March 2010 edition
Monthly Reminders – March
Pastures
- With the cooler temperatures and welcome rains in early March, perennial ryegrass plants which may have been dormant over the warmer summer months will begin to grow again. This can be the most important time of the year to ensure these pastures are managed correctly to ensure they remain highly productive throughout the year.
- A grazing rotation of 25-35 days will ensure plants have grown to their potential and created energy stores to generate new leaf once the plant has been grazed.
- Allowing perennial ryegrass plants to be grazed below five centimetres will severely reduce their ability to produce large leaves, and high yields in subsequent grazing.
- If you require assistance to ensure the most appropriate rotation lengths and residuals are met on your own farm then a Feeding Pastures For Profit program is definitely for you. The program provides the principles, tools and discussion that allow all farmers to control the balance between profit, lifestyle and risk for their farm resources.
- Pasture renovation, Most pastures will need some type of renovation. Have you decided what needs to be over sown and what should be re-sown? Remember to match seed varieties to specific paddock depending upon their characteristics. Contact your local DPI dairy extension officer or agronomist if you need help with these decisions.
- Be sure to match your pasture seeds to your paddocks. That is the drier, early finishing paddocks will be more suited to a true annual variety whereas low lying river flats tend to ‘hang on’ longer into spring/summer. Longer season Italian and hybrid varieties have the potential to grow large amounts of feed over these later months which will more than outweigh the extra cost of the seed.
- Have you done a water budget? It is important to know how much water you have left, how much of the farm you can start up and how many irrigations you will be able/will need to do this season.
Cows
- Dry off is a key time of the year to control milk quality for the following lactation. Ensure your cows are dried off following the procedure outlined in the Countdown Downunder manual which can be found at: www.countdown.org.au/pdf/Guidelines.pdf.
- Beware of the potential for nitrate or cyanide (prussic acid) poisoning associated with the consumption of some sorghum type fodder crops, seek advice on ways to minimise the risk of poisoning and watch stock closely on introduction to the crop.
- Ryegrass staggers will be more prevalent at this time of the year. Supplement young calves and yearlings with good quality hay to dilute the amount of endophyte they are consuming on a daily basis.
Young stock
- Ensure vaccinations and drenching programs for young stock are acted on.
- Weigh young stock regularly to monitor their progress toward their target weights.
Water Issues
- Continue to check water supply dams for signs of blue green algae. If present, avoid using the water, prevent stock access and get the algae identified.
- Assess your current water storage quantities and water needs to determine if you have sufficient to get through to next winter.
- Clean out drains which run water into dams. Try to construct a flat bottomed drain which is less conducive to erosion and will aid in reducing sediment flowing into the drain.
- The Dairy Shed Water License Transition Program amnesty has been EXTENDED and now ends on March 26, 2010. Therefore, if you need to apply for or update dairy shed water licenses, contact Goulburn-Murray Water.
People
- With calving beginning for most farmers in the next few weeks try to get some rest before the silly season starts.
