Vaccines: While it may be early to be talking about calving 2027, farmers beginning calving in January and early February should have scour vaccinations in mind, especially for first-calved heifers or those that are completing vaccination for the first time. Booster shots will typically have to be given a minimum of three weeks prior to calving to allow the immunisation to pass from the mother to her calf in the form of colostrum and no more than 12 weeks from calving ie, cows must be in the third trimester of pregnancy. However, primary vaccines for previously unvaccinated animals must be given four to five weeks out from the second shot, meaning primary shots must be completed at least eight weeks prior to calving. An animal that is calving in the first week of January and is not currently on a vaccination programme will require the primary shot to be given this week.
As always, consult your vet on the best course of action for you. It’s also important to be mindful that similar to pneumonia vaccinations, scour vaccinations are not a silver bullet that will eliminate scours. Colostrum management is hugely important, with calves receiving adequate colostrum within the first two hours after being born a critical factor. Good hygiene practices must also be maintained around calving boxes and creep pens.
Closing paddocks: Exceptional weather over the last 10 days or so has led to a lot of beef stock still being out to grass in some areas. This does come with a word of caution, with spring grass being 2.5 to three times more valuable than autumn.
Most farms should have in excess of 70% of the farm closed by now. Roughly two-thirds of the grass you graze in early spring (February/March) will be grown in October and November. Paddocks need between circa 120 days’ rest over winter before grazing again in spring. With strong October growth, paddocks that were close in early October have a good cover of grass on them with many farmers tempted to graze these now with good ground conditions. Unless covers are extremely heavy and likely to rot at the butt over the winter period, these covers should be left for spring grazing with an aim to get weanlings or lighter stock, or freshly calved cows, out on to these in February. Store lamb trade is also strong, with many beef farmers ringside purchasing lambs.
Caution is also required here as store lambs are not given access to large parts of the farm, eating into valuable covers of grass and eliminating the chance for an early turn out for cattle.
SCEP genotyping: Farmers should be mindful of the upcoming deadline for genotyping under Suckler Carbon Efficiency Programme (SCEP). Farmers are required to genotype a minimum of 70% of their reference number on an annual basis, with these genotype samples sent to the National Genotyping Laboratory, with an envelope provided by your tag supplier to be used. Samples should arrive at the lab by 30 November.
