Planning for when rain stops
Since my last article the weather has continued to be challenging with the wet weather continuing beyond what had been anticipated.
For some farms this has meant that cows are on once a day (OAD) milking and that more supplementary feed has been used to try and maintain cow condition score (CS) which is especially important leading into the mating period.
This has also shown up drainage problems on farms with the need to work on this once conditions have dried up. Make sure that there is a plan that can be worked to so that any issues are dealt with before net winter.
In some cases summer crop planting may be delayed if the selected paddocks are too soft to allow machinery to operate. Fertiliser and nitrogen applications are not up to date on many farms and this is another impact on low pasture growth.
I have been concerned at the impact the weather has had on farm staff moral and it is important for everyone to know that other farms have been struggling as well. Keep talking to your neighbours. Conditions will improve.
I have been interested by some farms approach to the upcoming mating season with a number not having even done tail paint. These same farms have been planning to do little if any intervention to help with submission rates.
My response to this is that any mating plan must be done with good information which is not possible if pre mating heats have not been taken. Do not regret not taking action.
There are many ways to positively impact on mating performance including the use of CIDRs but there are also other ways to help achieve targets.
Good record keeping is vital and so is the time spent looking at cows in the paddock at least twice a day. A recent study has shown a 16 per cent increase in heat detection from paddock checks. This is because not every ‘on heat’ cow will show strong rub marks.
It is also opportune to check the trace elements status of the cows (if not already done pre calving) to ensure levels of copper, selenium, cobalt and magnesium are at optimum.
Every farm’s approach to mating will be slightly different but the important thing is to look at a system that will suit and allow the herd to meet targets of a 90 per cent, three week submission rate and a six week in calf rate of 78 per cent.
If you are not achieving this then it may be an opportune time to sit down and look at a plan specifically for your farm.