Management Notes for June 2017
Date published:
Management Notes are prepared by staff from the College of Agriculture, Food and Rural Enterprise (CAFRE). CAFRE is a college within the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA).
DAIRYING
Prepared by: Christopher Breen
Slurry and fertiliser for second cut silage
The online CAFRE Crop Nutrient Calculator is useful for working out slurry and fertiliser requirements for second cut silage. At soil index 2 for phosphate and index 1 for potassium (potash), typical indexes of fields with a history of being cut for silage, slurry has the potential to provide some of the nitrogen and potash and all of the phosphate.
An application of 22 cubic metres of dairy cow slurry per hectare (2,000 gallons per acre) and 375 kg (three bags per acre) of a 22:0:10 type fertiliser can meet second cut requirements at these indexes. At a practical level evenly spread slurry improves silage fermentation and minimises sward damage.
Growing a low potash (K) silage for dry cows
There are health and performance advantages to producing silage specifically for dry cows. Aim for a low K grass at cutting as high K silages are associated with metabolic disorders and subsequent poor milk yields in early lactation cows.
Fields previously cut for silage should not receive slurry again. An application of 315 kg per hectare (two and a half bags per acre) of CAN fertiliser (27:0:0) is enough to grow a low K silage for dry cows. Bale silage is suitable for feeding to dry cows. Leave cutting until early August as stem development coincides with a fall in the grass K levels. To avoid mould growth or mycotoxins the harvested grass dry matter should not rise above 35% before baling. It takes seven hectares to produce enough bales to feed 100 cows in the last four weeks of the dry period. Store the bales separately and use only for dry cow feeding.
Condition scoring late lactation cows
Cows calved last autumn are over 200 days in milk and should be condition scored any time now. Aim to have them at condition score 2.75 at calving. These cows should be about condition score 2.5 at the moment. Assess fat cover over the loin, pelvis and tail area:
- Loin - there should be a slight depression along the cow’s top line and her loin. The shelf at the end of her transverse processes and flank should be filling.
- Pelvis - there should be a good cover of tissue developing on the plates.
- Tail area - there should be a good cover of tissue over the pin bones and the cavity at the tail head should be filling.
If you have cows that have not yet reached this stage and are well past 200 days in milk increase their dry matter intake. Try feeding some rolled cereal.
Water for cows at grass
Water for cows at grass is extremely important with 100 cows drinking 6,500 litres daily. On hot days (temperatures above 20oC) this figure can double. Troughs should be large enough so that 10% of the herd can drink at any one time with 30-50% water intake occurring within one hour of milking. Troughs in the centre of paddocks with fast flow valves and large bore pipes ensure cows have easy access to water. Clean troughs regularly as cows are very sensitive to smell and will not drink dirty water.
June jobs checklist
- Ensure good grazing management by grazing swards down to 1,600 kg dry matter per hectare to maintain sward quality.
- Think about dry cow winter diets now so that low potash silage can be made.
- Top grazing swards containing dead grass or seed heads to maintain sward quality.
- Calibrate parlour and out of parlour feeders to ensure accurate feeding.
- Carry out spraying if conditions are suitable and docks/weeds are at the right stage for control. If spraying docks in silage fields generally allow an interval of at least 21 days between spraying and harvest. Always read the label on the product used.
BEEF AND SHEEP
Prepared by: Darryl Boyd
SHEEP
Feet
Feet problems often occur with ewes that were treated previously. Keep a note of these sheep and cull repeat offenders as they act as a disease reservoir. Continuing with a treatment regime that’s not working is not a good idea. Historically regular foot trimming and spot treatment of lame sheep was common but this is no longer recommended.
- Check ewe’s feet when handling and identify those with a really bad problem. Mark for culling as soon as possible.
- Vaccinate ewes in midsummer and again before housing, this will help to reduce the extent of the problem.
- Reduce disease spread by moving feeders daily, using lime around troughs and feeders and in lambing pens.
- Control scald in lambs and as soon as you see it put lambs through a footbath solution.
- Restrict foot trimming to identification of lesions or tidying up after antibiotic treatment has worked.
