Breeding
- Calving has started!
- No mastitis issues in dry cows – garlic licks and Spot on treatment applied
- The weather is suiting calving outdoors
- Latest grass wedge
- Building covers for autumn calving cows
- Heifers will stay on the outblock
- Autumn 2024 bull weights – to be sold this month
- Three Saler bulls weighed
- Decision to be made whether to finish dairy beef heifers or sell live
Grassland
Performance
Breeding
There have been no issues with mastitis in dry cows, but they were treated with Spot on and have access to garlic licks which has helped to prevent any incidents.
Calving is underway on the farm since 23rd July, with the arrival of the first heifer calf. She is sired by AI bull Shannon Stan (LM9379) out of a Limousin cross cow. 48 calves are due in total during the calving season. Trevor calves the cows outdoors as he finds that the calves are much healthier, but he has facilities available in the yard in case any need assistance. The last calf is due on 17th October.
Figure 1: Cow #678 calved on 25th July with a heifer calf from CH4160
Grassland
Trevor measured grass on the home farm on 9th August. He had a farm cover of 1212 kg DM/ha with a growth rate of 61 kg DM/ha/day since 3rd August and a demand rate of 66 kg DM/ha/day. There were 18 days ahead, which is right on target for the time of year.
There is a shift in demand at grass on Trevor’s farm at this time of year as cows start calving. However in parallel to this, the yearling bulls are being sold from the farm which helps to reduce demand slightly. Trevor has to plan to have a bank of grass available for the cows, near the shed in case there are any issues at calving time. A final round of fertiliser will help to build covers for the autumn, so that cows and newborn calves can spend as much time with grass in the diet as possible before housing. The dairy beef and suckler beef heifers will remain on the out farm and will only be brought home for sale or for housing.
Figure 2: Grass wedge on 9th August 2025
Performance
The 2024 autumn born bulls (20) were weighed on 12th July. They averaged 434kg, after gaining 1.8 kg/day since 17th June. They ranged from 375kg to 492kg and are eating 4kg of ration each per day. They will be all sold live from the farm by late August.
Figure 3: Autumn 2024 bulls are grazing excellent quality grass/clover paddocks
The 3 pedigree Saler bulls averaged 575kg (526 to 608kg) on the same day. They gained 1.75 kg/day at grass since 6th June and are being fed good quality silage with ration for finishing.
Figure 4: Saler bulls are being fed ration and silage
Three cows were sold on 21st June through the mart.
Trevor plans to start feeding some of the forward dairy beef heifers ration at grass. He is undecided as to sell them live or sell them to the factory yet, but they will be sold before the winter.
Figure 5: Dairy beef heifers at grass