- Walk established paddocks for weeds, and where possible, more robust sprays can be used for some perennial weeds without damaging clover too much.
- Check new pastures pass the pull test before the first graze. Spray new pasture with 2,4-D or other herbicide if required after the first graze and top up with nitrogen.
- Spray Lucerne crops that are over 12 months old with a contact and residual herbicide.
- Select the correct seeding rate for autumn and winter planted cereals. Apply a pre-emergence herbicide within 48 hours of sowing.
- Nitrogen (N) fixation by clover is slow and the rate of N mineralisation from soil organic matter is low. The response to N fertilisers will be low and at risk of leaching and/or being lost to the atmosphere. If applying N fertiliser, check soil conditions and temperature. Do not apply to wet or cold soils of less than seven degrees Celsius.
- Where possible, protect soils from pugging damage, or at the very least, limit the time animals spend in an area to minimise damage. Winter pugging damage can have a profoundly negative affect on spring pasture growth.
- Pregnancy scanning is a great time to assess ewe body condition score (BCS).
- Act now to boost tail-end ewes as multiple-bearing ewes cannot gain BCS in the last month of pregnancy.
- Ewes in BCS 2 at set stocking wean fewer and lighter lambs than ewes at BCS 3.
- Feeding supplements mid-pregnancy allows pasture growth to accumulate for lambing and lactation. Aim to set stock on 1,200 kg of dry matter per ha at lambing to maximise ewe lactation.
- Feeding options include increasing the daily allocation of grass, forage or silage alongside concentrate feeding using grains, pellets and lick blocks.
- Tail-end ewes may require drenching. Do a faecal egg count and consider products with persistent activity.
- Lice populations in sheep are at their highest during winter, causing damage to fleeces. Shearing dramatically reduces lice numbers.
- If using pour-on products post-shearing, apply evenly from the top of the head along the entire length of the back to the tail head to ensure even distribution in the lanolin layer. Apply within 24 hours of shearing to maximise chemical distribution over the body of the sheep. If blade shearing, using cover combs, or leaving bellies on sheep, increase the dose rates.
- Insect Growth Regulators do not kill adult lice. They interfere with the development of young nymphs so note there will be a significant lag before the adults die off.
- The transition period is the three to four weeks before and after calving.
- Successful transition management reduces metabolic issues at calving, maximises dry matter intake post-calving, and can improve production and reproduction outcomes.
- Ensure energy and nutrient requirements are met including protein, starch and fibre.
- Supplement magnesium, starting three to four weeks pre-calving. Consider multiple route supplementation via dusting or water.
- Avoid high potassium pastures such as effluent paddocks pre-calving.
- Reducing dietary cation-anion difference (DCAD) in the diet has a large impact on reducing metabolic issues at calving. Seek advice from your veterinarian or nutritionist to discuss the best way to decrease DCAD.
- Consider extended feed tests to identify high potassium paddocks and measure the DCAD of feeds.
- Adapt the cow to the milking diet by introducing small amounts of the milking cow ration pre-calving.
- Realistically estimating the feed budget and utilisation ensures sufficient feed is on offer. Note, utilisation of pasture and supplements reduces in adverse weather.
- Supplement trace minerals to support the immune system and cow health including chromium, cobalt, copper, selenium, iodine and zinc.
