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What's coming up

30 October - NSW DPI and Northern Tablelands LLS Dual Purpose Crops Field Walk - 8:30 - 10am at Glen Innes Agriculture Research and Advisory Station Strathbogie Road. RSVP for breakfast to Carol Harris 0458 206 973 or Keith Pengilley 0447 233 120 


 4 November - Digging Deeper Soils Course Walcha. Heavily subsidised - numbers are limited. One of the best soil courses you can do to get an understanding of your soils, how they function along with what you can do to get them working for you. Delivered by Northern Tablelands LLS and David Hardwick from Soil Land Food. Soil testing included. Contact Karl Andersson 0437 867 523


5 November - Digging Deeper Soils Course Tenterfield. Heavily subsidised - numbers are limited. One of the best soil courses you can do to get an understanding of your soils, how they function along with what you can do to get them working for you. Delivered by Northern Tablelands LLS and David Hardwick from Soil Land Food. Soil testing included. Contact Karl Andersson 0437 867 523


5 November - Farm Planning - New course in Bonshaw or Atholwood . An opportunity to plan for the future and to take your farm from where it is to where it needs to be. Contact Johnelle Stevens 0409 791 619.


7 November - Farm Planning - New course in Tenterfield . An opportunity to plan for the future and to take your farm from where it is to where it needs to be. Contact Johnelle Stevens 0409 791 619.


SAVE THE DATE 12 November TBC - Early weaning workshop Uralla - 8am - 11am. Calves and lambs weaned early must be fed and managed well. This session will provide practical tips and benefits of early weaning. Details will be confirmed shortly. Contact Tahnee Manton 0438 600 473.
SAVE THE DATE 12 November TBC - Early weaning workshop Guyra - 2pm- 5pm. Calves and lambs weaned early must be fed and managed well. This session will provide practical tips and benefits of early weaning. Details will be confirmed shortly. Contact Tahnee Manton 0438 600 473.
SAVE THE DATE 13 November TBC - Early weaning workshop Glen Innes - 8am- 11am. Calves and lambs weaned early must be fed and managed well. This session will provide practical tips and benefits of early weaning. Details will be confirmed shortly. Contact Max Newsome 04327 007 190.
SAVE THE DATE 12 November TBC - Early weaning workshop Guyra - 2pm- 5pm. Calves and lambs weaned early must be fed and managed well. This session will provide practical tips and benefits of early weaning. Details will be confirmed shortly. Max Newsome 04327 007 190.


 

Free Water and Feed Testing for Northern Tablelands Producers

Tips from our Livestock Officer Max Newsome 

 

Northern Tablelands LLS is offering free feed and water testing so take advantage of this opportunity to get your commodities tested. Feed testing provides a clear indication of digestibility and roughage content, as well as protein and energy levels, all of which have a significant impact on production.

With winter cereal crops being harvested across the eastern states and entering our feeding programs it is important to know how they test. Slight differences in the feeding values, for example protein or energy, can have a significant impact on production. Once feed is tested, Northern Tablelands LLS Livestock officers are able to assist in interpreting the results and running calculations on what to feed and in what quantities.

The same service is available for water testing. Sample bags and kits are available at no charge and can be collected from all LLS offices.

Check out this link to see Georgie Oakes show you how to take a water sample 


Early Weaning  

Tips from our Livestock Officer - Tahnee Manton 

In the current drought conditions early weaning needs to be considered by Northern Tablelands cattle producers to help manage the fat score of their cows to maintain productivity for next year or to ensure cows that are in low body condition can improve prior to sale.
 
Many producers may have to reduce cattle numbers further due to water and feed shortages. A 500kg lactating cow requires 13kg (8.5MJ/kg/DM) of cereal hay or 11kg of good quality hay (like Lucerne hay - 9.5 MJ/kg/DM) to maintain condition with no paddock feed available. Once the calf is weaned off the cow and fed separately, the amount of feed required for maintenance drops (7kg of good quality hay for the 500kg cow and 3.5kg of good quality hay for a 200kg weaner). The health of both the cow and calf will also improve.    
 
Be mindful that once these calves are weaned they either need to have access to good quality pasture/forage or continue to be fed a ration daily that includes roughage if limited or no paddock feed is available.
 
Further tips for early weaning:

  • Vaccinate calves with 5 in 1, two doses 4-6 weeks apart, with the first shot given ideally 2-3 weeks prior to weaning, otherwise at the point of weaning commencing.
  • Feed the weaning supplement two or three times while the calf is still on the cow. Rumen microbial populations can require up to 14 days to completely adapt to a new diet.
  • Avoid mobs of greater than 100; mobs of 50 or less are preferred.
  • Feed animals of similar age and weight - don’t mix 100kg calves with 200kg calves.
  • Feeding twice daily is preferred (morning and afternoon). It allows for a more gradual increase in the ration, reducing the incidence of gorging and acidosis.
  • Start calves on rations slowly. Start with 0.5 kg/head/day and build up 0.25 kg every 2–3 days. Remove uneaten pellets or grain ration each day. Calves will reject ‘stale’ pellets.
  • Separate sick animals and shy feeders – it may be best to sell these as they can be an ongoing problem.
  • It is best for the site you choose to have all-weather access and avoid feeding areas that are likely to get boggy after rainfall.
  • Provide shade in the yard or paddock.
  • Allow enough trough space for the calves - 30cm per head is recommended if you are feeding daily.
  • Provide clean water with an adequate flow rate for the number of calves being weaned.  Weaned calves require 10-15L/day with up to 25L/day on hot days.
  • Ensure manure burdens are removed from the weaning yard to minimise the potential for house/stable or buffalo flies which can quickly spread pinkeye.
  • Ensure feeders and water troughs are at an acceptable height so that young calves can easily access feed and water.

