Articles

What are the consequences of a late spring going to be for our livestock?

A late spring can have a huge impact on profitability.  However the impact is likely to be even greater this year with the shortage of forage and in particular straw and other bedding materials.

This winter there have been a high number of acidic silages ie silages with a PAL (Potential Acid Load) value over 900. 

Both twin lamb disease (pregnancy toxaemia) and milk fever (hypocalcaemia) affect ewes in late pregnancy.  But how can you tell the difference between the two, to make sure treatment is effective?

Beware of staggers (hypomagnesaemia) in sheep, when they are being turned out to quick growing grass in the spring.  Sheep are most exposed at peak lactation, which is 30-40 days post lambing.

Ewes who have surplus colostrum at lambing, especially single bearing ewes, can have colostrum extracted from them and frozen for use when required by other lambs. 

We all know cows are becoming bigger, more excitable and unfortunately more aggressive.  This is particularly true in the first few days post calving ie when we are using calving pens.

Trying different bedding types this winter to compliment or replace straw?

The lead up to calving is a critical period.  Cows should be split by condition and fed accordingly. 

nfections in newborn calves and lambs are likely to be a bigger problem than normal this spring due to the severe shortage of straw.  As a consequence, both the use of antibiotics and mortality rates are likely to increase.