Farm Management Notes Week of September 2nd

General Update

• Grazing conditions are good considering the amount of rain that has fallen recently, and cattle continue to graze out the paddocks well
• Grass growth has remained steady, allowing farm grass cover build
• Both steers and heifers received their second oral drench for worms on August 8th
• Bull calves were castrated on Thursday August 22nd
• Calves were injected for roundworms and lungworms on August 13th and also received their first vaccination for the control of clostridial diseases.
• Cow and calf weights have been taken and recorded for the Beef Environmental Efficiency Pilot (BEEP)
• Calves are creep grazing ahead of the cows to maximise their performance and to help weaken the bond with the cow pre weaning.

Calves grazing (on the left) ahead of the cows

Steers averaging 585kg

Grass

• The farm was walked on Monday and the average farm cover was 830kg DM/ha
• The farm currently has 20 days grass available and with current grass growth rates in excess of herd demand, cover should be increasing by approximately 14kg DM/ha/day
• The last of the 2nd cut (10ha) was harvested on Monday the 26th of August and received 48 hour wilt and was picked up dry. This area is now back in the grazing rotation and has reduced the overall farm demand. It has since received 3000 gal/ac of slurry and 1 bag of CAN/ac (27 units N)
• 1 bag of CAN/ac (27 units N) is being spread following each grazing

Breeding

• Breeding commenced on May 7th and ended on the 20th of July, this is just under an 11 week breeding season which is 9 days shorter than last year
• A pregnancy scan is scheduled for mid-September

Animal Performance

• Calves were weighed on August 13th
• Steers/heifers were weighed on August 28th
• 20 heifers which are close to their finishing weight, are receiving 4kg concentrates at grass and will be finished before the end of the month.

Group of heifers which will be finished in the coming weeks

Weekly Planner

• Do weekly grass walk
• Weigh all animals on the farm
• Give calves there pre-weanling booster shot against respiratory diseases
• Power-wash and disinfect remaining sheds