September 2010 edition
Monthly Reminders – September
Pastures
- Spring is the best time to use nitrogen to boost plant growth. It will provide economical growth responses in established crops and pastures with good density. With a limited budget, soil testing is still critical in making the best fertiliser decisions under the current circumstances. Spring is the ideal time to soil test your paddocks
- As we move into October pasture growth rates will increase, this will mean faster rotations to maintain quality. Using the Rotation Right tool is a simple way to stay in control and identify the true surplus as soon as it arrives on your farm.
Young stock
- Weaning - Provided calves are eating 0.75 kg/day of pellets and a fibre source for rumen function, milk feeding does not have to be reduced gradually.
Cows.
- Feeding the cows well from calving will enable them to cycle earlier in preparation for the planned start of joining.
- Record details of any non-cycling cows and have a plan for how to deal with them. Don’t wait for the end of the mating period.
- Watch for signs of acidosis in fresh cows, particularly if you are feeding high levels of grain with fresh, lush pasture.
- Make sure you have the necessary bull power! (one bull per 25 empty cows)
Irrigation
- Prepare irrigation equipment and channels. Allowing plants to be moisture stressed, even for a short period has dramatic consequences on pasture yields and water use efficiencies.