 
Keep an eye out for our upcoming workshops on Early Weaning. For specific strategies and feed mix suggestions for early weaning your calves, please contact Northern Tablelands Local Land Services Livestock Officers Tahnee Manton on 0438 600 473 or Max Newsome on 0427 007 190.


Forage options if you manage to jag some Spring rainfall

Tips from our Trainee Agronomist - Daniel White

Given the dry conditions, pastures will be slow to respond to any rain event through spring. If you receive any significant rain over the next few months, there are good forage options available. Seed availability is expected to be a challenge, so prior planning is essential.
Choice of crop will depend on when the rain occurs. Options include millet, forage sorghum, cowpeas, lablab or soybeans.

  • Jap Millets:

    • Jap type millets are sown at soil temperature 14-16oC. Normally late September on the Slopes and mid-October on the Tablelands.

    • Sow down to 20mm.

    • Sowing rates 7-20kg/ha (dryland), with lower rates used on lighter soils and lower rainfall areas.

    • These crops will be quickest to first graze - 6-8 weeks.

    • Crops may run to head in January.

  • Pearl and hybrid millets:

    • Sown at soil temperatures of 16-18oC (October on Slopes; early November on the Tablelands).

    •  Sow up to 40mm deep.

    • These crops will be still relatively quick to first graze at 8-10 weeks.

    • Sowing rates are commonly 6-10kg/ha.

  • Forage sorghums (including Sudan grass hybrids):

    • Require soil temperatures of 16-18oC at sowing.

    • These crops can be sown deeper, down to 40mm.

    • Sorghum sowing rates vary, rates of 3-5kg/ha will suit most dryland situations (Slopes), or 5-10kg/ha in wetter areas (Tablelands).

    • Time to first graze and production into autumn will depend very much on the variety.

    • Do not graze before they reach 50cm to reduce the risk of prussic acid poisoning.

    • Do not graze stressed crops.

  • Cowpeas and lablab:

    • Require 18-20oC (late October [Slopes]; mid-November [Tablelands]).

    • Can be sown quite deep, up to 50mm.

    • Cowpeas sown at 10-20kg/ha.

    • Lablab sowing rate 15-30kg/ha.

    • These crops can be quite slow to first grazing (8-10 weeks), however can be quite productive through to late autumn.

    • Inoculate for maximum nitrogen fixation and plant growth.

  • Soybeans:

    • A good option if you can access cheap seed.

    •  Sown same soil temperature as cowpeas & Lablab of 18-20OC.

    • Sown at 50-80kg/ha.

    • Poor recover from grazing but does provide more bulk than cowpeas or lablab at first grazing. Used more for hay than grazing.

    • To maximise yield graze at start of flowering (10-12 weeks)

    • Seed inoculation is important where soybeans have not been grown in the last 4 years.

Soil temperature is measured at sowing depth and should be observed for 3 consecutive days prior to sowing and be on a rising plane.
It is recommended sufficient nutrition is provided to these crops to achieve maximum forage potential.

 

As it warms up a reminder on water requirements 

Water Requirements of Stock.

A reminder of the average water consumption per head per day of the following livestock classes; 

  • Weaner sheep 2 - 4 litres

  • Adult dry sheep 2 - 6 litres

  • Ewes with lambs 4 - 10 litres

  • Lactating cows 40 - 100 litres

  • Young stock 25 - 50 litres

  • Dry stock 35 - 80 litres

  • Horses 40 - 50 litres

This can be used as a general guide to livestock water requirements and helps with assessing farm water supplies for forward planning.

For more information;
https://www.dpi.nsw.gov.au/…/Water-requirements-for-sheep-a…

 


 

The Local Land Services team is here to help

Brent McLeod - for sheep management                                             - 0413 884 710
Tahnee Manton - for livestock management                                      - 0438 600 473
Max Newsome - for livestock management                                       - 0427 007 190
Georgie Oakes - for agronomy (based in Inverell)                             - 0429 310 264
Jeff Lowien - for agronomy (based in Glen Innes)                             - 0427 102 680
Daniel White - for agronomy (based in Glen Innes)                           - 0429 217 066
Karl Andersson - for agronomy (based in Armidale)                           - 0437 867 523
Johnelle Stevens - for farm planning                                                  - 0409 791 619
Andrew Biddle (Inverell) - District Vet                                                 - 0427 825 725
Lisa Martin (Tenterfield) - District Vet                                                  - 0428 623 471
Nigel Brown (Glen Innes) - District Vet                                               - 0419 434 087
Amanda Walker (Armidale) - District Vet                                           -  0439 836 673

 

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Local Land Services, Northern Tablelands · 15 Vivian Street · Inverell, NSW 2360 · Australia