23 March 2022
Newford Notes – Week of 14th March 2022
With 90% of the calving complete at Newford, Michael Fagan, Technician at the Newford Suckler Demonstration Farm, Athenry, details the weekly calving percentage, cow and calf care, cow and calf turnout, the latest Newford farm video and grassland management for the farm here
Calving at Newford
90% of the Newford Farm suckler herd has calved as of 14th March
- 94 animals were scanned in-calf
- One heifer which was scanned in-calf suffered early embryo loss in early December
- This left 93 cows to calve down once the calving season started
- 90% of the Newford herd calved over a period of just 46 days (14th March) with the first cow calving on the 27th of January.
- 84 cows out of 93 in-calf animals calved up to 14th March (including two sets of twins)
- There are 81 live calves on the ground
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- This means there has been five cases of calf mortality
- Three cases have been attributed to stillbirths
- One calf died during a vet caesarean section
- One calf died two weeks after being born
- There are nine cows left to calve as of 14th of March
- Calves are being disbudded and are receiving treatment for coccidiosis as they come of age
- They are also receiving their IBR and clostridial disease vaccination
- At this moment in time there are no health issues to report on the farm
- The average weight of all calves born to-date is 42 kg
The average calving score is 1.19 and a detailed breakdown is listed below
Turnout to Grass
The first group of cows (36) and calves went to grass on the 28th of February but due to wet weather last week the farm has switched to grazing by day and housing by night. Cows and calves are brought in to the shed at evening time to minimise sward damage. This started last Thursday evening, 10th March, and once weather improves the 36 cows and calves will return to grass full time. With air temperature set to improve it is hoped to retain cows and calves outdoors full time from Wednesday 15th of March.
High-mag mineral lick buckets have been placed in paddocks where cows are grazing to prevent grass tetany
The first group of cows and calves went to grass on the 28th February
The table below outlines the rainfall so far on Newford Farm
Grass walk
- Cones farm received 1.5t of lime per acre in late January
- First of the protected urea has been spread 25kg per acre on all of the farm ( 4th March), but going forward only the best producing paddocks will get the most of the fertiliser due to the price and the scarceness of the product
Cover carried out on the 14th March
Visiting Group
Lectures and agricultural students from Perdue University USA visiting Newford Farm (15th March 2022)
2022 Newford Farm video
Newford Farm has posted its latest farm video on the Teagasc Facebook page. Watch it below.
Title: “Newford Farm Yearling Heifers Early Turnout to Grass on the 20th January 2022”
The video and article can also be viewed on Teagasc Daily at: Newford farm yearling heifers early turnout to grass
More information on the Newford Herd can be found here