Aonghusa Fahy - November 2024

The local buzzard is attacking my silage bales and causing mould – but I have a few plans to stop him

The winter has been significantly shortened by the mild and dry October, which is very welcome, after last year. The weanlings and cows are now housed and got two more weeks at grass than I expected.

The grass covers were very heavy (around 1700kg DM/ha, or more than three fistfuls) so I had no choice but to re-graze them.

Some of the paddocks have white clover, and if they had been left ungrazed the grass would smother it out over winter, which would cost me more money in nitrogen fertiliser next year. I was delighted with the clean-outs — the dry weather really suited grazing them.

However, it did turn up one change that I’ll have to make for next year: the dairy beef calves I bought are all able to get out under the electric wire!

This worked very well for the suckler weanlings this year as they were eating the best grass ahead of the cows all year, but it’s a nightmare for grazing the dairy beef calves as they move on to fresh grass before grazing out a paddock fully.

I’ll have to lower the wire 6ins over winter to keep the dairy beef cattle in for next year, and put a removable temporary horse pole in the paddocks for the suckler calves.

The weanlings had their backs shaved and were weighed at housing. The bullocks (15) averaged 325kg and the heifers (9) averaged 306kg.

I fed them hay for the first few days to help them settle and they have been increased from 1kg to 2kg of ration per head per day, along with good-quality silage.

The silage tested at 70.6pc DMD with 13.45pc crude protein at 30.16pc dry matter, but it is very leafy and I expected it to be better so I will re-test it again for peace of mind.

I will take faecal egg samples from the weanlings to decide if they need to be dosed again, as they already got a pre-housing dose.

Although it’s not usually an issue, the cows’ dungs have been quite loose since housing so I will move them onto drier silage and take a faecal egg sample from them too to rule out any potential fluke issue.

We passed the recent TB test, which is a huge relief.

Another unusual issue that cropped up this autumn is the local buzzard attacking my silage bales! The bird damaged bales in the field before they were drawn in and is continuing to damage them in the yard, resulting in white mould growing on the silage.

I will have to look at deterrent options for next year such as netting and tyres and/or painting the bales. Never a dull moment!

I submitted a TAMS application for fencing on the outfarm in Tulla to carry out around 2,000 metres of fencing. If it is approved, I will be able to re-claim 40pc of the costs, which will be brilliant. I expect that it will be spring 2025 before I get approval.

I plan to have the finishing cattle sold by December 1. The stock bull and one old cow will be sold through the mart, while I will sell the vasectomised bull, three cows, one bullock and one heifer directly to the factory.

The next upcoming event will be the first round of the juvenile hurling for Clarin College which will be kicking off soon, weather dependent of course. It helps to remember at times that it’s not just farming that is dictated by the weather!

This article was first published in the Irish Independent.