Essential to the control of footrot is that ewes need to stand for an hour on dry concrete after foot bathing. Wet farms can have significant footrot problems that are difficult to treat when pens are muddy and large numbers of sheep need to be handled.
Draw lambs
Continue to go through lambs and draw any that are fat and in ‘spec’ off milk and at weaning. This will save grass for later finishing lambs and allow for additional grass for ewes at flushing.
BEEF
Many producers worm cattle now that they have been on pasture for a couple of months or before they go on to silage aftermaths. This helps lower the burden on pasture for the remainder of the grazing season. It is an excellent time to handle cattle; the oldest of spring 2016 calves could be 500 kg or more. Based on weight and cover remove those cattle which could finish in the next six weeks and do not worm if the withdrawal periods conflict with expected finish dates.
SUCKLER COWS
Monitor autumn calving cows to ensure they don’t become over conditioned as this will cause an increase in pelvic fat deposition and increased calving difficulties. Many farmers graze these cattle on poorer and older swards or use them to ‘clean out’ fields or paddocks after young stock. The period before calving is a critical time and requires good nutrition. Any attempt to reduce condition should be done six weeks before calving.
Summer mastitis can cause significant losses in autumn calving cows and heifers. Worst case scenario is death or abortion due to toxaemia. Summer mastitis is caused by bacteria which gain entry to the udder via the teat orifice. Any existing teat chaps/damage will attract flies that can then cause further teat end damage allowing infection into the udder. Once one cow is affected flies can transfer to other cows.
- Avoid high risk pastures, in particular low lying sheltered fields near water courses and/or woods.
- Control fly population – use pour-on products etc.
- Apply an external teat barrier such as Stockholm tar.
- Antibiotic dry cow tubes – in most cases the antibiotic cover will not extend beyond one or two months, so if cows are weaned in early summer the protection may have gone before calving occurs.
- Internal teat sealants – these are designed to mimic the natural keratin plug that forms in cows at drying off.
HORTICULTURE
Prepared by: Kieran Lavelle
Spray application equipment and the law
Whether it’s for strawberries or scented stock, cauliflowers or cotoneasters, almost every horticultural grower needs to use some form of pesticide. If you are a small scale producer who operates backpack or handheld spray application equipment only, such as a knapsack sprayer, you should regularly check it is in good working order and keep a written record of these checks and maintenance. Don’t forget if you apply pesticides you must have a recognised certificate of competence.
From 26th November 2016 it became a legal requirement for all larger pesticide application equipment to be formally tested and certified as fit for operation before use. This includes any tractor mounted kit with a boom 3 m or more in length, as well as misters, foggers and granular applicators.
If you have recently purchased a brand new sprayer, the paperwork and warranty should provide up to five years cover comparable to this certification. Do please note, however, that all equipment must, by law, now have an independent inspection certificate or equivalent.
If you have not already done so, check the list of approved UK inspectors on the National Sprayer Testing Scheme (NSTS) website. The inspection and testing certificate from NSTS lasts up to five years for each piece of commercial equipment. However from 26th November 2020 the cover period for the inspection certificate is reduced to every three years.
Protect greenhouse and field ornamental crops against fungal diseases
At this time of year many ornamental crops such as cut flowers and bedding plants are ready for harvesting. This is a critical time to ensure quality is maintained and that fungal diseases such as Botrytis or Rust do not cause damage and significantly reduce yields.
Protected and field crops will be at risk of Botrytis where ‘free water’ is lying on leaves or flowers. This can initially appear as small pale spotting on leaves or petals which form into ‘grey mould’ in the right conditions. Botrytis is caused by rain, dews or overhead sprinkler systems. The use of drip irrigation is common in many protected crops such as cut flowers and containerised tree production, but can also be used with field crops as a means of watering without wetting crop foliage. Rust is another fungal disease often found on the underside of leaves in a raised circular pattern. This disease favours crops in dry soils during periods of high humidity so ensure even crop watering to maintain soil moisture.
