Why show cattle?

Being part of agricultural shows has been a huge part of my life.  I'm fortunate to have not only been a judge of cattle showing in judging rings across the country; I've been a ring steward, show official and even prepared and exhibited cattle for judging.  So I guess in almost 30 odd years of being around livestock judging I've heard the comment "its not commercially relevant" once or twice!

Last week I saw a few people share this article from the UK with some comments about showing cattle from an Australian breeder who has a firm opinion that breeding decisions should be made on objective data, particularly EBVs.  

I've heard this before, although to read that selecting animals by eye was holding the industry back did surprise me more than a little!  

I reckon there were some important points raised by this article.  Firstly nobody can argue that EBVs are one of the most important tools producers have to identify the genetic merit of animals they wish to use within their breeding herds.  

However, EBVs are only part of the selection story. EBvs don't actually identify if an animal has 4 feet!  If it walks correctly, its structural soundness or its maturity pattern relative to your herd.  Its for these reasons my advice to bull buyers has always been to find the animals that fall within the EBV range for the traits you desire, and then go and look at each bull to critically assess his physical attributes.

So where does the show ring fit into this debate?  I've spent a lot of time considering this question.  I reckon there are several things to take into consideration.  

Firstly it is one method of promotion. Promotion for individual breeders and for a breed generally.  Its important not to discount the generation of interest in a breeder or a breed through being displayed in front of many people.

Secondly it does give potential buyers the chance to see a number of animals from a number of breeding programs in one place at one time!  As part of my masters research I asked farmers about the time invested in researching new information.  Using their time wisely was one of the most common discussion points.  So how many producers are able to afford to take a week off and travel around widely dispersed breeding programs to look at the cattle and then hopefully remember if the two year old bulls they saw at the start of the week are comparable to the bulls at the end of the week?

In a single day at a show, producers can see a range of breeders and cattle.  Regardless of the ring results, they can follow up on their own preferences by talking to the exhibitor, checking the animals EBVs for the suitability to their herd and making a more complete decision about following up on a breeder or not.

Exhibiting cattle exposes breeders to another form of feedback.  They are exposed to not only the commentary of a judge; but to the comments, suggestions & criticisms or other breeders and industry observers.  It can be a fast way to obtain feedback on everything from sire selection decisions to nutritional programs and structural soundness.

And while EBVs can be used to show the genetic differences in animals, visually seeing those differences as animals stand side by side in age classes can be an valuable lesson to many breeders.

A final point many overlook comes down to the importance of connecting with the broader community.  I reckon we are all pretty quick to complain that city people don't understand or care about farming.  It is harder to connect with people outside of agriculture.  The success and long term survival of the industry is not so much dependant on producers simply doing their job.

It depends on the broader community wanting to purchase our products, and to understand and support our industry.  Exhibiting livestock gives farmers the opportunity to demonstrate in the most visible way, their commitment to animal welfare and their on going goal of producing the food for people to enjoy and desire.

So for that reason alone, I reckon showing is commercially relevant.  Because if we cant engage with the broader community to tell our story and show our pride in what we do, in the long term we are all going to struggle more than we need to!

Dealing with bloat

If I had to describe the feeling around the cattle industry at the start of 2015, I think I would have to say it was optimistic, tinged with relief.  I think these feelings are a direct result of the combination of rainfall & pasture growth over a wide area.  Combine this with some of the highest prices many people can recall being offered for cattle of all descriptions and its hard not to be relieved and optimistic about the future. 

The rain certainly hasn't reached everyone, and there are still large parts of Northern NSW in drought conditions.  Sadly I've had to help clients make the difficult decision to completely de-stock.  The only positive is the market strength ensured this decision was rewarded with a good financial return.

Seasonal conditions on the western side of the North West Slopes of NSW and on parts of the plains, still look much like this picture.  The frustration of seeing the rain skirting around is immense.  

My advice has been to continue to follow the drought plan developed for the property, and to look to reduce numbers through selling.  At this stage feeding cattle is fair too expensive and with the market as strong as it is, its financially the only sensible option to consider.

While I have been working with producers on drought plans and market decisions, I've also been spending time with producers struggling to utilise the rapid growth of feed they now have as a result of the rain.  

In some case pasture mass is still average or patchy, but the rapid daily growth of pastures is now starting to see herbage mass build up.  Keeping pastures grazed is a challenge, and there are various options we have been discussing.

For most people the rapid growth is good news. However there are a few tips worth considering as you start to use this pasture growth for  livestock production.

The most commonly referred to issue is bloat.  Bloat is caused when grazing young lush pasture, and is more prevalent in pastures with high legume content.  That is pastures with plenty of clover, medics or lucerne.  One of the by products of ruminant digestion is a large amount of gas.  Normally cattle can belch this gas out.  

Unfortunately the nature of legumes results in a foam developing in the rumen which traps the gas. Cattle cant really belch the gas or foam, and the pressure build up causes the rumen to press against the lungs.  If the pressure cant be relieved the animal will die, generally from the pressure on the lungs and obstruction to breathing and blood flow.

