Industry Insights & News

While ruminant nutrition is increasingly driven by lab analysis, software and predictive models sometimes show the best information can be gleaned from the floor of the shed. Digestive clues of ruminant animals are ever present in the form of fresh dung. Typically using dung scoring, where dung is judged on its appearance and thickness, we…

The transition period – defined as the 21 days before and after calving. This is a critical 42-day window that can make or break the success of a dairy cow’s entire lactation. As milk yields continue to increase across dairy herds, the importance of optimising this period only grows. The demands on the cow’s metabolism…

Efficient and well-managed heifer rearing plays a vital role in the productivity and profitability of any dairy herd. Grazing systems offer a cost-effective alternative to housing, significantly reducing inputs such as feed, bedding and labour. However, this lower-cost approach must be matched with structured management to ensure heifers reach key development milestones and grow into…

Managing dry cow nutrition is crucial for ensuring optimal health and performance during the transition period. This phase, particularly the last four weeks before calving, is pivotal for setting the stage for a successful lactation. A well-balanced dry cow diet that considers energy density, palatability, and mineral composition is essential. In recent years there has…

With current lamb prices remaining strong and the Spring lamb trade looking optimistic, many sheep farmers are starting to introduce lamb creep to their newly born lambs. Creep feeding is a management practice used to supplement the diet of young lambs, typically after they are a few weeks old, to promote faster growth and better…

Transitioning cows from winter diets to fresh spring grass offers an opportunity to increase milk production from forage, reduce concentrate feed costs and improve farm profitability. However, successful grazing management is essential to maintain performance levels and maximise these economic benefits. The aim: The main objectives of spring grazing management are to gradually increase the…

With the main lambing season fast approaching, it is critical we start planning for the feeding management of our pregnant ewes.  During the last 6 – 8 weeks of pregnancy, ewes need to be on a rising plane of nutrition to compensate for the rapid increase in lamb growth, and reduction in dry matter intake…

As milk price looks favorable for the winter ahead; there is a large incentive to optimise milk production. Correct dry cow nutrition is the cornerstone to a successful transition into early lactation and to ensure peak milk yield targets are attained. If fresh cows are not performing, take a step back and look at nutrition…

With many beef cattle being housed in recent weeks, regular forage analysis should be carried out to form the basis of any diet and to tailor the concentrate that is fed. Finishing rations need to have a high cereal content with elevated starch levels to maximise weight gains and achieve targeted fat covers. These optimal…

Widespread unpredictability in weather across NI to date has presented a number of challenges for grass management this grazing season; persistent rainfall in early spring resulted in an undesirably later turnout for most grazing herds with entry covers well in excess of the optimal 3000 kg DM/ha, whilst current weather have introduced additional challenges for…