Calving is well under way with 50 of the 70 cows now calved.
Although calving has progressed well nature did take its course on Monday last when a cow with a twisted calfbed needed to be C-sectioned.
Both the cow and calf are healthy with Shaun carefully monitoring the pair.
No cattle are out at grass yet due to the poor weather conditions hopefully if the weather improves next week Shaun intends to start letting out first calved heifers and cows with calves in small groups as there is some covers of 1,200 to 1,400kg DM/ha.
With the poor weather, nutrient application has been slow. However, 55 acres has been spread with 24 units of protected urea/acre, with an additional 26,000gls of slurry spread on dry ground that is also earmarked for early grazing.
With the prolonged winter the farm is in a good position for fodder with a good supply still remaining and the first cut pit from 2025 still to be opened.
This week, the breeding heifers will receive their BVD and lepto vaccinations prior to the breeding season commencing.
Shaun also intends to vaccinate the herd for bluetongue prior to the breeding season.
Cows and calves still housed on Tullamore Farm. \ Claire Nash
Sheep
With calving well under way, attention now turns to the sheep flock ahead of lambing.
All the sheep sheds were cleaned out and disinfected ahead of the 10 March kick-off date for the ewes, with the ewe lambs due from 25 March.
There have been three pre-lambing abortions in the sheep, with all lambs sent to the lab for testing, with none of the major diseases detected.
All ewes have now received their clostridial vaccinations and are receiving concentrate supplementation.
Single-bearing ewes are receiving no meal yet, but, once lambed, will be getting 500g/day for the first six weeks. Ewe lambs and ewes carrying twins are receiving 700g/day of a 20% protein concentrate and ewes carrying triplets receiving 850g/day of a 20% nut.
If the weather permits, Shaun intends to let out 40 of the easycare ewes carrying twins to paddocks beside the yard for lambing to free up shed space, as there is grass saved for them.
Some of the ewes on Tullamore Farm ahead of lambing due to kick of this week.\ Claire Nash
Calving is well under way with 50 of the 70 cows now calved.
Although calving has progressed well nature did take its course on Monday last when a cow with a twisted calfbed needed to be C-sectioned.
Both the cow and calf are healthy with Shaun carefully monitoring the pair.
No cattle are out at grass yet due to the poor weather conditions hopefully if the weather improves next week Shaun intends to start letting out first calved heifers and cows with calves in small groups as there is some covers of 1,200 to 1,400kg DM/ha.
With the poor weather, nutrient application has been slow. However, 55 acres has been spread with 24 units of protected urea/acre, with an additional 26,000gls of slurry spread on dry ground that is also earmarked for early grazing.
With the prolonged winter the farm is in a good position for fodder with a good supply still remaining and the first cut pit from 2025 still to be opened.
This week, the breeding heifers will receive their BVD and lepto vaccinations prior to the breeding season commencing.
Shaun also intends to vaccinate the herd for bluetongue prior to the breeding season.
Cows and calves still housed on Tullamore Farm. \ Claire Nash
Sheep
With calving well under way, attention now turns to the sheep flock ahead of lambing.
All the sheep sheds were cleaned out and disinfected ahead of the 10 March kick-off date for the ewes, with the ewe lambs due from 25 March.
There have been three pre-lambing abortions in the sheep, with all lambs sent to the lab for testing, with none of the major diseases detected.
All ewes have now received their clostridial vaccinations and are receiving concentrate supplementation.
Single-bearing ewes are receiving no meal yet, but, once lambed, will be getting 500g/day for the first six weeks. Ewe lambs and ewes carrying twins are receiving 700g/day of a 20% protein concentrate and ewes carrying triplets receiving 850g/day of a 20% nut.
If the weather permits, Shaun intends to let out 40 of the easycare ewes carrying twins to paddocks beside the yard for lambing to free up shed space, as there is grass saved for them.
Some of the ewes on Tullamore Farm ahead of lambing due to kick of this week.\ Claire Nash
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