I reckon bloat is one of the hardest things to manage, and there are no absolute methods to prevent it occurring.  Very early or mild cases can be treated with an oral anti bloat preparation, which helps break the foam up.  Animals more affected will need veterinary attention.  

Managing to minimise bloat often involves a combination of strategies.  These include:

* Restrict pasture intake by limiting grazing time or strip grazing

*Don't place hungry cattle onto lush green pastures, particularly if it is high in legume content

*It can be useful to allow cattle access to older grass pastures or hay when grazing potential bloat risk pastures

Some producers have had good success with bloat capsules, bloat blocks and medicating water supplies with a bloat oil.  Its important to remember these options have limitations.  Bloat capsules are not always available when you need them.  They also take a few days to take effect and this means animals are still at risk just after they receive the capsule.

Bloat blocks or water treatments rely on animals consuming them.  Not all animals will use blocks, and on lush pastures or if cattle can access water in other ways, they may not use medicated water in troughs.  Every situation will be slightly different and if you are concerned about a pasture and its risk, get some advice and develop a strategy that works for you.  NSW DPI has a useful guide on bloat which lists some treatment options if bloat becomes and issue.

Most people blame bloat for cattle losses when grazing lush pasture.  While bloat can be a cause of death, many more animals are killed by the Clostridial Bacteria that causes Pulpy Kidney, or to give it its technical name, Enterotoxaemia.  

The bacteria that cause this disease normally live in the intestine in low numbers.  Sudden changes of feed allow these bacteria to multiply rapidly.  As they do they produce toxin faster than the body can deal with and death of the animal occurs very quickly.  Unfortunately there isn't really any treatment for this disease.  The first sign is often finding dead cattle.

Its important to prevent the disease by making sure your animals have been vaccinated with 5 in 1 and if they are grazing lush feeds or changing diets, that you give them a booster shot before you make the change.  There may be times when you have to give a booster every 90 days.

I reckon that the growth we are getting in most areas will be the biggest help for producers.  So to make the best use of it, just remember that some simple strategies, combined with an appropriate vaccination program will stand you and your cattle in better stead for the rest of the growing season.

Safely working with cattle

Its great to be back after a short break over Christmas and the New Year.  Starting 2015 has been really exciting with a few new projects.  I've been catching up on some of the agricultural news from around the country and internationally.  One particular story did catch my eye.  

It was about a producer in England who had been forced to cull his herd of cows as a result of their aggression towards himself and his staff.  The story described these particular animals as the German Heck breed,  and were breed in the 1930's and 1940's.  With the links to the Nazi party, the strangeness of the breed and the danger to people this story has had world wide attention!  

I'm not really in any position to make a comment on the animals, the farmer or the story.  Rather it was a story that made me start thinking about handling cattle and the importance of focussing on temperament within a herd.

I reckon temperament is one of the most important things you should be selecting for in your herd.  It is a highly heritable trait.  So focussing on breeding cattle with better temperaments will show improvements within the herd.

There are plenty of ways you can focus on, and select for better temperament.  Within your herd the most obvious starting point is to identify any animals that show aggression towards you or other people.  

These animals really have no place in your herd, and are dangerous.  You should remove them from your herd and if your records are good enough, look at the behaviour of the progeny and consider their temperament in the overall direction of your program.

An objective method of assessing temperament is to record the behaviour of each animal in the crush or the race.  Let each animal come up and stand in the crush or the race by itself.  Note down the ones that stand calmly, the ones that are restless and the ones that can't settle and try to jump or exit the race.

If you do this with every animal you can identify the quiet ones through to the ones with much poorer temperament.

Other methods to assess temperament include a flight speed test.  This basically is two light beams set apart at the end of the crush.  When the animal leaves the crush it breaks the first beam, and then shortly afterwards the second beam.  How quickly it breaks the beams is related to its speed and overall temperament.  Many breeders have used both crush scores and flight speed to identify animals for breeding, and these scores can be submitted for inclusion into EBV records.

Selection for better temperament and removal of individuals are the two key strategies for improving your animals temperament.  However I reckon its just as important to remember that how you handle and treat your animals will also impact on their behaviour.

Cattle are herd animals, and don't like to be left alone, particularly in strange or threatening places. If you do have to put animals in a yard, try and put them with a mate.  This will help them feel more safe.  

Cattle have a flight zone which they rely on to keep them out of danger.  Any perceived threats, including people, results in them moving away.  If they can't move away, such as in the yards, then they often fall back on the only option which is to threaten the thing causing them fear.  This is why formerly quiet animals may suddenly become more anxious or aggressive.

Cows will be very protective of young calves around people and especially dogs.  Again the quietest cow can become very threatening if she perceives her calf is in danger.

So it is important to understand how to work with cattle, to recognise the difference between an animal trying to give itself space from a threat, and an animal that is genuinely aggressive. When you take the time to learn how to work with cattle safely, you can avoid causing yourself and the cow unnecessary stress or anger.  And the ones that are genuinely dangerous, sell them out of your herd as soon as its safe to do so.

