6 things to do this month

1. Get sheep shorn now before rain becomes more frequent – this gives ewes time to regrow some fleece before winter. 2.

Facial eczema may still be a risk. Check pasture spore levels and continue with zinc supplements if required. Once zinc supplementation finishes, check the copper levels of cattle. Copper is affected by zinc, and stock may need a supplemental injection.

3. It’s tough to put weight on thin stock over winter. Make a decision early about what’s economical and best for animal welfare, rather than keeping too many stock through winter.

4. If you send stock to the works, ask your vet to organise liver sample tests to check for minerals and trace elements. Use this as a guide to supplement your remaining stock before calving.

5. Talk to your vet about leptospirosis vaccinations for cattle, dogs, and pigs. It protects newborn calves and helps prevent humans from getting ‘lepto,’ an often life-long, debilitating disease.

6. Cattle (other than calves) shouldn’t graze on pasture that’s at risk of pugging. If your block is wet through winter, the damage caused to soil can be expensive to fix, take years, and can severely limit pasture growth.