Similar to across the country, heavy rain on Friday is continuing to hamper ground getting a chance to dry out and for Tullamore Farm manager Shaun Diver to get more cattle turned out.

Despite the rain, Shaun has managed to turn out seven first-calved heifers and 27 maiden heifers, in addition to the 21 cow-calf pairs that were already at grass.

In preparation for the upcoming breeding season, three vasectomised bulls have now been turned out as well; two with the maiden heifers and one with the batch of 21 cows.

There still remains 19 cows left to calve on the farm, with Shaun reporting a real slow down on activity in the calving shed.

Lambing

Lambing has progressed well, with close to 200 ewes now lambed, with 60 remaining. No major incidences of diseases or high mortality rates have been recorded.

Dry spells in the mixed weather are being used to get ewes and lambs out to grass.

Ewe lambs have begun lambing now, as the main crop of ewes near completion.

Shaun has reported that lamb size is now getting larger than he would like, owing to the extra feeding these ewes have received compared with their early lambing comrades.

Surplus lambs from triplet- and quad-bearing ewes are being fostered on to single-bearing ewes where possible.

A total of 160 lambed ewes have been turned out to grass.

A break in the wet weather on Thursday afforded a window of opportunity to get ewes turned out to grass.

Sheltered paddocks with approximately 700kg DM/ha have been targeted for ewes.