Despite all that is going on in the world, farm life continues. The weather has finally changed, with high pressure over Ireland since the middle of last week and fine, settled weather in the long-term forecast.

This has led to a change in work routines as animals are let out. The following is a guide for what you should be at in this weather.

Prioritise milking cows and maiden heifers to grass. Where land is dry enough, cows can be out day and night and silage removed from the diet.

Electric fencer

Maiden heifers have small appetites but have loads of energy. They tend to do lots of walking and will test fences. Make sure there’s a good current in the electric fencer.

Over the winter, trees and branches can fall and earth the wires, so allocate time to go around the farm doing fencing repairs. When animals get in the habit of going through wires, it can be hard to break that habit, so start off the grazing year as you mean to continue.

There should be no need to dose animals before being turned out. However, some vaccinations are necessary, such as the booster shot for blackleg.

Farmers who vaccinate for leptospirosis and BVD in April need to give the maiden heifers two shots, so they would be due the first shot now and the second shot when they are doing the main herd in three weeks’ time.

For farmers who have nothing spread to date, they need to go out with nitrogen as soon as possible

Spreading fertiliser and slurry is another big job at the moment. For farmers who have nothing spread to date, they need to go out with nitrogen as soon as possible. I would recommend 40 to 50 units per acre of urea on land that is relatively highly stocked (above two livestock units/acre).

Don't spread slurry on land that will be grazed in the next four weeks. Ideally, slurry should be spread on land that has been recently grazed.

Calves at grass

It’s not just cows and maiden heifers that can go to grass, calves can go to grass also. Having them at grass reduces the workload, as there is less sheds to be cleaned out, but it’s also a healthier environment for the calves.

The issue is having a method to feed them. If numbers are small, some farmers will hang a feeder over a gate and give them milk in that. Trailed teat feeders are ideal. Some sort of a dry lie or shelter should be provided for wet or windy days. Recourse to a shed is ideal.

Remember, keep a physical distance from visitors to your yard and from other people when you leave the farm. Follow the HSE advice.

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