Slurry

Every year we see farmers caught with slurry in tanks heading into the winter period. With a relatively dry week across the country and another one forecast, now is your chance to get any remaining slurry out onto fields.

Leaving slurry in tanks will reduce your storage capacity and add pressure to the yard next spring, especially in the case of a wet spring and delayed turnouts.

While nitrogen use from slurry will be lower at this time of year, the phosphorus and potassium are fully available, so it’s important to use it as a fertiliser and not something you just have to get rid of.

Make sure that all tanks have been emptied well in advance of the closed period and in advance of animals coming into sheds.

Slurry cannot be applied after 30 September in all parts of the country. Farm Yard Manure can be spread up until 31 October. Where ground conditions are an issue, umbilical systems are a good option to avoid damaging or rutting ground.

Remember, if ground conditions are very wet or if heavy rain is forecast slurry spreading is prohibited.

Autumn Calving Cows

With autumn calving getting into full swing, it is time to keep a close eye on cows to avoid losses. Where calving is taking place outdoors, it is advisable to move cows nearing calving to a maternity paddock somewhere close where they can be watched regularly during the day.

Mature cows may not be a major concern, but first and second calving cows should be moved if possible. If intervention is required, they can be easily moved into a yard or pen for handling. In general, if calving is not progressing after one to two hours after the water bag has burst, then the cow should be handled using gloves to ensure that the cow is dilated and that the calf is in the correct position.

Don’t forget to supplement autumn calving cows with minerals before calving.

Reseed Management

Where reseeding was carried out in the past month, it will be ready for a post-emergence spray to control weeds. The best time to get an effective weed kill is around four to eight weeks after reseeding.

Leaving weeds unchecked in the new sward will slow down the establishment of new grass plants and reduce tillering of the sward.

Before spraying, walk the reseed and determine what weeds are present and then choose a product that will give the most effective kill. If there is clover in the sward, make sure you choose a clover-safe spray.

Dosing

Make sure you are up to date with dosing to make sure weanlings are healthy and lungs are clear in advance of the weaning period. Faecal samples won’t pick up lungworm infection, and it’s important to monitor animals for signs of coughing when herding.

Ivermectin-based products will give an instant kill and will have a 3-4 week residual activity period. White/yellow drenches will not give as severe a kill and may be a better choice where you think there is a bad lungworm infection or in purchased weanlings where you aren’t sure of the dosing history.