The final few tasks are being completed before Christmas on Tullamore Farm.

This week, all the weanlings were treated for lice. An ivermectin-based product was used and it will clean out any gut or lung worms still present too.

These weanlings already had their back and tails clipped when being housed. They are not being done for fluke.

Shaun Diver.

Two weeks ago, the bulls were weighed and averaged 380kg. Farm manager Shaun Diver is very happy with their performance.

They have moved up to 4kg/head/day of ration this week and they are still receiving high-quality 73% DMD and 14% CP baled silage. The good silage seems to be working very well in the diet.

The heifers are getting good-quality silage too, along with 1.5kg/head/day of ration. They were weighed on Thursday and averaged 341kg. This means they have done 0.7kg/head/day since weaning.

All the cows will be clipped and treated for lice by the end of next week.

Cows

All the cows will be clipped and treated for lice by the end of next week. To date, 30 have been done.

At the same time, the cows will be penned according to their expected calving dates. At the start of the winter, they were penning according to body condition, but the majority are now at optimum condition.

Ewes

All ewes were foot-bathed this week.

They will definitely have another month at grass and, according to Shaun, if weather doesn’t get too bad in the meantime, they will likely stay out until early February.

“The ewes are in great condition,” he said. “I wouldn’t be worried about them if grass tightened for a little while.”

The rams will be offered some concentrates from next week onwards to rebuild body condition.