Similarly, cattle are split block-calved in spring and autumn, increasing the carrying capacity of the farm compared with the previous single block-calving only in spring, with progeny ready for sale throughout most of the year.
Heifers tend to go through Ludlow or Worcester markets as strong stores and males are kept entire, also to sell as stores, although the finishing route is now being considered. Alan said: “Males have been sold as stores, but we are more likely to go down the finishing route in future to get the highest value from them we can. We can get them to grow so fast since we introduced their current diet, so it makes more financial sense to finish them ourselves.”
Ingredients of the current ration are key to the cattle’s performance, but its formulation was only devised after first seeing the success of the TMR for ewes. Alan said: “We bought the mixer wagon in 2012 when it was very wet and ended up with a lot of average silage. We had been trough feeding sheep, but as numbers increased it became too labour intensive and ewes also got knocked around in their rush for the trough.”
The TMR was devised in consultation with Peter Evans from ForFarmers, who formulated a ration comprising baled grass silage, maize silage, ForFarmers Soyaplus (a rumen- protected soya), cereals and Micro-balance Prime, the latter containing the live yeast, Levucell SC.
Peter said: “We wanted the mix to have a good dry matter and be palatable and presentable with as little dust as possible, and would also include molasses if needed. The inclusion of Levucell SC was to control any acidosis, helping maximise feed intakes and fibre digestion, and helping with milk fat production in the lactating ewe. Levucell SC works through numerous mechanisms, including scavenging oxygen, which helps maintain the anaerobic conditions required for the fibre-digesting bacteria to do their work in the rumen. The net result is it helps maintain a constant rumen pH and reduces acid loading. In other words, it reduces the risk of acidosis.”
Ewes now generally come in from strip-grazing forage crops over winter, a month before lambing if they are carrying twins or triplets and a little later if carrying singles. Richard said: “We feed them the TMR at up to 6kg/head when they come in and make sure they always have feed in front of them.“We feed them every morning and they have just cleared it up and are ready for more by the following morning.