Blog

The benefits of using an early maturing variety were showcased at a maize open day in Bangor-On-Dee, where farmers had the opportunity to view some of the 6,000 trial plots at the site.

The main goal for rearing healthy calves successfully and economically is to encourage development of the calf's rumen, enabling digestion of solid feeds and reducing their nutritional dependence on milk.

Maize is one of the most valuable forms of home-grown forage when grown, managed, harvested and fed correctly. It is only at this time of year, just before harvest, that we can accurately assess how successful the crop has been and identify whether issues exist which can be corrected to get even better results in future. Also at this time of year, we get the first indication of the likely feed quality. Consequently, many will be looking at what makes a profitable maize crop and whether 2017 has been a successful season.

We have come to a point in calf rearing, where there is an abundance of advice and information available to farmers. We quite often know what the ‘ideal’ scenarios are for rearing healthy calves. Some farmers are putting these advised practises in place on their farms, and yet not getting the desired result – and this is understandably frustrating.

As the year progresses, it’s time to start thinking about the autumn parasite challenges, we’ve seen some very high worm egg counts this year which could continue into the tupping season. Continuation of the current warm, wet weather could result in us seeing an earlier fluke challenge too.

As maize harvest gets underway, now is the perfect time to consider what to do with the land when the crop comes off. With additional research now available, many growers are paying greater attention to the negative effects of leaving maize stubble bare over the winter period and what benefits there are to growing a following crop.

Understanding the fertility of your soil is an essential part of grassland management. There needs to be an awareness of the nutritional picture of each field, to ensure there is the right balance of nutrients to allow the ley to fulfil its potential. A blanket approach to fertiliser purchasing is often not the most cost-effective approach, as each field needs to be assessed individually.

As a country, the UK prides itself as having one of the highest welfare standards where all of the basic needs of farmed animals are met. Over the last few years, production has increased which has included the installation of new parlours, adult cow housing and slurry storage. All this is to meet the demand of the consumer, but often, one thing that has remained the same is calf housing.

Recording the growth rate of young stock provides valuable information. It is also an indirect method of monitoring the efficiency of feed conversion. Meeting growth rate targets will ensure maximum return on your investment.

The profitability of any beef or dairy enterprise is driven by performance. This starts with conception of the calf. As a calf specialist, I believe we should be improving tomorrow’s herd, today. If we take a step back and concentrate on the growing foetus, this is where all our efforts should be focused.