Early weaning is a tool that should be considered to assist producers to maintain the fat score of their breeders. Calves can be weaned onto good feed from 100 kilos ( approx 3 months of age). This is beneficial for the cow, the calf and your pocket. Splitting the cow calf unit and feeding separately saves considerable feed and water as it is more efficient to feed/ water the calf directly rather than through the cow.
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Ideally aim to keep breeders at a fat score of 2.5-3 out of 5. Ensuring breeders do not drop below fat score 2 (a minimum of 5mm of fat on the rump) is important as once cows fall below 5mm of rump fat they will start to metabolise muscle and fertility drops. Maintaining breeder condition helps to ensure breeders can cycle and conceive again, but maybe more importantly it ensures producers maintain the flexibility to market their breeders should conditions change or opportunity arises. If breeder condition falls buyers evaporate and in some cases the cattle are then not fit to transport. This is an awkward situation for all to be faced with.
Maintaining breeder condition and ensuring their daily energy needs are met by supplementary feed (when paddock feed is insufficient which unfortunately is the common situation in may areas at the moment ) is also important for pregnant cows.
Compromised maternal nutrition during gestation produces offspring with reduced meat quality due to less muscle fibres. Muscle fibres are formed during the 2nd-8th month of gestation and the number of muscles fibres does not increase after birth. If your business is producing steers for the meat market maintaining breeder condition and budgeting to feed what you have chosen to keep right through pregnancy and into lactation is crucial. Hunter Local Land Services District Vet team, Livestock Officer and Agricultural Extension Officers can help you with livestock nutrition and health advice and making important management decisions for your herd in these dry times.
Drought support for Gloucester
With increasingly critical conditions impacting the eastern parts of our region, Hunter Local Land Services is urging producers in the Gloucester district and surrounds to attend a drought workshop on Friday ,November 15. The event is being held at the Gloucester Anglican Hall from 9am-3pm. morning tea and lunch provided.
Hunter Local Land Services teams are coming together to provide local cattle producers with essential drought information at Gloucester. Support services including the DPI Rural Resilience Program, Rural Financial Counselling Service, CWA and other counselling support services will be attending the day, so producers can make contact with these vital support agencies. Producers can RSVP via this link: https://hunterlls.wufoo.com/forms/mxudieb1lp1fg6/ Further information contact Hunter LLS Community Engagement Officer Daniel Trudgeon on 0419 436 185