Derrypatrick Herd update: correcting cow condition and new arrivals

This week, cows were penned according to body condition score (BCS) in order to facilitate different feeding regimes for animals not at optimum body condition.

We are targeting a BCS of about 2.5 at calving, next spring. While most cows were on target BCS (2.75-3) at housing, there were 12 cows that were behind target at BCS 2-2.5.

Cows in BCS 2.5-3 will be offered second-cut silage to appetite while thinner cows will be offered first-cut silage to appetite and 1kg of concentrate until in a BCS >2.5.

Weaning

During the recent weaning process, an injury to a weanling heifer occurred in the yard and she became lame.

Veterinary advice was to give the heifer a few days to see if there was improvement.

However, the injury worsened and the vet then advised for the animal to be put down, diagnosing a fracture of the fetlock area.

John Heslin.

Despite always trying to minimise injury to man and animal, accidents are inevitable.

Weanlings and newly purchased heifers remain at grass and are being offered 1kg of concentrate per head per day.

Weighing

Beef heifers and steers were weighed and assessed for slaughter this week.

Their performance over the last 30 days has been severely hampered by the weather and is nowhere near the desired performance of >1kg/day during the finishing period.

In total, two heifers (564kg and 584kg) and seven steers averaging 650kg, all 20 months of age, were drafted and will be slaughtered next week.

There are 17 heifers and eight steers for slaughter remaining on farm and these animals have been housed for the final finishing period.

These animals will be offered first-cut silage (73% DMD) and 6kg (3kg morning and evening) of a barley-based concentrate ahead of slaughter in the coming weeks.

Bought-in replacement heifers.

Weanling heifers

Last week, we purchased seven February and March 2017-born weanling heifers targeted for breeding next May.

All seven heifers were Simmental cross with an average weight of 340kg, average date of birth of February 19 and replacement index of €125.

Upon arrival, heifers were quarantined from the rest of the herd, blood sampled for disease profiling, vaccinated against respiratory diseases such as IBR and treated for ecto- and endo- parasites such as lungworm.

These heifers were purchased ahead of the TB test that took place on farm this week.

Thankfully, the TB test was all clear and we can now purchase the remaining number of heifers (23) required for breeding next May.

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