Monthly Reminders December
Pastures
- Perennial ryegrass plants should now be past the reproductive stage of their cycle. We should now extend to an appropriate rotation length to target the 2.5 to three leaf stage. Ensure a residual of 4–6cm is left between the clumps. Leaving residuals greater than 6cm means pasture has been ‘wasted’ and re-growth will be compromised.
- To sustain good growth don’t forget to fertilize.
- Remember to base grazing decisions on the dominant species in the pasture. If paspalum is the major species in your pasture this season you may need to implement a faster rotation to control quality.
- It is not too late to sow summer crops however you really need to question how much growth they will provide in the coming months and do you actually need the feed, and will you be able to sow ryegrass in March 2012? For some people it may be best not to sow a summer crop but wait six to eight weeks and sow an early oats crop that will continue to provide high quality feed through winter.
Fodder
- Keep an eye on hay stacks for signs of heating and consider insuring your hay
- Watch the weekly grain and hay reports on the Dairy Australia website www.dairyaustralia.com.au
Irrigation
- Average December evaporation rates means in the order of 34mm should be applied over a week for the higher valley regions and 45mm for the lower country.
- These application rates assume your soil moisture levels are not already in deficit.
People
Remember to take some time out to enjoy the company of friends and family over Christmas.
Cows
- Take action to reduce heat stress – give cows access to shade where possible, use sprinklers in the dairy to help cool cows and make sure plenty of clean drinking water is available. There are many great practical ideas at the cool cows website www.coolcows.com.au
- Ensure your bulls are fit and healthy, and rotated regularly. Ensure you have the ‘bull power’ one bull per 30 empties, plus one spare, if you don’t have enough you might get a shock when you pregnancy test.
- Keep an eye out for signs of an unbalanced diet. Signs may include:
- Rapid or sustained condition loss;
- Rapid loss of production;
- Fat and protein levels - a low fat test may be the results of insufficient fibre; a low protein test may be the result of insufficient energy;
- If less than half the cows are chewing their cud while resting there may be a lack of fibre;
- ‘Crapology’ - loose, smelly manure could mean the cow is suffering from acidosis; solid manure indicates a high fibre level and possibly a lack of protein and energy;
- Do the cows look visually poor - dull, sunken eyes, scruffy coat, hunched back? These are all signs that the cow is not well and the cause may have something to do with the diet.