To reduce the risk of fungal infection several non-chemical actions (cultural controls) should be routine. These include:
- Planting or spacing crops at the correct density to allow air flow between plants;
- In protected structures such as polytunnels keeping vents and doors open and;
- Using air fans to circulate air;
- Removing any signs of infection and dumping crop debris away from the greenhouse or field.
Correct crop nutrition is also important as healthy crops are better able to fight disease. In addition overfeeding with nitrogen leads to soft growth which is prone to fungal and pest damage especially by aphids.
A fungicide programme using products with different modes of action provides another level of protection. Matching the product’s active ingredient with the specific disease pressure will ensure effective use of fungicides and minimise wastage. For example in periods of high humidity or a forecast of rain conditions will be ideal for Botrytis spores to germinate, thus an application of a protectant fungicide will help to reduce spore germination on the crop. Several fungicides are available for ornamental use which have protectant and systemic activity which gives control to parts of the plant not covered by the spray. Contact your BASIS registered crop adviser for up to date advice and guidance.
POULTRY
Prepared by: Claire Anderson
Where are the migratory birds?
At this stage our winter migratory birds (swans, geese and ducks) are returning to their homes having overwintered with us. These species are key vectors for the spread of disease through their faeces. Of particular concern over the winter has been Avian Influenza (AI). There were multiple cases across Europe in commercial flocks with three cases in swans and a goose in the mid-Ulster region.
With this risk of disease came the adoption of an Avian Influenza Prevention Zone (AIPZ) and associated housing order in December. The risk still remains as the last confirmed UK case was on the 6th May in a small backyard flock of chickens in Lancashire. An AIPZ was in place in NI up until the end of May. A risk assessment will determine what will happen now.
As part of the requirements of the new AIPZ poultry keepers may let their poultry and captive birds out, as long as they follow the additional biosecurity mitigation measures specified in the declaration. Details of the measures are on the DAERA website and relate to birds, range management, wild birds, personnel, visitors, vermin control, vehicles and equipment.
Flock owners are reminded that all flocks, including small backyard flocks must be registered with DAERA. This will ensure you receive the most current information about AI from DAERA.
Biosecurity
Hygiene and biosecurity should be at the forefront of your mind as these are the only defences you have to reduce the risk of disease. Limit visitors to the site with only essential ones gaining access. Try to minimise foot traffic between houses and keep house specific boots and overalls in each control room. Replenish foot dips twice weekly; foot dips that are not lidded and outdoors may require more frequent changing. Ensure all vehicles are clean before entry and that all wheels are sprayed. Check egg trolleys and trays are clean before allowing them into the egg store. Maintain a robust rodent control programme and keep outside areas well maintained as tall grass and weeds provide ideal coverage for rodents which carry salmonella.
Heat stress
Coming into the summer, heat stress could become problematic and so management of ventilation is important. Most of the year the focus is on managing cooler air so removing hot air may be less on our minds. Birds have physiological tools to manage a range of temperatures but excess heat can be an issue. The initial response to increasing temperature is for birds to pant slowly. As the temperature increases they will exhibit fast panting and physical tiredness. Beyond this a welfare problem exists where the birds can’t control body temperature. Key to managing heat stress is to create a high airspeed of 1-3 metres per second over the birds. This creates a wind chill effect much the same way as an office fan operates. High air speed is achieved by the negative pressure of fans removing air from the house in a forced ventilation house or the stack effect in natural ventilated houses where warm air rises. With the correct balance between inlet area and recommended air change capacity, a high speed can be achieved. Fans can also be used to blow air into a house. This can produce high air speeds over the birds although there can be restrictions depending on house width and restrictions to the fan. Pressure meters (manometers) are useful for assessing ventilation performance. In a 18 m wide broiler house with a forced ventilation system a pressure of -30 to -40 Pascals should generate the recommended air speeds for cooling in a typical UK summer.
Soil Sampling and Analysis Scheme
AFBI are delivering, on DAERA’s behalf, a Soil Sampling and Analysis Scheme (EU Exceptional Aid) which is now open for registration via the AFBI website. The closing date for online registration is noon on the 19 June 2017.
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