Difficult year hits Newford weights
A combination of a cold and wet year has resulted in a reduction in animal performance at Newford, Michael Fagan tells us more.
Over previous years, bull calves would have achieved an average daily gain (ADG) of 1.25kg plus and heifers would have gained 1.22kg plus per day. Although last week brought an improvement in the weather and it was noticed that young suckler calves were beginning to thrive at grass, average daily gain (ADG) is behind compared to previous years due to the cold and wet year and no heat in the ground.
Of the 43 bull calves weighed on July 2, an average weight of 195kg was recorded. At an average age of 4.3 months and an average birth weight of 45kg, this resulted in an average daily gain from birth of 1.16kg/head/day.
40 heifer calves were also weighed on July 2. At an average age of 4.1 months and an average birth weight of 40kg, this cohort weighed 183kg having gained 1.12kg/head/day since birth.
During this weighing, all calves received a pneumonia vaccine for RSP and they will receive their booster shot in four weeks’ time to help protect calves against pneumonia before weaning in late in late August.
2023-born heifers
Along with the calves, all of the 2023-born heifers were weighed on June 27. The average weight of the 43 heifers was 441kg, having achieved an average daily gain since turnout on April 17 of 0.80kg/head/day. Like the calves, the beef heifers are roughly back by 50kg compared to other years and once again this is due to the very poor autumn in 2023 and the late turnout in 2024.
Breeding
The 2024 breeding season finished on Newford Farm on July 1 after a 10 week season. There were 78 mature cows and 23 maiden heifers put forward for breeding this year
82% of the mature herd was artificially inseminated in the first three weeks of breeding and 100% of the herd were inseminated within the first eight weeks of breeding. Performance was positive bearing the very wet and cold spring in mind.
- 46 cows were inseminated once
- 22 cows received a repeat insemination
- 9 cows repeated twice and were inseminated three times
- 1 cow was inseminated 4 times
The ‘once-a-day AI rule’ was used again on the farm this year. Cows were inseminated once each day at midday. If a cow was inseminated at 12 noon and if she was still showing signs of standing heat again that evening, that same cow was served again the next day (12 noon). 9 cows out of the 78 mature cows were inseminated twice on two consecutive days using this rule.
All 23 maiden heifers were inseminated once since breeding started on April 22. These heifers were inseminated for six and a half weeks.
- 14 heifers were inseminated once
- 7 heifers were inseminated twice
- 2 heifers were inseminated three times
This article was adapted from the Newford newsletter. Find out more about Newford here.