Michael McGuigan November/December Update 2024
FEC sample results show a dose is needed
- Cows have been blood sampled for neospora
- FEC sample results for weanlings
- They will be dosed for lungworms
Summary for 2024
- Review of 2024
- Heavy covers will be grazed before closing
- Farm cover is good at 779 kg DM/ha
Latest weights & sales update
- Latest weanling weights
- Finishing performance of cows, heifers & bullock
- 3 weanling heifers sold live
Animal Health
Blood samples were taken from the herd during the first week in November to test for neospora to determine if it may be affecting the herd’s fertility. Michael expects the results to come back before Christmas.
The weanlings were not showing any signs of coughing or any loose dungs but a recent FEC samples showed that they were positive for lungworms. He plans to dose them for this before they move onto the Interval for grazing.
Figure 1: FEC sample result for weanlings
They were previously dosed with an albendazole dose in June and an ivermectin product in September.
Grassland
Michael has been analysing his farm summary report on Pasturebase for 2024. He measured grass 42 times during the year and grew an average of 11.17t DM/ha so far this year. The average pre-grazing yield was 1324 kg DM/ha and this was as high as 1788 kg DM/ha in autumn, but as low as 915 kg DM/ha in spring.
He reseeded 5.25ha (23%) of the farm this year. The average nitrogen/ha spread was 111 kg/ha, 94 kg/ha of which was chemical nitrogen. Grazing started on 18th January and is still ongoing.
The annual tonnage report on Pasturebase provides a breakdown of the grass grown on each paddock for the year, with yellow representing the yield for silage and green representing the yield from grazing. This allows Michael to identify his poorer performing paddocks and can help him select any for reseeding next year. The paddock yields ranged from 5.37 t DM/ha (reseeded field) up to 15.31 t DM/ha.
Figure 2: Paddock yields for 2024
The latest grass cover on 9th November shows that Michael has a farm cover of 779 kg DM/ha. The heaviest covers on the farm are almost 1800 kg DM/ha so he will have to graze them so that the light will reach the white clover over winter and prevent it from dying out. Grass growth was 23 kg DM/ha/day since 1st November and demand was 28 kg DM/ha/day. The wenalings will now be moving across to the Interval crop for grazing and Michael plans to close the farm with an average farm cover of over 700 kg DM/ha on 1st December.
Figure 3: Grass wedge on 9th November 2024
Figure 4: One of the heavier grass covers on the farm which will be grazed
Performance
Michael weighed his weanlings on 23rd October. The heifers (11) averaged 353kg after gaining 0.67kg/day at grass since 12th September.
The bulls averaged 399kg and gained 0.5kg/day on average at grass during the same period.
Based on these weight gains, Michael has decided to increase the meal from 1 to 2kg of a 16% crude protein ration.
Figure 5: Some of the weanlings at grass
The finishing cattle were eating 6kg of ration/head/day before they were sold on 12th November.
The 2 heifers averaged 403kg at 24.8 months of age, and graded U-4=. They averaged €2233/head at 57% kill out percentage.
The bullock was 366kg carcass weight and graded R+4- at 24.5 months of age. He made €1998 and killed out at 55.6%.
The 3 cows averaged 421kg carcass weight and graded R+4=. They averaged €2072/head and killed out at 55%.
Michael also decided to sell 3 of his lightest weanlings that were not suiting him for breeding in the mart in order to replace them with in calf heifers. They averaged 308kg live weight and made €3.84/kg.