Key decisions/actions this week
We increased supplementary feeding to Standard herds as pre-graze covers have dropped again and cow behaviour and residuals have indicated they have been tight for feed this week - target 3 kg DM/cow inshed, 2.6 kg DM/cow/day PKE in trailers and 1.8 kg DM/cow/day baleage. Our Future herd is being offered 2.3 kg DM/cow/day inshed feed.
First new grass paddocks will be nipped off this week, and to reduce risk of nitrate issues cows we will graze half a paddock for 1-2 hours each day on the way to the dairy in the afternoon. Supplementary feed will be adjusted accordingly.
Pasture DM currently sitting between 16.7 and 23.2% (excluding new grass paddocks). Winter Italian paddocks in the Future farmlet will be conserved for baleage in the next weather window. Silage for the spring pit is about 2-3 weeks away from harvest.
Eight culls left the farm this week, mainly low producers and poor udders.Remaining calves at the support block will leave for the grazier on Friday, and there are 21 surplus calves for sale.
First scan completed - 75 and 71% 6 WICR for the standard and future herds respectively. Decision rules for OAD milking and priority feeding are adjusted to take into account pregnancy status as well as age and BCS, reducing the number of animals on OAD milking but similar numbers on priority feeding.
100 kg NProtect/ha applied to the swede crops using the drone and one paddock sprayed for weeds. Nitrogen has been ordered for grass paddocks for Friday but if the rain forecast changes this will be reassessed. While we are getting some dews, we need at least 10 mm rain within 2-3 days of applying N to get the best response.
