Make the most of growth

In most Novembers, pasture grows faster than cows will eat it and the entire milking area is not required for grazing.

Most farmers have the following focus at this time of the year:

Peaking cow production and/or holding the production you have been able to achieve.

Secure enough fodder from the farm that has quality to keep cows milking when fed. Keep pasture quality by maintaining an acceptable residual (post grazing).

Making the most of the growth between now and summer.

If you have surplus pasture on the milking area use silage making to control residual and better pasture quality next round. This will be a balancing act between pasture quality and quantity.

If pasture becomes limited in late November and soil moisture is still adequate, consider an application of nitrogen and or a blend if required, to maintain or build pasture cover coming into summer. This pasture will be highly beneficial as feed from pasture is essential to profitably maintain milk production.

If you have paddocks with low soil nutrients that can be irrigated with effluent it is coming up to the best time of year to apply the effluent, getting some pasture growth and having a low risk of run off. Irrigation

Apply irrigation water to maximise pasture growth rates if possible.

Have a plan of how much area you can water through the summer to ensure your water lasts for the irrigation season.

Mix the dairy effluent into the irrigation.

Summer crops

If crops fit your system and they can be profitably grown and fed now is the time to plant. Have a plan of regarding crop type, seed bed preparation, nutrient and pest management and planned grazing dates.

Application of dairy effluent onto summer fodder crops is a very effective use of this nutrient resource to boost crop yield.

Yield responses will be greater on crops than non-irrigated pasture.

Don’t forget the risks of cropping, such as dry hot conditions and pest attack that may mean that crops planted do not guarantee available feed from these paddocks in the summer months.

Cows

Do a feed budget to ensure you have enough fodder to get through the summer and autumn. This will also estimate the grain usage and give an idea of the purchased feed bill for the summer and autumn.

Feeding cows off peak production can be planned and focused on profit if it’s planned early.

If you are nearing the end of the joining period it may pay to assess the number of cows not in calf. Knowing the numbers of cows not in calf allows for early decisions to be made on what you will do with the empties.

Calves/Heifers

Ensure your young stock received a second 7 in 1 vaccine. This builds immunity against Clostridial diseases and Leptospirosis.

Talk to your vet about vaccinating your young stock for pink eye.

Calves require a high protein and high energy diet to keep growing. A feed budget can be done to ensure calves and other young stock have enough pasture, silage, grain and hay to gain weight and grow to planned joining and calving weights.

Business and

budgets

Review your last quarter of GST to get an indication of cash flow if you have not done it.

If you need additional fodder or irrigation water now is a good time to source it as it’s traditionally at its cheapest.

Plan expenditure and identify any possible cash surpluses, if or when the cash becomes available use it in a planned way to ensure it’s effective.