Housing space on suckler farms is at a premium. Heavy rainfall over the weekend has kept grazing ground saturated, meaning there is next to no chance of getting any cattle out to grass for the majority of farmers.If shed space is at capacity, the first step is to look at the options for temporary housing. Silo clamps can be used as short-term housing, as can some machinery and general sheds.
Housing space on suckler farms is at a premium. Heavy rainfall over the weekend has kept grazing ground saturated, meaning there is next to no chance of getting any cattle out to grass for the majority of farmers.
If shed space is at capacity, the first step is to look at the options for temporary housing. Silo clamps can be used as short-term housing, as can some machinery and general sheds.
Make sure gates used to pen cattle are properly secured, and make use of old troughs or barrels to provide water. Keep water topped up with a hosepipe. These pens will need straw bedding also.
Passageways
In the main cattle sheds, make use of feed passageways to provide temporary creep pens.
Once all housing options are exhausted, you may need to consider offloading some stock. Look through the herd and pull out the cows which will calve at the tail end of the calving period.
It may be worth cashing in on some of these animals now if there is little prospect of cattle going to grass this month.
The same applies to store cattle. Offloading some of the heaviest steers and heifers will free up considerable housing space.
But before selling, do your sums. Make sure you are getting a better return selling these animals in the live ring compared with finishing them.
Selling off the lightest stores may also be a good option, as lighter animals will suit buyers looking for grazing cattle.
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