Time to hang up the hammock

In theory autumn is upon us - regardless of what we may think given the lingering heat of summer. Like it or not it’s time to roll up the hammock and start thinking about the winter ahead. 

Use raddle and a mating harness to draft sheep into lambing mobs.

If you have correctly calculated your mating dates, so there will be plenty of feed at lambing, the rams should be finished and thoroughly satisfied by April. That doesn’t mean you can just forget about the boys – you need to keep an eye on their health and make sure they are well fed.  They have worked hard and need a bit of coddling now. 

In the event this was their last round with your ewes, move them on sooner rather than later – their offspring are going to need that feed.  If you used raddle and a mating harness to draft into lambing mobs, just watch the colours don’t fade so much they are no longer identifiable.  It might pay to ask for a longer lasting mark – but only use raddle, painting your sheep is a very baaaad idea.

Take good care of the ewes and don’t dip or treat for external parasites for at least 6 weeks after mating until the pregnancy is well established. If your girls are scouring, it’s possible worms are the culprit but before you do anything get your vet’s advice – especially on the product to use. Clean up all foot problems before winter.

Keep up Facial Eczema precautions. The recent rains and warm weather have seen the spore counts soar so don’t be lulled into a false sense of security by the occasional cooler nights.

All beef suckled calves should be weaned by April, and any skinny cows below condition should be fed to build up body condition before winter. Calves can start to fade around April – it’s “autumn ill thrift” and there are many causes. Before rushing out and buying a treatment, check with your vet first.  While worms are a possible cause of ill thrift, it’s not the only one.  Fungal toxins can be the cause as can be poorer feed quality in autumn. 

If your pastures are not flourishing it is vital good quality supplements are fed out as a priority. Get rid of all unproductive stock as they just eat feed that can be better used. A lot of variables decide just how good the autumn flush will be and it can be delayed by a very long dry spell when plant roots have been dried up, or even died.

Summer grasses like paspalum, summer grass and crowsfoot will have made a decent contribution to the feed supply but lower temperatures will now stop their growth. As the wetter weather begins to hit, and leaf litter rots away faster, watch for weeds. They’re not only unsightly in your veggie garden – they’re unsightly in your paddock as well and carry little feed value. 

If the weather has totally destroyed your pasture – you need to have a renewal programme underway. As always, if you’re in any doubt avoid costly errors by getting a professional opinion – try your seed merchant if you’re unsure where to begin.

Now is a good time to check you have enough supplemental feed aside – or enough supplemental money in case of an emergency.

It’s also a great time to routine check your water reserves – and not just the level of water. Remember to look for leaks and have the pump serviced.

Check and service any machinery – especially farm bikes that suffer from great wear and tear. Also, if  you have not had a soil test – getting one done now would be a smart idea. It’s the best time to  boost feed for winter and 30-50kg of N/ha would help but don’t put it on until you are sure of some good steady rain.

Finally, roll up the hammock and pack it away somewhere the moths can’t get at it and take a look around for your favourite jersey and gumboots – you’ll be needing them before you know it.