Clonakilty Agricultural College Drystock Unit Farm Update
David Hallissey College Lecturer in Clonakilty Agricultural College gives a January update on the sheep and suckler enterprises in the college, including information on grassland. Watch the video below
Grass
Opening grass walk took place on the 20TH of January. Opening farm cover was 629 KGS of dry matter per ha which growth rate of 7 kgs over the winter period.
Slurry at a rate of 3000 gallons an acre is currently being applied to approximately 30% of the dry stock unit using low emission slurry spreading equipment.
Sheep
All ewes were housed by the 12th of January. Triplet bearing ewes where housed a week earlier. The current diet of the ewes on the farm as of the 31st of January was ad Lib silage plus a 19% protein ewe ration. Concentrates being fed to each group per day is as follows:
- triplets 0.7 kgs
- twins 0.5 kgs
- singles now 0.3 kgs
Lambing is due to begin on the 23rd of February and concentrate feeding levels will increase weekly to meet the increasing demand of ewes pre lambing.
Ewes received their pre lambing vaccine on the 25th of January plus a mineral drench also.
Suckler cows
Suckler cows are due to begin calving on the 18th of February and all cows received their pre calving vaccine on the 12th of January. Pre calving minerals are being fed to the cows through their silage.
Eight finishing cattle were sent to the factory in January. Four bullocks were slaughtered 3 bullocks were from our calf to beef enterprise. They averaged 0= 4- with an average carcass weight of 338kgs.
One suckler bred bullock was also slaughtered coming in as r=3- with an average carcass weight of 336kgs. Four suckler bred heifers averaged r = 3+ with an average carcass weight of 314kgs. The average age of slaughter of these animals was 21 months.