Derrypatrick herd update: Feeding first-calved heifers to maintain condition
The Derrypatrick herd is an initiative by Teagasc aimed at researching optimal sustainable suckler beef systems. Liam McWeeney of Teagasc gives a weekly update on the farm.
There is now a total of 42 cows and calves at grass.
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A total of 80 cows have calved to date with 79 live calves on the ground, calving is going well with very few problems encountered. Gender of the calves is split 50:50; the average birth weight of the bull calves is 45.3 kg while the heifers are weighing 42.3 kg.
A further 32 cows were turned out to pasture on Thursday, meaning there is now a total of 42 cows and calves at grass. There are 16 first-calved heifers in a group by themselves and are receiving 2 kg of concentrates/head/day. To ensure this group of heifers, that calved at 24 months of age, do not lose any more condition, this level of supplementation will continue for another 7 to 10 days.
All cows and calves were weighed at turnout, and cows have free access to high magnesium lick buckets. The yearling heifers and steers will be turned out to pasture on Tuesday. They were due to be turned out last week but the ground just wasn’t dry enough and we wanted to avoid causing sward damage.
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The yearling bulls are currently on ad-libitum concentrates having been gradually built-up to this level over a two-week period. The weather has been dry over the past week with only 8mm of rain recorded, however we had with night frosts and ground temperatures are currently over 6 degrees Celsius.
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A total of 80 cows have calved to date with 79 live calves on the ground, calving is going well with very few problems encountered. Gender of the calves is split 50:50; the average birth weight of the bull calves is 45.3 kg while the heifers are weighing 42.3 kg.
A further 32 cows were turned out to pasture on Thursday, meaning there is now a total of 42 cows and calves at grass. There are 16 first-calved heifers in a group by themselves and are receiving 2 kg of concentrates/head/day. To ensure this group of heifers, that calved at 24 months of age, do not lose any more condition, this level of supplementation will continue for another 7 to 10 days.
All cows and calves were weighed at turnout, and cows have free access to high magnesium lick buckets. The yearling heifers and steers will be turned out to pasture on Tuesday. They were due to be turned out last week but the ground just wasn’t dry enough and we wanted to avoid causing sward damage.
The yearling bulls are currently on ad-libitum concentrates having been gradually built-up to this level over a two-week period. The weather has been dry over the past week with only 8mm of rain recorded, however we had with night frosts and ground temperatures are currently over 6 degrees Celsius.
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