Spring-calving suckler cows (calved)

One thing I have noticed on lots of farms in recent weeks is that freshly calved cows are still eating dry cow diets.

They haven’t been able to get to grass with their calves and so creep areas have been set up to let young calves in to suck, while the cows go back into the dry cow pen temporarily. The problem here is that dry cows may still be on a restricted energy diet.

The period between calving and conception (post-partum interval) is the most important in a suckler’s production cycle. We need to keep it as short as possible and the key to this is driving energy intake. A cow’s energy requirement will jump by 50% post-calving and if we don’t provide it in the diet she will utilise her own fat reserves.

When our animal uses up lots of her own reserves, her reproductive system will become sluggish – lengthening her post-partum interval.

Separate fresh-calvers from restricted animals as soon as possible post-calving. They need to go on your “weanling silage” - >70% DMD.

Overly thin cows and heifers should go on to this silage and 1kg of a magnesium nut to prevent grass tetany.

It is also no harm to supplement all calved cows with a magnesium nut on top of their silage – we’re killing two birds by reducing the tetany risk and preventing condition loss. When these animals can get to good spring grass, we can pull supplement. If they’re getting out, but “out” is to a bare paddock around the yard, keep the meals in.

Spring-calving suckler cows (dry)

Try to keep cows full in the weeks leading up to their due date. Too much restriction here can lead to displaced abomasums and difficulty at calving time. The advice for a dry suckler cow to maintain condition is 65% DMD silage to appetite. It was fine to offer better-quality silage at a restricted rate up to now, but don’t forget that our cow’s energy demand will have been rising as the calf developed in her uterus. So, if cows had been getting restricted high-quality silage to now and are within three to four weeks of calving, offer 70% DMD silage to appetite or 75% DMD silage with straw or along with poorer-quality silage (33% of diet) if straw is scarce.

Autumn-calving suckler cows

Silage quality and breeding time dictates our autumn suckler’s menu. Prior to breeding, a lactating autumn suckler cow on 70% DMD silage will need 2kg of a very simple energy mix. Where we have 75% DMD silage or greater, this rate can come down to 1kg. Farmers with terminal-type fleshy cows will maintain that they can get their cow back in-calf and maintain a 365-day calving interval with top-quality silage alone and, given the feed efficiency that these genetics often bring, this can be possible.

For me, a lactating autumn suckler should get some supplementation up to breeding as an insurance policy – remember how variable silage can be. Once these cows are bred successfully, 75% DMD can be fed alone to them until they get to grass. Keep 0.5kg of meals in the diet until turnout, where silage quality is at 70% DMD.

Autumn 2017-born calves

Many autumn-calvers will apportion more of their concentrate inputs to their calves. Feed efficiency and age are inversely related – better the younger the animal is – so this is a worthwhile practice.

Also, concentrate intake will help to develop the animal’s digestive system, so that when they go to grass in the spring they will be able to make excellent use of the forage on offer. A well-developed rumen and top-quality spring grass is a formidable cocktail. Coarse rations will develop the stomach most effectively and, because the calf has milk on tap, cereal-based, palatable rations should be our focus as opposed to crude protein levels.

Stock bulls

Be wary of new stock bulls and their previous diets – particularly young bulls. Bulls should be going straight to work cows from a diet of silage and minimal supplementation – <2kg.

However, any dietary transition needs to be made gradually. So, when you’re buying a bull in the coming weeks, find out his diet pre-sale – which was likely a high-concentrate one – and gradually pull him back by the equivalent of 1kg every four to five days.

Yearling heifers and steers

Take meals out of the diet two to three weeks before turnout to minimise the gut fill change effects. However, when doing so we need to make sure that a plentiful supply of top-quality silage is on offer (>70% DMD) at all times. Reduce meals by 1kg every four to five days. Be realistic about turnout dates.

If infrastructure allows us to go to grass by day, we should absolutely do so. Don’t offer huge amounts of silage when the animal comes back indoors – we want them hungry going to grass the following morning.

Yearling bulls

The gold standard for bull beef systems is for an animal to be 500kg on their first birthday. In reality, 450kg is fine. Spring 2017-born (1 March) animals should be consuming 5kg to 7kg of ration along with top-quality grass silage around now. At this point we can begin the transition from a grower to a finishing ration. This will help to save costs.

At levels of 8kg of concentrates or more, we can substitute top-quality silage for straw, hay or lower-quality grass silage. However, the quality of this grass silage must be such that palatability is not an issue. Effective long fibre is very important in the diet right through to slaughter.

Many farmers will already have their animals built up to ad libitum at this point, which is fine too.

When continental genetics are in the mix, we rarely see excessive fats in under 16 month systems.

Upper weight limits may become an issue though, where animals are on ad-lib concentrates for long periods prior to slaughter at 15 months. Weight limits were seldom an issue in 2017, but it is impossible to say whether this will be the case this summer.

Under-fat animals crept up as an issue in under-16-month systems in 2017. Aim for a minimum of 100 days of ad-libitum feeding prior to slaughter to ensure you’re in the clear.