Grass: It’s near perfect conditions for grazing at the moment. Make the most of it and get your cattle out if possible, as it’s a treble win. First of all, you will reduce your costs by moving animals from a silage and meal diet to a grass diet. Grazing a 350kg weanling can reduce your costs by half. Secondly, weanlings can double their liveweight gain by being turned outdoors onto early spring grass. Weight gains of over 1kg/day can be achieved on grass, while weanlings can struggle to gain 0.5kg/day indoors on a silage diet. Thirdly, kick-starting growth. Grazing off paddocks will encourage growth and make sure you have enough grass when demand rises in the coming weeks. You can cease meal feeding to weanlings if you think you will be able to turn them out in the next two weeks. Allowing animals into a yard area before turnout can help reduce excitement and letting them out hungry will also help them settle better. Getting out fertiliser when land is dry is important. You should have nitrogen spread at this stage. If P and K are low, a compound fertiliser will be better. Watery slurry is a good option on fields grazed off early. Try to graze tight in good weather. If the weather changes and cleanouts are not as good, you can graze tighter in the next round.
Calving issues: Calving seems to be going well around the country. Cows and calves have been turned out to pasture on a lot of farms, reducing disease build up, straw usage and labour input. It’s important to keep a close eye on young calves outdoors. Check for navel infections and make sure all calves are sucking and following their mothers. Try to keep young calves in sheltered paddocks, as weather conditions may not stay as good as they are at the moment.
Derogation deadline: The 2019 derogation application is currently open and the closing date is 31 March 2019. Farmers who exceeded the limits (or came close) in 2018 should consider applying for a derogation in 2019, which caters for farmers to apply fertiliser on a holding (including animal manure) above 170kg N/ha/year up to 250kg N/ha/year. Farmers can log onto agfood.ie to check their nitrogen and phosphorus statements for January to December 2018.
Mart demos: This week’s mart demo takes place at Aurivo Mart, Balla, Co Mayo, on Thursday 28 February at 7pm. The Irish Farmers Journal livestock team will be there to talk about Brexit implications and market outlook. Calf health will be discussed by vet Tommy Heffernan, along with a livestock display.
Next week’s venues are:
Enniskillen Mart, Co Fermanagh, on Monday 4 March at 7.30pm.Clare Marts, Ennis, Co Clare, on Wednesday 6 March at 7pm (KT-approved event).Swatragh Mart, Co Derry, on Thursday 7 March at 7.30pm.
Grass: It’s near perfect conditions for grazing at the moment. Make the most of it and get your cattle out if possible, as it’s a treble win. First of all, you will reduce your costs by moving animals from a silage and meal diet to a grass diet. Grazing a 350kg weanling can reduce your costs by half. Secondly, weanlings can double their liveweight gain by being turned outdoors onto early spring grass. Weight gains of over 1kg/day can be achieved on grass, while weanlings can struggle to gain 0.5kg/day indoors on a silage diet. Thirdly, kick-starting growth. Grazing off paddocks will encourage growth and make sure you have enough grass when demand rises in the coming weeks. You can cease meal feeding to weanlings if you think you will be able to turn them out in the next two weeks. Allowing animals into a yard area before turnout can help reduce excitement and letting them out hungry will also help them settle better. Getting out fertiliser when land is dry is important. You should have nitrogen spread at this stage. If P and K are low, a compound fertiliser will be better. Watery slurry is a good option on fields grazed off early. Try to graze tight in good weather. If the weather changes and cleanouts are not as good, you can graze tighter in the next round.
Calving issues: Calving seems to be going well around the country. Cows and calves have been turned out to pasture on a lot of farms, reducing disease build up, straw usage and labour input. It’s important to keep a close eye on young calves outdoors. Check for navel infections and make sure all calves are sucking and following their mothers. Try to keep young calves in sheltered paddocks, as weather conditions may not stay as good as they are at the moment.
Derogation deadline: The 2019 derogation application is currently open and the closing date is 31 March 2019. Farmers who exceeded the limits (or came close) in 2018 should consider applying for a derogation in 2019, which caters for farmers to apply fertiliser on a holding (including animal manure) above 170kg N/ha/year up to 250kg N/ha/year. Farmers can log onto agfood.ie to check their nitrogen and phosphorus statements for January to December 2018.
Mart demos: This week’s mart demo takes place at Aurivo Mart, Balla, Co Mayo, on Thursday 28 February at 7pm. The Irish Farmers Journal livestock team will be there to talk about Brexit implications and market outlook. Calf health will be discussed by vet Tommy Heffernan, along with a livestock display.
Next week’s venues are:
Enniskillen Mart, Co Fermanagh, on Monday 4 March at 7.30pm.Clare Marts, Ennis, Co Clare, on Wednesday 6 March at 7pm (KT-approved event).Swatragh Mart, Co Derry, on Thursday 7 March at 7.30pm. 
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