BEEP: I had a couple of calls in relation to registering scales. It’s a relatively straightforward process and can be completed on www.icbf.com. You need to log in to your HerdPlus account and follow the on-screen instructions. You need three pieces of information – the make or manufacturer of the scales, the serial number and the year in which they were purchased. If you are renting a scales through a co-op, they will already be registered and this will be recorded through the booking system. If you are using a loaned scales, you need to use the original registration number, so the registration number moves with the scales. To record weights, you enter the date of weighing and fill in the weights with their corresponding tag numbers.

Weighing scales should be available to rent from participating co-ops and local stores by the end of March.

Calves can be weighed at any age but to get maximum benefit form analysis, weighing should be carried out around 200 days old to get a good handle on the maternal aspects of the cow.

Grazing conditions: With a lot of heavy rain during the week and further bad weather forecast, many cattle have been housed over the last few days. Cows and calves have been housed on many farms, while weanlings have been left out. If housing young calves, don’t limit straw usage. It’s critical that calves have a clean and dry bed – free from any low-lying draughts.

Make sure all calves are settled and sucking once housed. Meal should be fed to cows once housed, especially if silage quality is only average. Feeding 2kg of a weanling or finishing ration will be fine. This will help avoid body condition loss and also help maintain milk yield. If weanlings remain outdoors, try to move them to drier fields with shelter. Moving into smaller groups may also work and will help to minimise damage.

With calving and lambing under way, shed space is at a minimum on many farms, so housing isn’t an option. Once weanlings have feed and shelter, they will be fine outdoors. If cows and calves have to remain outdoors, take precautions against tetany. A bolus or feeding meal with cal-mag are the best forms of prevention. While licks are handy, intakes can be variable and you have no way of knowing how much magnesium is going into the cows.

Vaccinations: Cows should receive their annual booster at least two weeks prior to the onset of breeding for both BVD and Lepto.

For bought-in animals or maiden heifers that require both courses of a two shot programme, the primary shot should be administered about six weeks prior to breeding, with the booster administered two weeks prior to the start of breeding.

It’s important that the bull receives his booster shot also, and that bought-in bulls are given an initial shot and the booster shot. Vaccinations should be timed with other management tasks to avoid unnecessary handling of animals.