Most farmers will have started thinking of the winter period, with parts of the west and northwest already having cattle housed. Winter is the most expensive season on farms. Our concentrate and winter health focus offers some timely advice ahead of the winter.
With grass supplies varying and ground conditions getting wetter by the week, on page 47 Darren Carty takes us through 10 tips for finishing lambs this winter.
On pages 48 and 49, David Wright reports on a recent event organised by Thompson feeds, highlighting how concentrate consumption is critical to developing the calves’ rumen ahead of a transition away from a milk diet.
Darren Carty was at a recent event in Tuam Mart organised by Teagasc, Munster Bovine and the Irish Farmers Journal, where Aurivo nutritionist and technical manager Daniel Hession stressed the importance of understanding what exactly is in concentrate formulations. Purchasing the cheapest concentrate per tonne can save money at the time of purchase but it could have knock-on effects in terms of reducing the animal’s performance over the winter months.
As dairy farmers turn their heads toward winter management, drying off cows and management over the dry period is critical to maintaining a low level of mastitis in herds. Daire Cregg offers five key steps farmers can take when drying off cows over the coming weeks.
Every November, the Department of Agriculture Food and Marine publishes its liver fluke predictor; we have some timely advice on page 53 ahead of the upcoming housing period when most fluke dosing generally takes place.
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