30/11/2020

Week ending 30-11-20 farm notes:

FARM PERFORMANCE

With growth rates up at 72 kg DM/ha/day cover has accumulated over the week to 2144 kg DM/ha.  The gap in the wedge is filling up and we have made the decision to offer more area (from 6 ha to 6.3 ha) in order to offer the cows as much as they can still eat, which is around 18.5 kg DM/cow/day. This has the impact of speeding up the rotation to 21 days, which for a short period we are comfortable with. Our pre-graze target was 2850 kg DM/ha, but the cows will be going into covers around 2600-2700 kg DM/ha over the next week but we are offering more area (155m²/cow).

We have been carrying out Pasture Condition Scoring and noting the proportion of clover and plantain in each paddock during our farmwalks, to get an idea on establishment success and priorities for Autumn pasture renewal. This is aligned with our long-term strategy of getting up to 30% plantain and 30% clover into the swards to reduce our Overseer modelled N loss.

Turnips are on target to start grazing on the 10^th January. 

The calves were weighed on 26^th November, with an average weight of 121 kg gaining 0.8 kg/day over the last three weeks. Twelve are still underweight, and three that require action. We still have those 12 calves on milk. The remainder of the calves have started on the chicory, being allocated 22m²/calf/day (4 kg DM) which is a 21-day grazing rotation. They are also receiving 1 kg meal and 1 kg PK until our remaining 2 tonnes of meal runs out, when they will be on PK and silage.

ANIMAL WELLBEING

Mating is going well; a herd test on the 15^th November identified pregnancy in 202 cows (50% of our herd) in the first three weeks.  We selected 223 to test as assumed in-calf.  Eighty-five cows are in calf to sexed semen, and 39 are in calf to PSS Forward Pack KX.  This would give us 90 heifer calves (without further losses).  With the yearlings also mating to AB this year we will have a surplus of up to 40 AB heifer calves born within 24 days after PSC. Expected BW of the calves is 236 which is 19 BW points higher than the 2020-born animals.

BUSINESS HEALTH

Nothing to report

HEALTHY ENVIRONMENT

One of our challenges is managing runoff from races and avoiding nearby streams.  With dung accumulating on races a heavy rainfall event creates a flow of water that is best filtered over pasture or riparian planting.  With the recent rainfall we have a chance to look at water flow off tracks and check that cut-outs allow the race wash to diffuse through pasture with no direct flow into nearby waterways. We have also emptied out our underpass sump this week to ensure it continues to function effectively.

Taking photos of water flow will help you with any race works planned for the summer. 

QUALITY WORKPLACE

Now we have our extra team member on board, we have been busy organising leave for the summer.  Finding out what works best for each team member, based on family and hobbies, and also encouraging at least one extended period of leave so that they get a chance to miss us all back at the farm!!

COMMUNITY

Thanks to those who came along to our November Focus Day.  Due to the severe weather warnings we decided to host inside a hall rather than on farm as planned.  Despite that, we had a chance to share our plans to continue evolving our pastoral system to meet our environmental and animal wellbeing goals.  The handout for the day can be found here: November Focus Day Handout

PLANNING FOR THE MONTH AHEAD:

• Creating a cull list
• Christmas parties
• Organising annual leave

Cheers Jo + Tom