The return of heavy rainfall over the past week has led to ground conditions deteriorating rapidly.
With more rain and possibly snow forecast this weekend, farmers who turned cattle out to grass in February may now need to rehouse animal to prevent sward damage from unsettled cattle.
Not a negative
Taking the decision to rehouse cattle should not be viewed as a negative or that animals would have been better off left in sheds.
Any attempt to improve livestock performance and reduce feed costs is good herd management and rehousing animals should be seen as taking a proactive approach to protect grazing swards.
On most beef farms, the numbers of cattle at grass are likely to be small and generally limited to light stores or freshly calved cows.
Outlined are a series of tips to consider should cattle have to be rehoused this week.
As far as possible, housing cattle while dry reduces the risk of respiratory problems once animals come back inside, although this is not always possible.
Plan ahead based on weather forecasts and ground conditions. If there is a break in the weather, try to use this as an opportunity to house cattle to get them inside as dry as possible.
Failing that, you may just have to bite the bullet and house animals while they are wet, but be extra vigilant for pneumonia within 24 to 48 hours from housing.
House heavier animals first
House cows and heavier store cattle first, as they are most likely to poach ground as they become unsettled.
Young calves will struggle to regulate body heat and are at higher risk of developing pneumonia and should also be housed.
Lighter store cattle will be inflicting less ground damage and can be housed last.
When rehousing, is it possible to spread animals out in sheds to reduce stocking density, especially if cattle are housed while they are wet.
Alternatively, can other farm buildings, such as a roofed silo, be used as a cattle shed for cows and calves to reduce stocking pressures on housing facilities.
Spreading cattle out in sheds will reduce the risk of pneumonia shortly after rehousing, as airflow is improved and animals are less likely to overheat.
Make sure there is plenty of air flow in sheds, but no draughts.
Feed meals as soon as animals are rehoused and continue to do so over the next week.
Offer meals morning and night, feeding cattle 1kg/head during each feed.
The purpose of this is to observe cattle coming forward to eat.
Any animal that is slow to come forward and eat meals is likely in the early stages of pneumonia and early action can be taken.
Straw, straw, straw
Cattle coming in from grazing will have very loose dung, so bedding can become wet and heavily soiled.
Make sure that calves have access to a creep area where they have plenty of clean dry straw to lie on.
If sheds do not have a purpose-built creep area, can a temporary one be made using a creep gate and hurdles?
Wet bedding will impact on a calf’s immunity, making it more susceptible to disease.
As a rule of thumb, if you kneel down in the calf creep and your knee becomes damp, then additional straw is required for bedding.
Read more
Tullamore Farm: cows and calves housed as weather turns
Lambing Live 2019: Irish Farmers Journal Facebook event to highlight top tips
The return of heavy rainfall over the past week has led to ground conditions deteriorating rapidly.
With more rain and possibly snow forecast this weekend, farmers who turned cattle out to grass in February may now need to rehouse animal to prevent sward damage from unsettled cattle.
Not a negative
Taking the decision to rehouse cattle should not be viewed as a negative or that animals would have been better off left in sheds.
Any attempt to improve livestock performance and reduce feed costs is good herd management and rehousing animals should be seen as taking a proactive approach to protect grazing swards.
On most beef farms, the numbers of cattle at grass are likely to be small and generally limited to light stores or freshly calved cows.
Outlined are a series of tips to consider should cattle have to be rehoused this week.
As far as possible, housing cattle while dry reduces the risk of respiratory problems once animals come back inside, although this is not always possible.
Plan ahead based on weather forecasts and ground conditions. If there is a break in the weather, try to use this as an opportunity to house cattle to get them inside as dry as possible.
Failing that, you may just have to bite the bullet and house animals while they are wet, but be extra vigilant for pneumonia within 24 to 48 hours from housing.
House heavier animals first
House cows and heavier store cattle first, as they are most likely to poach ground as they become unsettled.
Young calves will struggle to regulate body heat and are at higher risk of developing pneumonia and should also be housed.
Lighter store cattle will be inflicting less ground damage and can be housed last.
When rehousing, is it possible to spread animals out in sheds to reduce stocking density, especially if cattle are housed while they are wet.
Alternatively, can other farm buildings, such as a roofed silo, be used as a cattle shed for cows and calves to reduce stocking pressures on housing facilities.
Spreading cattle out in sheds will reduce the risk of pneumonia shortly after rehousing, as airflow is improved and animals are less likely to overheat.
Make sure there is plenty of air flow in sheds, but no draughts.
Feed meals as soon as animals are rehoused and continue to do so over the next week.
Offer meals morning and night, feeding cattle 1kg/head during each feed.
The purpose of this is to observe cattle coming forward to eat.
Any animal that is slow to come forward and eat meals is likely in the early stages of pneumonia and early action can be taken.
Straw, straw, straw
Cattle coming in from grazing will have very loose dung, so bedding can become wet and heavily soiled.
Make sure that calves have access to a creep area where they have plenty of clean dry straw to lie on.
If sheds do not have a purpose-built creep area, can a temporary one be made using a creep gate and hurdles?
Wet bedding will impact on a calf’s immunity, making it more susceptible to disease.
As a rule of thumb, if you kneel down in the calf creep and your knee becomes damp, then additional straw is required for bedding.
Read more
Tullamore Farm: cows and calves housed as weather turns
Lambing Live 2019: Irish Farmers Journal Facebook event to highlight top tips
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