The 2021-born cattle on the ABP Demo Farm in Co. Carlow are continuing to thrive well as the grazing season progresses.
The 2021-born cattle were weighed on Friday, July 8, and the 2022-born calves were weighed on Thursday, July 21.
Results from the monthly weight recording shows an Average Daily Gain (ADG) of 0.93kg/head/day with the 2021-born cattle an average weight of 453kg.
The 2022 born-calves had an ADG of 0.87kg/head/day and an average weight of 160kg.
The grass cover on the Co. Carlow farm was 781kg DM/ha with demand at 34kg DM/Ha. Despite conditions remaining very dry, growth is still exceeding demand.
Third-cut red clover silage was taken last week and yields were low at just over 3bales/ac. No fertiliser was applied to the crop. A further 8ac of red clover was sown this year which has proved to be challenging to establish.
Weeds were present throughout the red clover reseed, so it was recently mowed to clean off the field and access what action will be required.
All silage ground is back in the rotation and second cuts are all completed. Strong paddocks are still being taken out of the rotation and secured as baled silage.
The stocking rate on the ABP Demo Farm is 2.5LU/Ha currently and stocking rate peaked on the farm at 3LU/Ha.
ABP Demo Farm cattle going to Tully
A selection of 50 heifers from the 2021-born progeny on the farm were picked out on Thursday, July 14, and sent to the Irish Cattle Breeding Federation’s (ICBF) Tully Progeny Test Centre.
These 50 heifers are from a range of over 15 different sires and breeds and their feed intake and methane emissions will be measured. 50 bullocks will be going to Tully also in less than one month’s time.
No worm treatment has been issued to the 2021-born cattle as regular dung sampling has shown no need for an anthelmintic treatment.
Towards the end of August, the 2021-born heifers will be grouped and started on their finishing diet.
Speaking to Agriland, ABP’s Advantage Beef Programme liaison officer, Sean Maher explained: “Cattle are all thriving well and thankfully have had no setbacks.
“Calves are still on 1kg concentrates/head/day and this will be sustained for the grazing season.”
Concentrates are fed to calves at herding. Feeding calves meal provides a good opportunity to examine the livestock and identify any dull animals.
Cattle have a higher food conversion efficiency (FCE) in their first year and Maher explained: “Performance wise, it’s the most efficient time to put in the feed.
“We need the calves gone at 19-20 months of age so they have to make the weight in the first season.”
The earlier-born calves are noticeably pushing ahead with weight gain and eating more grass than the smaller, later-born calves. Straw is still available to calves at all times as a source of fibre.
Docks were becoming an issue on the farm and a trial is currently underway where a dock beetle is being used to control the dock weed.
Sheds are currently being prepared for finishing cattle to be housed and plans are being made for the farm to buy store lambs later in the year to clean grass covers off a selection of paddocks.