At this stage, the farmers are concentrating on maintaining grass quality, supplementing where necessary and keeping on top of the worming programme.

Grassland management

There are a variety of grazing practices being practiced. Where possible, the farmers are operating rotational grazing to maintain calves on good quality grass. In the past week, the participants have struggled to keep grass quality in check due to high growth rates and grass heading out. The ideal pre-grazing covers the farmers are targeting 6cm to 7cm (1,000kg to 1,200Dm/ha), where calves are grazing on their own. In a leader follower system, pre-grazing covers of up to 10cm (1,600kgDm/ha) can be targeted provided that suitable older stock are used to graze out paddocks after the calves.

In this scenario, the calves will only pick lightly at leafy grass. Where calves are grazed alone, ideally they should not be forced to graze out paddocks to 4cm unless careful grass budgeting is carried out regularly and pre-grazing covers are no greater than 7cm (1,200kgDm/ha).

Meal feeding at grass is continuing on several farms in the programme, with very few farmers choosing not to supplement during the main grazing season.

The calves will still be supplemented for 30 days post turnout and pre-housing.

Results from the participating farmers in the programme over the past two years has shown that with excellent grassland management, supplementation at grass can be avoided without negatively affecting liveweight gain or target housing weight. Where supplementation is continuing, approximately 1kg of concentrates are being fed per head per day. Given a typical ration cost of €300/tonne and a 200-day grazing period, feeding 1kg of concentrates per day will cost approximately €42/head.

Worming

Worming is well underway on all farms in the programme with a variety of different programmes and products being used.

Lungworms and gutworms are the main parasites being targeted. The farmers will alternate dosing products as the summer progresses to avoid the possibility of resistance building up to any specific product.

Last year, faecal samples were taken to monitor worm and fluke burdens.

Faecal samples will be analysed again with the aim of identifying liver activity. As the year progresses and fluke becomes an issue, then treatment will be carried out after housing. If a severe problem is evident, a two-dose strategy may be adopted, one before and one after housing.

With a second round of dosing being carried out in the next week or two, and with aftergrass starting to grow, calves will be moved approximately three days after dosing to clean aftergrass on some of the farms making use of quality grass and clean pastures in terms of worm burdens.