Greenmount Organic Unit - update

Cows were eventually turned out to grass on 1 June. Calving was complete at this stage with no major problems to report. Cows received Ionox boluses at turnout to supplement iodine, cobalt and selenium - a known problem on our soil.

An Aberdeen Angus bull with good maternal traits was introduced to the herd over the summer period.

Clover swards have been cut for the second time and the ground conditions have led to a certain amount of wheel damage (compaction) in some fields. Despite this, the warm temperatures gave excellent regrowth and clover contents are high.

The year had started well despite the cold late winter, but as everyone is aware we have now suffered the wettest July on record, with wet weather continuing throughout August.

Some of the older calves were housed at the end of August due to the prevailing wet weather, and then during the first week in September remaining cows and calves had to be housed because of increasingly soft ground conditions. Fortunately, the weather dried up, and ground started to harden, the following week and most stock are now back out.

During housing stock were fed silage kept back from previous years as a buffer against such an event.

The winter triticale was cut in early August, crimped and treated with Propcorn under derogation. Triticale provides a good feed for the cattle through the winter and is competitive with weed growth, especially docks. Because of the Propcorn treatment it will require Vitamin E to be given in the ration during the winter.

Yield was a very pleasing 5.08 t/ha off-combine at 24 percent moisture content.

The straw was round baled and wrapped, due to the weather, and will be fed during the winter.

The 1.8 ha site is now being reseeded with a red clover based seed mixture.

The weather finally dried up and the oats and peas were combined on 12 September. For some reason, the peas did not establish well and may not give the lift in protein we would like.

Yield was 4.68 t/ha off the combine at 19.5 percent moisture content.  The crop was crimped and treated with Propcorn under derogation. The straw was baled.

The land is being overwintered as stubble before being reseeded with a white clover seed mixture in the spring.

For 2010 harvest we intend to sow 2 ha of winter triticale again shortly, after sub-soiling with the shakerator, and ploughing.

An area of spring oat / pea mix will then be sown in the spring.

Ewes lambed from 1 April onwards and lambing percent was 190 percent.

Lambs were weaned and weighed on 18 August, and weights to date and daily liveweight gains are as follows:

Lambs were dung sampled in July and results confirmed a suspected coccidiosis infestation. A derogation was obtained to treat with Vexocan.

Maggots continued to be a problem again this year and Crovect pour-on was used under derogation to control it.

After weaning, the lambs were moved to a red clover aftermath for finishing. They will also be given access to a herbal strip containing chicory and ribgrass to assist with worm prevention.