Slurry tankers are back in full swing, maiden heifers are getting a run out and milking cows are back in the fields.

After wet and inclement weather for the last number of weeks, dry milder weather means dairy farmers have a chance to get slurry spread on paddocks that did not get slurry yet this spring or where phosphorus or potassium are low.

Heavy coat

Be careful not to spread too heavy because lighter watery slurry will be taken up much quicker and it is better for grass swards if they get a light feed of slurry rather than a thick black coat.

A heavy coat can sometimes kill off patches of grass and allow weeds such as docks to take hold.

Try to spread on paddocks that have been grazed and if there is a cover of grass try to spread with a dribble bar so the grass leaves are not covered in slurry.

The dribble bar will mean you can get back grazing the paddock much quicker, with some farmers getting back to grazing 10 days after slurry is spread.

Heifers

At the very least try to get the light maiden heifers (less than 300kg) out grazing so they can start making up some of the weight gain they need before breeding start date in early May.

Research has shown that light heifers can gain 1kg/day at grass compared with 0.5kg/day inside on good-quality silage and 2kg of meal.

So it is three times cheaper to feed them outside and they will gain twice as much weight.

Grazing plan

Have a plan for where you graze them – I know one farmer who rang this week to say he is going to keep them on the milking platform for a few days to get them tuned into grazing.

It will also help his grazing targets as he is well back on his target for mid-March.

He said he would see how the weather plays out next week and will move them to an outside farm if the weather settled some bit and he could see grass moving ahead.

Read more

Dairy management: weather and meal feeding

Planning ahead for the breeding season