19 February 2022
Newford Farm Yearling Heifers Early Turnout to Grass
Michael Fagan, Teagasc Technician on the Newford Suckler Demonstration Farm in Athenry, Co. Galway gives a brief update on the Newford yearling heifers, how they performed over the winter period and what they expect the heifers to do in the coming months since their early turnout to grass.
The heifers on Newford Farm had an early turnout to grass on the 20th of January.
Due to the exceptional good weather in the autumn of 2021, Newford decided to leave the weanling heifers at grass for as long as possible and the weanling heifers took full advantage of the quality in the grass to drive on their daily liveweight gain, achieving ADG from weaning to housing of 0.93 Kg over 84 days
On average each heifer consumed roughly 200 kilograms of concentrates at grass before housing costing €69 per head. The 40 weanling heifers were housed on the 7th of December 2021 at 379 Kilograms. Achieving average daily gain of 1.18 kilogram from birth to housing.
At housing the heifers received good quality 75% DMD pit silage until turnout which was on the 20th of January. They also received 2 Kilograms of an 18% crude protein ration per day during the housing period of 45 days, costing €31 per head.
From housing on the 7th of December to turn out to grass on the 20th of January the heifers gained an average of 32 Kilograms body weight or 0.72 kilograms per day over the 45 day housing period meaning the heifers were turned out to grass, on average, at 411kg liveweight.
Newford’ s plan for these heifers is now to finish them off grass at 16 to 17 months of age, aiming for an average drafting liveweight of 550 Kilograms in early summer, when the market price is usually higher compared to later in the year
All the heifers are sire by 5 star terminal bulls such as
- Fiston
- Hideal
- Gstaad
- Laurel
- Kilconnelly Kodaline
- Tomschoice Lexicon
Heifer Tag 1191
This Charolais Fiston sire heifer was born on the 11th February 2021 out of an Aberdeen Angus cross cow. Her turnout weight was 416 Kilograms and she had an average daily gain over the winter period of 0.62 Kilogram per day, gaining 28 Kilograms over the 45 days. Her average daily gain from birth to turnout was 1.10 Kilogram per day
Heifer Tag 1093
This Limousin Heifer by Gstaad was born on the 11th of February 2021 out of a Hereford cross cow and she was the heaviest heifer at turnout at 487 Kgs. Her average daily gain from birth to turnout was 1.31 kilogram per day.
Heifer Tag 1195
This Belgium blue Heifer by Kilconnelly Kodaline was born on the 13th of February 2021 out of a Hereford cross cow. Her turnout weight was 395 Kgs and she had an average daily gain over the winter period of 0.98 Kilogram per day, gaining 44 Kgs during housing. Her average daily gain from birth to turnout was 1.06 Kilogram per day.
Heifer Tag 1201
This Charolais Hideal sire heifer was born on the 16th February 2021 out of a Hereford cross cow. Her turnout weight was 448 Kilograms and she had an average daily gain over the winter period of 0.60 Kilogram per day, gaining 27 Kgs over the 45 days. Her average daily gain from birth to turnout was 1.21 Kilogram per day.
The closing up of all paddocks from last October in rotation ensured that they had enough of grass built up which allow them to turn out the stock now. With the help of PastureBase and the spring rotation planner, Newford Farm aims to have one third of the farm grazed by the 17th of March, two third’s by the 1st April & the last third by mid- April before starting to close up paddocks for silage.
The aim is to utilise 1 tonne of grass Dry matter per ha in the first rotation. Newford Farm are grazing off a portion of our grazing block first, before moving onto grazing the silage ground. This will help them to have a good grazing structure in place for the year ahead to grow as much quality grass as possible and maximise weight gain from grass.