Ground conditions have gone from bad to worse at Newford Farm over the last week.
Further prolonged periods of heavy rainfall has been most damaging in the Cones block of land, where reseeding took place in May.
Concentrates have been introduced this week and are being fed on a farm roadway to prevent poaching around troughs.
To reduce grazing intensity and limit damage, a batch of the 32 strongest heifers were removed and returned to the Newford grazing block at the start of the week.
Limited scope
Farm manager Iarlaith Collins explains there is limited scope to graze heifers here, with 19.66ha of ground closed for silage, while a batch of cows and calves is keeping well on top of the remaining 6.47ha.
With no other option, heifers have been grazing a paddock that was closed up late for silage and had the lowest cover of grass present.
The average weight of the 32 heifers which returned to the Newford block is 536kg. Heifers achieved an average daily live weight gain of 0.93kg since turnout on 27 February.
Concentrates have been since introduced to these heifers and are being offered in troughs on the farm roadway.
The batch of heifers were weighed on their return and averaged 536kg, with a range in weight from 472kg to 604kg.
Heifers appear to be better quality than their comrades
The group of 32 heifers achieved an average daily gain of 0.93kg liveweight since turnout on 27 February, with the 21 heifers remaining in Cones further away from finishing.
Heifers appear to be better quality than their comrades in recent years, but look to be still five to six weeks away from being fit for slaughter.
Given the farm is struggling to build autumn grass reserves, a decision may be taken in the coming day to house this group.
Silage ground
Options are being limited by the majority of the Newford block being out of commission for grazing.
Weather-dependent, the plan is to hopefully mow this ground on Sunday and pick it on Monday.
Pressure on grass supplies is being compounded by poor grass utilisation and stock being less content.
Iarlaith says that paddocks which were lasting 48 hours are now lasting just half this length.
A massive volume of 226.8mm of rainfall has fallen in Newford Farm in the first three weeks of August.
The lower half of the Gort Na Habhainn land block is also inaccessible at present, with six of the 12 acres under a flood of water, while the remaining six have a lower cover and would last no length given how wet this area is.
As such, the reprieve in weather since Friday is badly needed to continue.
Health concerns
Weanlings will receive their IBR booster next week.
This will help guard against disease establishing with the changeable weather, but will also open up the opportunity of early weaning in the coming weeks if required.
Dung samples have also been collected last week and it is likely weanlings will also receive a treatment for worms.
Cows are also being offered access to high-magnesium lick buckets to guard against a higher risk of tetany.
Ground conditions have gone from bad to worse at Newford Farm over the last week.
Further prolonged periods of heavy rainfall has been most damaging in the Cones block of land, where reseeding took place in May.
Concentrates have been introduced this week and are being fed on a farm roadway to prevent poaching around troughs.
To reduce grazing intensity and limit damage, a batch of the 32 strongest heifers were removed and returned to the Newford grazing block at the start of the week.
Limited scope
Farm manager Iarlaith Collins explains there is limited scope to graze heifers here, with 19.66ha of ground closed for silage, while a batch of cows and calves is keeping well on top of the remaining 6.47ha.
With no other option, heifers have been grazing a paddock that was closed up late for silage and had the lowest cover of grass present.
The average weight of the 32 heifers which returned to the Newford block is 536kg. Heifers achieved an average daily live weight gain of 0.93kg since turnout on 27 February.
Concentrates have been since introduced to these heifers and are being offered in troughs on the farm roadway.
The batch of heifers were weighed on their return and averaged 536kg, with a range in weight from 472kg to 604kg.
Heifers appear to be better quality than their comrades
The group of 32 heifers achieved an average daily gain of 0.93kg liveweight since turnout on 27 February, with the 21 heifers remaining in Cones further away from finishing.
Heifers appear to be better quality than their comrades in recent years, but look to be still five to six weeks away from being fit for slaughter.
Given the farm is struggling to build autumn grass reserves, a decision may be taken in the coming day to house this group.
Silage ground
Options are being limited by the majority of the Newford block being out of commission for grazing.
Weather-dependent, the plan is to hopefully mow this ground on Sunday and pick it on Monday.
Pressure on grass supplies is being compounded by poor grass utilisation and stock being less content.
Iarlaith says that paddocks which were lasting 48 hours are now lasting just half this length.
A massive volume of 226.8mm of rainfall has fallen in Newford Farm in the first three weeks of August.
The lower half of the Gort Na Habhainn land block is also inaccessible at present, with six of the 12 acres under a flood of water, while the remaining six have a lower cover and would last no length given how wet this area is.
As such, the reprieve in weather since Friday is badly needed to continue.
Health concerns
Weanlings will receive their IBR booster next week.
This will help guard against disease establishing with the changeable weather, but will also open up the opportunity of early weaning in the coming weeks if required.
Dung samples have also been collected last week and it is likely weanlings will also receive a treatment for worms.
Cows are also being offered access to high-magnesium lick buckets to guard against a higher risk of tetany.
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