Supplementing housed cows: I have been talking to a few farmers in the past week who have had to re-house cows, but silage supplies are low. With more unsettled and wet weather forecast, it is crucial to act early with fodder, to avoid lower fertility rates or decreased thrive. If silage supplies are tight, it may be well worth looking at buying additional silage now, before demand gets too high, or look at the option of feeding some concentrates and restricting silage intake to cows. Buying silage will in most cases be the most common option, but sourcing good-quality silage is essential. Early spring herds will be approaching the start of breeding, and in some cases breeding is underway.

It is essential to keep energy intake high and, where possible, to avoid any major dietary changes as increased repeat levels could be an issue. Where silage quality is poor consider feeding 2-3kg of concentrates per day to try and keep energy levels and milk supply as high as possible. Where silage supplies are tight, increasing the meal level to 4-5kg/day per cow will allow silage to be restricted to 26-28kg fresh weight per head. If the silage quality available is low, do not restrict intake. Straw and meal is another option but will be very uncommon. If this option is being looked at, ensure that the ration is balanced for minerals and contains at least 18% protein.

Health issues: With housing of cattle widespread, it is important that you avoid any health issues in the shed. Where re-housing has to take place, try and do so on a dry day, or before the rain. Young calves will be at a high risk of pneumonia and scour. Ensure that cattle and calves are herded at least twice per day. Watch for early signs of sickness, and if a calf appears dull or listless, ensure that it is isolated quickly and treated to avoid spreading the illness.

Where calves are housed, ensure that the calf creep areas are well bedded, this will keep calves reasonably warm and will help to reduce the risk of scour issues. Where there is scour, early treatment will be essential.

Where cows are out grazing in unsettled weather, and are starting the second rotation, the risk of grass tetany is increasing. Magnesium supplementation is critical. Most common methods include lick bucket and boluses.

Clostridial vaccines: Although the weather is difficult at the moment, don’t forget the essentials. Where there has been a history of clostridial diseases on farms, vaccination is necessary. Ideally, a booster vaccine should be given prior to turnout to allow for maximum protection. Immunity can be passed from cow to calf after calving through colostrum, and this may protect calves for the first eight weeks or so. However, a vaccination programme for calves should be paramount where a history of diseases exists. Younger cattle and calves that have not been vaccinated before will require two vaccinations about four to six weeks apart. As with all vaccines, maximum protection will not take place until one to two weeks after the second or booster shot.