Oliver O’Hara July/August Update 2025

Breeding

Oliver has been examining the ICBF calving report for the herd for 2025. This year’s spring calving season started on 10^th January and finished on 10^th June, lasting 21 weeks in total. 17 cows calved during that period. A further 7 cows calved between September and December 2024.

One set of twins was born during that time, which as resulted in 25 live calves with 0% mortality. However the calving interval is long for the herd at 411 days, which is higher than the target 365 days and then the national average figure of 400 days. This has contributed to a low calves per cow per year figure of 0.77 which is below the target of 0.95. While the timing of calving is not an immediate priority for Oliver, he has started to use a synchronisation programme on the heifers to reduce labour with heat detection, and to help get tighten their calving season. The 3 heifers that calved in the last year calved within 3 weeks so this is already working for him. It is also an option for the late calving cows to help get them back in calf quicker after calving.

None of the heifers calved at 22-26 months of age, which is below then national average figure of 19% and less than the target of 100%.

The autumn 6 week calving rate is good at 57%, and the spring 6 week calving rate is lower at 35%.

Five cows did not calve during the time period (17%) and some have slipped to the next calving season, with one cow not in calf at all. Nine out of 29 cows have slipped from one calving to the next, which is high at 31%, compared to 19% nationally.

44% of the calves born on the farm have been sired by AI bulls, with the remainder born to the Limousin stock bull.

Two of the dry cows contracted mastitis in mid-July and were treated for it. They have recovered well and are due to calve in September.

Figure 1: Cow #1430 with calf #580 at foot  and a heifer in between

Animal Nutrition

Oliver has revised his fodder budget for 2025. He has 350 bales of silage made from the first cut and expects to make a further 200 bales from a second cut. He will also buy in some hay for dry cows and expects to have 600 bale sin total. With ration being fed to younger cattle at 2-3kg/head/day this will provide him with enough winter feed for 32 cows and calves, 120 ewes, 6 yearlings and 5 cattle over 2 years of age for a 6.5 month winter.

Figure 2: Revised fodder budget for 2025

The second cut silage was fertilised with 2 bags of 38% protected urea/acre and 2000 gallons of slurry/acre.

Figure 3: Fertiliser has been spread for second cut silage

Performance

Oliver has been feeding some of the autumn bulls and plans to sell them soon. To qualify for the SCEP payment they had to be weighed before weaning, on the same day as their cow was weighed. To qualify for the new Beef Welfare Scheme payment this had to be carried out at least 2 weeks before sale so that they would be fed ration for at least 2 weeks after weaning.

The 2 bulls averaged 408kg on 7^th August and their cows averaged 738kg, meaning they weaned calves that were 55% of their body weight which is well above the target 50%.The bulls have gained from 0.82 to 1.07 kg/day since birth.

A September 2024 born heifer was weighed on the same day and she averaged 391kg, after gaining 1.04 kg/day since birth. Her cow weighed 791kg, meaning she weaned the calf at 50% of her own body weight which is on target.

Oliver and Shane have cattle selected to show at the local Manorhamilton agricultural show which they are looking forward to.

Figure 4: Some of the autumn born bulls that were weighed on 7^th August