FRS Spring time tips By: Kate Fogarty

This week I wanted to offer you some spring time tips to help you through your busy spring season. I will briefly explain the practices of De-horning your new born calves and Freeze Branding for identification and FRS Fencing will offer you expert tips for paddock fencing this spring time.

Important Spring Time Tips

• Make suitable arrangements for an experienced FRS operator to help prepare your animals, farm yard, fences and walk ways, so you are ready for when the time is right to let cows out.

• Lameness Observations:

Look out for early sign of lameness. Talk to FRS about your concerns and remember that prevention is better than cure when it comes to hoof care. Conduct curative or preventative hoof care as soon as possible.

• Ensure your facilities are in good condition and are suitable for the number of cows you are currently carrying.

• Take the time to check your cattle walk ways and make sure they are suitable and free of stones.

• Check your roadways for potential hazards before moving cattle.

Calf De-horning

Why de-horn calves as new born?

1. Dehorning calves at a young age minimizes hazards to the calf and yourself

2. Dehorning is less stressful on new-born calves

3. Alleviates animal welfare concerns

When to de-horn

All calves in the herd must be de-horned within 3 weeks of birth.

FRS can help

FRS provides you with a skilled operator to de-horn your calves using his own crate and specialised equipment. FRS can arrange for an operator to call to your farm on a regular basis (every 10 days or so during the calving time) to perform de-horning as the new-born calves arrive or provide a group of FRS operators to get the job complete within a specified time.

Remember! The date of de-horning must be recorded in the Animal events book.

Freeze Branding

FRS specialist Freeze Branding service is important for the identification of your cattle.

Freeze Branding is:

• Obligatory for accurate milk recording

• The only permanent identification available for cows

• Ideal for identifying cows for milk recording, heat detection and AI

• Easy to read from a distance

• Essential for stock identification

• Suitable of all animals – but the younger the better

Did you know?

• Freeze brands do not fall off or wear off

• Clipping over the freeze in spring will make the number stand out more clearly

• Now is the time to brand, if you haven’t done so already, as warmer temperatures can create problems with flies

Tips from FRS fencing experts for Paddock fencing this spring time

• If making a lot of new divisions or paddocks get advice on the most efficient layout - square or rectangular are best, avoid triangles

• Make new roadways and gaps wide enough

• Have wire in gap same width as road

• Put paddock gap on side nearest yard

• Allow space behind wire for hedge cutter

• Keep hedge wire high to allow cattle graze underneath

• Use proper straining posts

• Quality galvanised, high tensile wire lasts

• Use purpose made insulators

• Poor earthing reduces effectiveness

• Use galvanised earthing rods

• Do maintenance check-up on fencing

• Replace old stakes

• Check for damaged wire

• Check the current in electric wire - it should be 4,500 to 5,000 volts

Final Tips

FRS’s advice is not to get overworked and get the help you need when you need it. Get help now to strike some job(s) off that long list and out of the equation.

Join the FRS Membership Benefit Scheme and get 10% reduced farm services rates, Sickness & Accident Support and Death & Capital Benefit for only €295 - That is Peace of Mind for Only 81c per day. Visit www.frsnetwork.ie/membership for more details.

Contact your local FARM RELIEF SERVICES @

Parkmore

Roscrea

0505-21166

Carrigeen Ind Est.

Cahir

052-7441598

www.frsnetwork.com

E-mail your spring time tips and comments to [email protected]