It did occur to me that insisting on a passenger whenever driving a quad would fulfil that buddy requirement nicely. In reality I was wondering how the farmer that I was going to meet was going to show me around. Sitting on the back of a quad has quite safely and effectively let me view his farm in the long-distant past. But alas someone had identified a risk in doing what I had previously thought risk-free. I should feel saved.
In going around numerous farms of late it is apparent winter will be tight for many. The last two winters have been helped by an unusually warm June, which has saved many farms. But it would be foolhardy to rely on another this year.
If the feed situation looks like it is going to be tight going into winter then it almost certainly will be. In which case, setting feeding priorities early is important as well as clearly defining when breeding stock need to be fed and when they don’t. As I keep harping on, next season’s production can be influenced by how breeding stock are wintered. Animal health support is similarly under the same influence.
I was annoyed late last year when moxidectin was being pedalled far and wide for sheep on the basis it was cheap. The decision to use this product should be based on several reasons, none of which are price. However, the moxidectin long-acting injection is already being sold for pre-lamb treatments.
What ewes need pre-lamb should be a decision made near the time. If ewes are going to be underfed in late pregnancy there is a good chance they will need more worm control support than usual. There are many options for achieving this, not the least is beginning now to avoid the feed deficit. But because the long-term consequences of using this product are so dramatic it is an option to take only after much consideration.
I find it interesting that more than ever I’m coming across high-performing flocks in which there is no whole-flock drenching. A very common approach is that light condition ewes are the only mature sheep drenched. The most common feature of these flocks is they are well fed at critical times, which of course is the main driver of high performance. But I’m beginning to form the opinion that maybe the biggest expression of using genetics that bring a lesser need to drench is that ewes are most protected. I seldom see this genetic background making much difference to the need to drench lambs.
Of course any farmer can reduce that need with a grazing plan, but in the face of standard worm challenges from sheep pastures it is a big call for genetics to be able to make a difference.
To not drench ewes though, especially if this is accompanied by fewer dags, is a big benefit. It is fascinating, or maybe concerning, that such options for cattle are not commercially available. For the majority of beef herds this is not a big deal but for dairy herds it could be.
Unfortunately the need to drench adult dairy cows is so poorly demonstrated it is highly likely genetic assistance is of little use. The same limitations of what genetics can do to reduce lamb drenching would apply to calves. There is certainly a need to reduce the drench inputs into calves – not beef ones, but dairy and dairy beef.
Many dairy grazers, it seems, are forever being yarded to be drenched.
The frequent monitoring of weight is giving the need to yard so the temptation is to drench while they’re in. The concepts of refugia have not reached that world yet and pour-ons reign. Are they a time bomb ticking?
