Key decisions/actions this week
Dropping in shed feed for mixed age cows 5.0 or greater and R2/R3's 5.5 or greater to 0.5 kg/day; feeding rates to stay the same for the remainder of the cows.
No paddocks out for conservation this week as growth was below demand.
Reduced target allocation to 19 kg DM/day based on milk production and ongoing challenges hitting residual.
Started identifying low producing cows for potential culling as soon as first pregnancy scan is completed early Feb, including one cow to be culled immediately based in production and BCS.
Weigh It Up (VetSouth) Weighed the R2 animals last week with 7% sitting in the action" group – will discuss a plan with vets for these animals. Current mob average of 381kg and growing at 0.9 kg/day since the last weigh.
Discussed N fertiliser options for if it goes dry – decision made that we would stop applications if it goes dry and recommence when there was sufficient moisture for good growth and N response.
Reviewed our effluent applications and will be working with the team to utilise the effluent nutrients as efficiently as possible.
N applications going onto new grass paddocks and swede crops this week.
New grass paddocks sprayed last week and slug bait applied by drone to the swedes.
Plan in place for putting together autumn and winter feed budgets for each farmlet.
