General
Contracted silage conserved
Second group of cows dried off; early dries following cows to tidy up residuals - aiming for 15 kg DM intake. Will start offering 3-4 kg PKE in trailers
Copper sulphate solution being used in a portable footbath in the exit race to minimise the spread of footrot
R2's weighed - 450 kg average LW (range 370-554 kg) gaining at 0.66 kg/day over the last 36 days
R2's received Lepto, Selenium and B12 supplement and will get copper when they are collared and tagged
R2's will be returning to the support block on the 2nd May and will have EID and tags doubled checked and be body condition scored
Last of the springer paddocks will be grazed off this week then dropped out of rotation
Purchased winter baleage arrived on farm this week so going out on crops
Milk solids production currently 9% behind the 2023-24 season
Remove inshed feeding from cows already at dry off BCS target
Standard herd
Maintain inshed feeding but likely to require topping up with baleage later in the week to hold the rotation at 35 days due to declining pre-graze covers
Total feed allocation of 18.5 kg DM/cow/day
Average pasture cover still above feed budget target but more cows still in milk with fewer dry cows and not all the culls gone is putting more demand on feed
All selected cows will be gone by 15th May
Discussing options for lighter cows i.e. drying off now vs increased inshed feeding
Future herd
Inshed feeding to be held at current rates
Total feed allocation of 18.5 kg DM/cow/day
Maintain the 35 day rotation length
Average pasture cover on track with autumn feed budget
Last winter baleage paddocks to be grazed this week
Discussing options for lighter cows i.e. drying off now vs increased inshed feeding
