- In maize, if possible, spray out six weeks before expected drilling. Remove the foliage from the previous grass species a minimum of four weeks before drilling to reduce Argentine stem weevil (ASW) pressure. Remember an insecticide at spray out reduces pest pressure.
- Use Poncho® seed treatment on maize seed to provide protection against ASW, greasy cutworm, and black beetle. Avipel acts as a bird repellent.
- Walk new maize crops and monitor for pests such as slugs and greasy cutworms. Spray with an appropriate insecticide as required.
- Walk and monitor for weed emergence. If required, spray before the crop has reached five to six leaves.
- Check cereal and pasture paddocks weekly for weeds, pests and diseases as well as the growth stage. Spray accordingly. Map yellow bristle grass areas for treatment.
- Herbage testing of newly growing Lucerne can identify potential micronutrient issues such as a molybdenum deficiency, which cannot be detected through soil testing.
- When walking paddocks to be put into spring-sown crops, dig a hole in the soil 20 to 30 cm deep and look for signs of compaction. If compaction is identified, then ripping can improve crop yield.
- A well-planned weaning process reduces stress on calves.
- Daily intake of pellets or meal in all individuals must be greater than 1 kg per calf per day for three or more consecutive days before weaning off milk.
- Delay weaning calves not eating greater than 1 kg per calf per day. This improves outcomes by reducing weaning stress and undernutrition post-removal of milk.
- Pellets should contain coccidiostats to manage coccidiosis, a common cause of diarrhoea in calves around weaning.
- Calves only need drenching for worms after consuming significant amounts of pasture for at least four weeks. This coincides with calves being a minimum of eight to ten weeks old.
- Do not use drenches containing abamectin in calves less than 100 kg.
- Safe products for the first drench are oral products containing BZ/Levamisole combinations such as Combomax or Scanda®.
- Continue drenching throughout summer and autumn with triple combination oral drenches at 28-day intervals.
- If calves are continuing to scour despite drenching, get a faecal sample to check for worm eggs, coccidiosis or bacterial infections.
- Selenium, cobalt and copper are the main trace elements for optimal growth.
- Vaccinate with Multine® to protect against common clostridial diseases.
- The cost of lameness to the farm is high due to the cost of treatment, lost milk production, increased risk of culling and needing to be replaced, increased labour and potentially extra days to calving.
- Lame cow numbers increase when there is an incidence of:
- Poorer hoof quality due to nutrition and/or animal health challenges at calving and lactation
- Increased walking distances
- Extended time standing on hard surfaces at milking or feed pads
- Increased riding activity during mating
- Wet weather or drought conditions can increase the risk of cracks
- Deteriorated tracks with sharp pieces can lead to stone bruises.
- Check bulls for soundness. A bull with sore feet is not as active in the paddock and inflammation affects sperm quality.
- Zinc and biotin are important trace minerals. It takes time to see an improvement in a lame cow as there needs to be new hoof growth.
- Ensure cows are not rushed or pushed to the shed and that tracks are maintained. Minimise sharp turns out of the shed along with standing times on hard surfaces or in the wet.
