• Move stock onto the driest parts of the farm but where possible avoid letting them into heavy covers (plus 12cm sward height).

  • Don’t force animals to clean paddocks out completely – move them on but try to avoid letting them into very heavy covers.

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  • Herd stock twice daily and pay close attention for any animals suffering from pneumonia – key signs to look out for include: animals laying back, discharge from the nose, dull, ears down, panting and/or empty.

  • Close stock onto a hard core area or a piece of rough grazing and offer silage. Some farmers will move stock onto an internal farm roadway during periods of heavy down pours.

  • Consider sacrificing a paddock and buffer feeding stock. This paddock can then be re-seed when conditions improve.

  • Move suckler cows indoors – if doing so don’t over stock sheds and if possible allow calves access to a paddock around the yard.

  • If housing stock make sure to feed them well. Don’t be tempted to give silage straight from a pit face that has been lying open since April.

  • Watch out for grass tetany especially where supplementation is through the water troughs. Due to the low dry matter of grass the volume of water consumed through the troughs will be low.

  • Where cows are house consider giving 2kg per head of a hi-mag nut. It will not only address magnesium issues but reduce disruption to the breeding season.

  • If housing spring calving cows on slats remove the bull from the group. If a cow is in heat she should be removed to a solid floor area and the let with the bull.