Grass growth: Soil temperatures have increased above 5°C to 6°C in recent days. Grass growth has improved but growth rates on many swards with a cover of grass are being limited by nitrogen deficiency (starting to turn from green to yellow in colour). Ideally, applying nitrogen (N) will help boost grass growth. However, ground conditions remain very difficult with many heavy soils still waterlogged. Those on drier soils have experienced some reprieve in the last few days and are in a better position to apply fertilizer. The long-term weather forecast for early next week predicts mainly dry, settled and mild weather, although temperatures will be cool at night.
Even where fertilizer cannot yet be applied, it is important to be in a position to move once conditions allow with demand increasing rapidly post-lambing. Lowly stocked farms should apply 20 to 25 units N per acre, while heavily stocked farms can apply 35 to 40 units N per acre. With urea costing €350 to €380/t, it is costing about €0.80/kg nitrogen and is more competitively priced than CAN at €275 to €320/t (€1.07/kg).
In the absence of sufficient grass supplies, alternative solutions will need to be adopted. On pages 12 and 13 of the animal health Focus, Michael Gottstein, Teagasc, details options for flockowners faced with a range of difficulties.
Orf virus: Some vets and flockowners report a higher incidence of orf virus in lambs and on the teats of ewes. Lambs suckling more often and eating creep/meal from troughs due to the poor weather has increased the risk of disease spread. There is one vaccine licensed, Scabivax. Remember, it is a live vaccine and therefore should not be used where there is no history of problems on the farm. As orf is a virus, there is no straightforward treatment and the virus generally runs its course over a number of weeks. Adopting high levels of management and preventing secondary bacterial infections of the lesions will help lambs overcome problems. Antibiotic treatment may be required where an infection has occurred. Supplementary feeding should be offered to lambs restricted suckling by the presence of mouth lesions.
In-lamb ewe hoggets: In-lamb yearling ewe hoggets entering late pregnancy will be coming under increased nutritional pressure to meet combined demands of maintenance requirements, their own growth and a rapidly growing foetus (or foetuses). It is essential ewe hoggets are offered a high-energy diet to satisfy demand, with supplementation introduced in adequate time. Many flockowners feed a flat-rate level of concentrate supplementation of 0.25kg to 0.3kg to single-bearing ewes and 0.5kg to 0.6kg to twin-bearing ewes in the final weeks of pregnancy along with good quality forage. Where animals are supplemented outdoors with poor grass supplies or are offered poor quality forage, supplementation rates may need to be raised.
Foster ewe/pet lambs: The Irish Farmers Journal Toplink classifieds is offering temporary free online ads for farmers looking to source/offering pet lambs or foster ewes. Log onto www.toplink.ie and use the code “toplink3” to claim the free advert.
Grass growth: Soil temperatures have increased above 5°C to 6°C in recent days. Grass growth has improved but growth rates on many swards with a cover of grass are being limited by nitrogen deficiency (starting to turn from green to yellow in colour). Ideally, applying nitrogen (N) will help boost grass growth. However, ground conditions remain very difficult with many heavy soils still waterlogged. Those on drier soils have experienced some reprieve in the last few days and are in a better position to apply fertilizer. The long-term weather forecast for early next week predicts mainly dry, settled and mild weather, although temperatures will be cool at night.
Even where fertilizer cannot yet be applied, it is important to be in a position to move once conditions allow with demand increasing rapidly post-lambing. Lowly stocked farms should apply 20 to 25 units N per acre, while heavily stocked farms can apply 35 to 40 units N per acre. With urea costing €350 to €380/t, it is costing about €0.80/kg nitrogen and is more competitively priced than CAN at €275 to €320/t (€1.07/kg).
In the absence of sufficient grass supplies, alternative solutions will need to be adopted. On pages 12 and 13 of the animal health Focus, Michael Gottstein, Teagasc, details options for flockowners faced with a range of difficulties.
Orf virus: Some vets and flockowners report a higher incidence of orf virus in lambs and on the teats of ewes. Lambs suckling more often and eating creep/meal from troughs due to the poor weather has increased the risk of disease spread. There is one vaccine licensed, Scabivax. Remember, it is a live vaccine and therefore should not be used where there is no history of problems on the farm. As orf is a virus, there is no straightforward treatment and the virus generally runs its course over a number of weeks. Adopting high levels of management and preventing secondary bacterial infections of the lesions will help lambs overcome problems. Antibiotic treatment may be required where an infection has occurred. Supplementary feeding should be offered to lambs restricted suckling by the presence of mouth lesions.
In-lamb ewe hoggets: In-lamb yearling ewe hoggets entering late pregnancy will be coming under increased nutritional pressure to meet combined demands of maintenance requirements, their own growth and a rapidly growing foetus (or foetuses). It is essential ewe hoggets are offered a high-energy diet to satisfy demand, with supplementation introduced in adequate time. Many flockowners feed a flat-rate level of concentrate supplementation of 0.25kg to 0.3kg to single-bearing ewes and 0.5kg to 0.6kg to twin-bearing ewes in the final weeks of pregnancy along with good quality forage. Where animals are supplemented outdoors with poor grass supplies or are offered poor quality forage, supplementation rates may need to be raised.
Foster ewe/pet lambs: The Irish Farmers Journal Toplink classifieds is offering temporary free online ads for farmers looking to source/offering pet lambs or foster ewes. Log onto www.toplink.ie and use the code “toplink3” to claim the free advert.
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