Calving is progressing well on Newford Farm, with about 30% of the 98 cows calved since calving began in earnest at the start of the month.

A couple of cows calved ahead of time in the final 10 days of January. These calves are hardy at this stage and part of a small batch that were released to a sheltered paddock beside the farmyard on Tuesday. These cows and calves were rehoused on Friday ahead of forecast storm conditions and will be turned back outdoors as soon as weather conditions allow.

A small number of cows and calves were released outdoors on Tuesday and rehoused on Friday as a precaution ahead of storm Ciara.

Farm manager Iarlaith Collins said ground conditions were coming along nicely before storm Ciara hit this weekend. This facilitated some slurry being applied on drier ground on an outfarm block at 2,000gals/acre earlier in the week along with slurry being applied on some paddocks with low covers on the Newford block. Slurry was applied by trailing shoe. Heavier covers on the Newford block received an application of urea applied at a rate of half a bag per acre.

Calving management

Iarlaith says calving is going well, with most cows calving unassisted. There have been a few cases of mortality and three calves lost. One of these resulted from a cow lying on her calf. Another calf was lost in a breach birth of a set of twin calves while the other death was recorded as a stillbirth.

Cows and calves are typically spending 24 hours in an individual calving pen before being grouped in small batches on straw bedding.

The next move will depend on weather, with cows and calves turned out if weather permits. If weather and ground conditions are unfavourable, a temporary creep area which has worked well in recent years can be set up in a feeding passage.