Pregnancy-scanning spring-calving cows on the programme farms is now part and parcel of herd management. Scanning can be accurately carried out from 30 days after the bull has been removed from the herd.

While many farmers will scan cows, there is a tendency to leave scanning until cows are housed, as it makes it easier to handle cows once they are indoors.

However, there are multiple benefits to scanning of cows in September. First off, it will identify empty cows earlier. You can then make a decision to wean these cows now and sell them off grass, provided they are carrying plenty of flesh. Selling cull cows in early autumn will take pressure of the grazing ground and save on winter fodder.

Once scanned, barren cows that are in poor body condition can be separated for additional feeding at grass or housed for a short intensive finishing period of 30 to 40 days.

Benefits

With scanning giving a definite indication on the number of cows due to calve in spring, there is time to source in-calf animals if there is a high number of empty cows to cull this autumn.

Cows can also be grouped at housing based on calving date and body condition, which simplifies winter feeding.

With cows and calves being herded for scanning, there is also an opportunity to give calves either their first or second shot when vaccinating against pneumonia. This can be combined with a worm drench or an IBR vaccine, preparing calves for weaning.

Week in review

  • Autumn-calving cows are being given priority grazing over spring-calving cows.
  • Early spring-born calves are starting to be weaned on some farms, with dry cows housed.
  • Empty cows are being fattened for slaughter after weaning.
  • Where cows are housed, some farmers are allowing calves to creep out to grass during the day.
  • Farmer focus: Fionbharr Hamill, Downpatrick, Co Down

    Moving to spring calving to simplify management

    Autumn calving started in mid-August, with seven cows calved to date. There is still another six cows to calve in this group, but I have made the decision that this will be the last year for the autumn herd.

    The reason for this move is that autumn calving is just complicating my farming system. The majority of my suckler cows are spring-calving and expanding towards 100 cows. The autumn herd creates additional stocking groups to manage at grass and over winter.

    With such a small autumn herd, I feel the best direction for the farm is to operate a 100% spring-calving system.

    Of the cows that calved to date, I lost one calf and there were a couple of heifers that required assistance at calving. Since then, things have been much more hassle-free, with cows calving in a paddock beside the farm yard.

    All fresh-calved cows are at grass and, with sward quality good, no meal is being fed at the minute.

    Building the spring herd

    As the autumn cows are productive and suitable breeding animals, the plan is to let them run empty this winter and breed them next May.

    Realistically, there will probably be 10 to 12 cows to join the spring herd, as there will be one or two culls to be made. These cows will increase numbers to around 100 breeding females in the spring herd.

    This year, there were 93 cows and heifers put to the bull in the spring herd. This breaks down to 24 maiden heifers and 69 cows.

    They ran with an Angus bull, a Charolais bull and a new Limousin stock bull. I also used AI on 30 Angus-cross cows and noticed just one repeat. Cows will be scanned in around two weeks time, at which point spring-born calves will get their second shot as part of a pneumonia vaccination programme. Empty cows will be separated and fattened, along with five spring-calving cows that were not put to the bull this year.

    Replacements

    Another change I am making on farm is to source replacements from a local dairy farm. The plan is to source Limousin-cross-Friesian calves to rear through as heifers.

    With a lot of Angus breeding in my herd, this will bring more hybrid vigour into my cows. I will still keep some homebred replacements, but I am trying to move away from Angus-sired heifers from my Angus cows.

    Growing forage rape for winter feed

    Winter housing on farm is geared towards finishing cattle and weanlings more so than cows. In the past, cows were out-wintered on grazing ground and fed silage. Cows were usually housed prior to calving in bedded silos or on slats once finishing cattle were sold.

    To prevent poaching and rest grazing ground over winter, I have planted 11 acres of forage rape (Stego) and five acres of a kale/rape hybrid (Swift). The Swift will be used to winter the autumn-calving cows and some dry spring-calving cows. The Stego will carry approximately 45 dry spring-calving cows. Weather will undoubtedly have a bearing on stocking rates.

    Ground was ploughed, harrowed, sowed out and rolled, with seed planted on 29 July. It was slow to establish, but the crop has really started to thicken out recently.

    Farmyard manure was applied before ploughing. The crop also got two bags/acre of 15:16:16 (£288/t) and one bag/acre of CAN (£172/bale). The seed cost £7/kg for Swift and £4/kg for Stego.

    Cost

    Fertiliser and seed costs come to around £70/acre. All cultivation work was carried out using our own machinery, which makes it harder to put an exact cost on work carried out.

    But comparing it with costs of a contractor, it would be approximately £60/acre. This brings the total cost of growing the crop to around £130/acre.

    Cows will also be fed round baled silage on the Stego and Swift, plus minerals.

    They will also have access to a grass run-back. Cows will be offered one bale per day, which costs around £10/day to make on farm, although this may increase to two bales later in winter, depending on quickly they are eating the brassica crops.

    Over a 100-day period, it will cost around 65p/day to winter 45 cows on 11 acres for 100 days.

    Once the crop is grazed, cows will be brought home for calving. The two fields will be sown out in spring barley and then go back into grass for the following year.

    Read more

    Will silage quality make the cut?