Buying weanlings
Before buying weanlings, consider what market you will be selling these cattle into. Buying U grade weanlings can be difficult without overpaying.
Try and keep to a budget, or look to buy “store-like” bulls that can improve in grade if properly managed. Choosing a weight depends on your system.
Buying a well done bull will be a benefit if driving on on a bull beef system. If that weanling is going to grass next spring, a lighter store bull is a better option.
If ground conditions are still ok, you might be able to get a month of cheap gains at grass. If the calves are not vaccinated for respiratory diseases, you should vaccinate them before they join your main herd.
Clip their backs and give a worm and fluke drench around six to eight weeks post-housing. If feeding bulls, group them based on weight and type. Build-up on to ad-lib meal feeding over a six-week period.
Offer fresh straw, or silage as roughage and ensure that they have clean drinking water.
Dehorning calves
Once calves pass the two-week-old mark, it is a legal requirement to use anaesthetic before you dehorn them. Most farmers are using an anaesthetic regardless of age, and some are also using a pain killer to reduce the stress on the calves.
Removing horns at a younger age is less stressful on calves, but there will be calves that do not show horn buds until they are one month old.
Calves should be securely restrained in a dehorning crate when carrying out the task. Make sure that the burner is very hot before using. If it’s not hot enough this can lead to bleeding.
Clip hair around the bud to expose the bud properly and apply the dehorner over the bud and twist in a circular motion. Apply terramycin spray or aluspray after removing the horn bud to help it heal.
Lungworm issues
I have heard of a number of instances of lungworm infestation this week out on farms. Animals can die very quickly in severe cases. Watch for any signs of coughing when herding stock.
The classic lungworm stance is the animal coughing with their neck stretched out trying to cough up worms. Make sure the product that you use to dose is active against lungworm.
In severe cases it may be better to go in first with a levamisole drench rather than an ivermectin based product and then follow up in a few weeks with an ivermectin product.
The levamisole product will give a more gradual kill and will be easier on the animal. Ivermectin based products will give an instant total kill and this leaves a huge amount of worms to be coughed up over a short time. This increases stress and animals can sometimes become sick.
Slurry and FYM deadline: With this week’s slurry extension announcement, all slurry needs to be spread on your farm by 14 October.
FYM needs to be applied by 31 October. With ground conditions poor, especially in the west, many farmers are opting to spread with an umbilical system. You still need to be careful to avoid any slurry runoff.
Don’t spread if heavy rain is forecast, as this can lead to runoff and pollution problems.
SHARING OPTIONS