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Dairy Reminders For January 2005

By Department of Primary Industries - 25th January 2005 - Back to News

Pastures
Ryegrass leaf appearance rates for mid January can be quite variable due to rainfall, but is estimated to be between 10-15 days for each ryegrass leaf to emerge and extend to its full leaf length. Therefore, pasture rotations in January should be at least 30-45 days between each grazing.

Excessive daytime temperatures and dry conditions will suppress rye grass growth rates and leaf size, while very dry conditions may shut the plant down all together.

Long-term perennial rye grass pasture growth rates for January on dry land pastures in Gippsland are 12-17kg DM/ha/day. These low growth rates reflect the lack of soil moisture as the limiting factor that reduces plant growth. Those with irrigated rye grass pastures can expect an estimated growth rate of 30-40kg DM/ha/day. Irrigated paspalum pastures with adequate drainage and nitrogen applications may exceed the growth rates of ryegrass pastures during the hotter summer months.

Summer Crops
Ensure the herd always has access to a water trough in the crop paddock, laneway or adjacent paddock while grazing summer crops.

If grazing pasja, millet or forage rape, then back fence yesterday's strip to avoid any back grazing. This ensures the maximum potential for the regrowth to grow.

Cows
Keep your eye out for some new additions to your herd that gives the opportunity to improve the genetics and discard some of those older high cell count cows which are a potential problem.

Calves
Check your calves and heifers twice per week for signs of pink eye. Early treatment will increase the likelihood of a full recovery of the eye.

Young animals are more susceptible to intestinal worm burdens, therefore develop your worm control program and write the future drenching dates on the calendar to ensure the drench intervals are followed.

Education
Take time to train new staff on how to handle your livestock, this includes the calves, bulls as well as the dairy herd. Stock will respond and move through gates or laneways in a relaxed manner if they are moved in a familiar way. Show the new staff member how you normally move the stock and ask them to follow the same methods. Even the simple task of standing on a different side of a drafting gate will be enough the cause the cow to baulk and be confused. Stock handling courses are available.

IT’S DAIRY EFFLUENT TIME

The weather temperature is hotting up, which means that it’s dairy effluent application time. Dairy effluent is a great source of nutrients and can save you money on fertiliser bills.

It is also necessary to empty your ponds over the summer/autumn period, so they are ready for the onset of the wetter seasons. This helps to reduce the risk of dairy effluent leaving the farm, which can have a negative impact on waterway, animal and human health.

The Department of Primary Industries can help to work out the best way to apply dairy effluent across your farm, and how to spread nutrients and avoid toxicity - which can impact on animal health.

Nutrient testing of dairy effluent can be undertaken free of charge by the DPI Nutrient Extension team.

The testing involves analysing the nutrient content of the dairy effluent such as phosphorus, nitrogen, potassium, sulphur, calcium, magnesium, sodium, pH and electrical conductivity. The results of the tests are then compiled and equated to the equivalent superphosphate, urea and murate of potash.

With the knowledge gained from the nutrient tests, decisions about appropriate effluent application on the farm can be made. If you are interested, a nutrient management plan can also be developed.

When applying dairy effluent to your farm, it is also important to consider leaving an appropriate buffer between waterways and the effluent application site. This will help to avoid effluent running into the creek in the event of a rainstorm. Thinner application of effluent will also minimise the risk of run-off.

The solids or slurry sitting on the bottom of the effluent pond is high in phosphorus and nitrogen. If you stir the pond prior to emptying you will be managing the slurry or solids at the same time as the liquid, while maximising your storage capacity for the next season.

Mixing also means that the effluent you are pumping is higher in two very important nutrients for growing more grass. After mixing, the nutrients will then be in the paddock increasing pasture production, not clogging up your ponds.

For further information and testing call the DPI Nutrient Extension team Ellinbank on 5624 2222 or Maffra on 5147 0800.

Source: http://gippsland.com/

Published by: news@gippsland.com

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