Weather problems: More rainfall over the past week has compounded grazing problems on cattle farmers operating on heavier land blocks in western and northern parts of the country. Farmers are being forced into re-housing cattle, while some are choosing to off-load finishing and store cattle to relieve pressure on grazing ground. Where cattle are being housed, be mindful of the pneumonia risk to young cattle.

Temperatures are still mild, so housing wet cattle in a warm shed can quickly trigger an outbreak in young animals as stress levels rise. If weather is against you, it is difficult to plan out which order to house cattle, as getting animals off ground quickly is usually the No 1 priority. If possible, house finishing cattle first, followed by early spring calving cows that can be weaned. Older cattle will be a possible source of respiratory disease when stressed after housing.

As young weanlings are usually naive to such pathogens, housing them at the same time as older cattle increases the risk of a disease outbreak. Weaned calves will be unsettled on grass, but offering 1kg to 2kg/head of meal in the morning and evening will help to keep them settled. They can be housed once older cattle have settled in the shed. If housing late spring and autumn calving cows, make sure cows are being supplemented to maintain milk production. Restricting calves from suckling the cow will ease their feed demand. If possible, allow calves to creep outside to grass during the daytime.

Tetany: Where cattle remain at grass, there have been more reports of cows suffering from grass tetany. Wet grass and variable weather increase the risk of tetany, so take additional steps to ensure cows are properly covered for magnesium. With wet grass and regular rainfall, adding magnesium to water troughs will be of little benefit, as cows will be drinking less. Instead, offer small quantities of hay to cows daily. Hay can be offered on top of grass. Giving cows a bolus is an option but may not be suitable on out-farms with no handling facilities. Finally, increase the number of lick buckets in the field or offer cows a high-magnesium nut for a short period. Feed cows in a movable trough or on top of grass to limit sward damage.

Autumn calving: Autumn calving is on-going, and most farmers are reporting few issues other than the weather. Where cows are calving outdoors, it is still a good idea to monitor that the calf is getting adequate colostrum in the first two hours of life. Newborn calves will be exposed to multiple pathogens when housed, so it is essential they get adequate antibodies from the cow.

Where cows are calving indoors, make sure to clean-out, power wash and disinfect calving pens. Ensure calving pens and creep areas have plenty of straw. Using a scour vaccine may be beneficial if you regularly have problems with calf scour in autumn calving cows.