monthly cashflow is a hard sell, but it does give you clarity about your business and where money is going. It subconsciously focuses the mind on reducing costs and it allows for prompt payment of creditors, thereby increasing your purchasing power and it creates more free cash. The longer-term benefits are even greater. You are building a track record of your financial performance which you can leverage off when looking for a loan or taking on a new project, in the same way you look at grass growth and milk solids output. It’s not an accident that farmers who routinely measure and manage cash tend to run successful and expanding businesses.

Christmas break:

Farmers producing milk over the winter will be busy this Christmas. Try to take as much time off as possible. Prioritise routine jobs and get as many non-routine jobs done in advance as possible. Do up a roster, make it fair and give employees as much time off as you can. Have a happy Christmas.