Grass supplies, castration and new dairy beef weighing scheme

Grass supplies

Grass growth has been slow to start in some parts of the country, with grazed fields in particular taking time to come back. In relation to closing up for silage on some farms with very heavy covers, it won’t be possible to graze at this stage and get around the rest of the paddocks. With good weather forecast again next week, it’s an ideal chance to get slurry and fertiliser out to get grass growing. You also need to maximise the number of animals outdoors while you can, to get grass grazed and stimulate growth. Make a point of walking all your fields at the weekend to assess what grass you have available – you’ll be surprised how much you have – and take action by getting stock out. Farms that are more heavily stocked should have protected urea spread at this stage, to kick-start growth.

Castration

A lot of farmers that finish bullocks will look at castration, as animals move outdoors over the next few weeks. It’s important to get it right – if it completed incorrectly, it can result in sick animals and will affect animal thrive for a prolonged period. One of the most important points is that it is illegal to castrate calves over six months of age without using local anaesthetic. Good hygiene is essential to minimise the risk of infection, especially after surgical castration. It is best to castrate calves as young as possible and less than six months of age. You should administer a clostridial vaccination to protect against tetanus when using banding or the rubber ring method. A painkiller injection should also be used as routine when castrating. Try and provide a clean, dry environment with adequate space for movement, to relive stiffness for calves after castration, outdoors is the best option at this stage in the year. Inspect and monitor calves closely for two weeks after castration. With latex bands the scrotum should drop off within four weeks. Look for swelling, signs of infection, tetanus and abnormalities. Treat wounds as needed. Seek professional advice/help from a vet sooner rather than later if calves show signs of severe pain, swelling or infection.

€1,000 Dairy-Beef Weighing Scheme

A new dairy-beef weighing scheme was announced this week. Farmers will be required to weigh eligible calves and submit weight data to the Irish Cattle Breeding Federation. To qualify for the payment of €20/calf, liveweight data must be submitted for a minimum of five calves in a herd and for a maximum of 50. All calves must be at least 12 weeks of age at the time of weighing; be registered on the holding she/he is being weighed on for a minimum of 10 days prior to the date of weighing; be in the applicant’s herd for at least 10 days before weighing; and be born between 1 July 2024 and 30 June 2025. Weight data should be submitted within seven days of weighing and before 5.30pm on 1 November 2025. Farmers should note that they will only be paid on the number of calves for which they submit liveweight data. Applications for the 2025 dairy-beef weighing scheme must be lodged online through agfood.ie before midnight on Thursday 15 May 2025.