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Boost profits by making efficient use of fertilisers
On farm, this year's most significant difference compared to 12 months ago, and 2010 for that matter, is the amount of pasture cover farmers have on the milking block.
Consider scanning cows 14-20 days after calving for breeding season boost
Mild weather, high grass growth rates and a positive outlook for the dairy industry all lead to an upbeat mood among dairy farmers.
New guidelines to ensure that colostrum counts this spring
Getting back into the swing of things after Christmas and New Year often takes a degree of motivation. However, there is nothing more motivating than a freshly born calf -- and for the spring-calving herds, this will soon be a reality.
Prepare a strategy to tackle milk fever in the weeks prior to the cows calving
One of my favourite books is Modern Dairy Farming that originally belonged to my great, great grandfather and was printed in 1911. It highlights milk fever as the most formidable of all conditions that attack dairy stock.
Keep on top of your cows' heat cycling
This is the first year that many dairy farmers have stopped milk production over the Christmas period. Normally, these farmers will milk late calvers and empty cows from the spring breeding programme during the winter period. Some of these cows would normally be bred to calve down next autumn, while others would be bred next spring.
Focus on body condition for 22-month in-calf heifers
A large amount of dairy replacement stock has been housed or shifted onto crops over the past few weeks. Dosing for parasites such as liver fluke, lice, stomach and lung worms has been common practice over recent weeks, especially where milk, blood or dung samples have been analysed and have confirmed a significant parasite burden on the herd.
Farm work never stops but I still plan to enjoy a family Christmas
The last of the weanlings came indoors at the weekend. They didn't take much persuasion as conditions got very wet and cold last week. I clipped their tails and ran the clippers up and down their backs. I also treated them for lice with Ectospec.
Ensure body condition remains focus for dry cows
With the milking season over on most spring-calving farms, herds of dry cows -- either housed or being wintered on crops -- are now a common sight across the country.
Common sense will be needed if crossbreeding is to work here
Over the past month, many spring calving dairy cows have been dried off. The impact of an impending superlevy has resulted in cows being dried off early, empty cows being culled and a decision made to shut down milk production until February.
Rains have put an end to the grazing season in the west
Doing the farm walk in recent weeks has been more like a moon walk as it seemed I was going backwards rather than forwards at times as I squelched along, with my wellies struggling to get traction on the wet ground.
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