Grazing: To describe February weather as a challenge is an understatement. Those in the southern part of the country on drier land should have 30% of the farm grazed by the end of the month, but the reality is most have little to none of the farm grazed because land is just too wet. That’s the reality and there’s not a lot we can do about the weather.
What we can do is react when it does change. While the forecast for the next few days is for a continuation of the wet weather, early next week is looking a bit better. Continue to walk paddocks and make decisions in the field not in the yard.
However, it will take more than a few dry days for those on heavy land to get cows out. In this case, cows will need to be fed good quality silage and 4 or 5kg of a high enough spec meal. The following is some advice for farmers that are attempting to keep cows out:
Maiden heifers: Many farmers would have expected to have maiden heifers out grazing by now. With the bad weather, this has not been possible in most cases. With so much else going on, there is a risk that this group of stock could be left behind. While the best place for them is out the field, they are a group of stock that can do a lot of damage in wet weather as they don’t stop walking. Some farmers will split them up into smaller groups and run them over larger areas and then tighten them up again when weather improves. For the moment, they should be on good quality silage and 1-2kg of meal, even if they are on target for liveweight. If you can be certain they will go to grass soon, then they can be cut off meal to get compensatory growth when they do go out.
Calves: Demand for calves seems to be holding up well, despite an increase in numbers offered for sale and a few days last week where ships couldn’t sail due to high winds. As the season progresses and calf sheds begin to fill up, the risk of disease increases. Don’t overstock sheds, keep beds clean and dry, and keep feeding utensils clean. Changing the rate or the type of milk (whole v milk replacer) or how calves are fed, eg computerised feeders, should be handled carefully. Stressed or underfed calves will be more predisposed to scours.