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Weather forecasts show drier weather towards the end of the week, which will see some farmers thinking about letting lighter cattle out to grass.
On farms where this may be an option, a bit of planning goes a long way to keeping cattle settled outside.
Think about which cattle will be best suited to early grazing. Consider replacement heifers that will struggle to meet target breeding weight in May or June.
Other animals to consider are autumn weanlings, possibly through on-off grazing. Light steers could also go out to grass.
Start small
With early turnout, start with small groups and build numbers as ground conditions and sward covers allow.
Turning too many cattle out too soon will cause problems if the weather breaks suddenly. Smaller groups will be easier on the ground.
Turning cattle out in the morning allows animals to settle during the day. Cut the feed from cattle overnight, so that animals go out to grass hungry.
Make sure animals are up to date with any vaccines required, replace any missing ear tags and keep a note of which animals go out to grass.
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