2014 - What a year!

Looking back on my diary for 2014, it has been an extraordinary year!  I established RaynerAg in March 2013, and that was a big year in itself.  I really hoped 2014 would be a year to build on.  Looking back, I'm a bit blown away to see so many goals achieved!

The year commenced with pregnancy testing across the North West of NSW.  Pregnancy testing took me from Tamworth to Gunnedah, up to Barrabra and the Horton Valley, across to Boggabri, over the Liverpool Plains and down as far as Wellington. 

I really enjoyed this work.  I met a lot of new people and I got a chance to see new areas and to talk about managing fertility, plans for managing pregnant cows and nutrition programs for the season ahead.  

I'm already taking bookings from some of these producers to do next years testing, and I'm really pleased to be going back and building on those relationships.

The continued drought across much of eastern Australia tested many of the producers I worked with.  We spent a lot of time working on plans to mange the season, developing rations and strategies to cope with the impact of the drought. 

Every drought is a learning experience, and this year I learnt new things about feeds such as grape marc.  While we hope to see drought conditions ease soon, I am happy to come and help anyone revisit and renew drought plans or rations if the season hasn't changed in the new year.

This years bull selling season provided a few opportunities to support producers making decisions on buying bulls.  I'm really grateful to Kilburnie Angus; Yamburgan Shorthorns & Elite Poll Herefords for engaging me to support their sales and assist their clients.  

This years bull sales were a challenge.  According to Beef Central numbers sold nationally were down around 9.7% on last year.  However the good news was prices lifted slightly (around 3.3%) on last year.  So that I guess suggests continued confidence in the industry.  Some big improvements on prices were Brahmans with an increase in average sale price of 14.6%; Shorthorns by 7.9% and Charolais by 7.5%.

These are good increases.  Although it might be that price is a result of smaller catalogue numbers, improving the quality on offer and increasing competition.  

I've greatly enjoyed the chance to participate in a number of industry training field days and events this year.  I had a couple of trips to South Australia for the SA Junior Heifer Expo and then for the South Australian Beef Assessment School at Mount Compass.  

I reckon these events are really important for the beef industry.  Not only for sharing knowledge and skills, but for connecting people and making sure we have a network that supports each other in production and socially.   I really have a lot of fun at these events and I'm appreciative of the chance to be involved this year.

There have been plenty of other big highlights in 2014!  Supporting local agricultural shows is an ongoing focus for me.  I have been pleased to be a judge at several local shows, as well as the Brisbane Ekka.  The commitment to the Sydney Royal Easter Show gives me a great chance to see some of the best agricultural exhibits anywhere in the country.  

I have to admit I am very excited about my involvement with the team from ClassiMate  and the project to develop a cattle assessment system.  I am positive this will present a lot of opportunities for breeders next year, and I can't wait to meet some new people who are already asking me to assess their cattle.

I reckon this year has been an amazing year.  There have been some big highlights, and a chance to share lots of ideas and suggestions with people all over the country.

However the best part of the year has without doubt been the support and encouragement of producers.  

I appreciate the trust shown in me to invite me onto your farm to observe and comment on your business and your livestock.  I'm very glad that I've been able to help you all achieve your goals and I look forward to continuing to support you throughout the year ahead.  

I hope you, your family and friends have a happy and safe Christmas and a very successful and rewarding 2015.

Taking a leaders role

Leadership is a word used very frequently in every workplace.  I reckon its a word that is easy to say, and despite being the focus of research, training and plenty of publications, still is open to many different definitions.  I think all of us have expectations and interpretations of what leadership is, and of some of the characteristics of leadership.  But having said that, how important is leadership to you and in your farm business?

I think about leadership a lot.  In my mind leadership is something that is a combination of many skills and more importantly an attitude.  I reckon its vital that you don't look on leadership as something that only matters when you are working with a team or when you are working with employees or when you are judging your boss!  I think good leadership starts at an individual level and if you can get that established it will help in your interaction with everyone else.

So what makes a good leader?  There are plenty of publications that attempt to define this.  I think about something I was told once as a newly appointed Deputy Captain with Fire Rescue NSW.  That is;

"A good leader is a good follower"

If you think about that for a second and consider it for your own circumstances, it might help you in your daily efforts to be a good leader.  I take it to mean, that when I follow someone, I do it because:

• I respect their knowledge and skills

• They have an ability to make decisions and to stick by these decisions

• They have a strong sense of fairness

• They have a willingness to listen 

• They trust my skills and knowledge 

• They share their ideas and encourage me to to do better

I could go on, but thats what I expect from people I choose to follow.  Or rather who exercise leadership roles in activities I am involved in.  

So if I expect that from others, I think its only fair that I try and do the same when I'm in working with other people.  

It might be easy to think, particularly when you may work on your own or with a family team, that concentrating on your attitude and skills to leadership isn't the most important priority.  I would argue that it actually is a big priority.  

Your attitude to the important things such as being safe when you are on the farm, driving safely, moving stock correctly, wearing the right gear when welding or fencing or mixing chemicals; how you approach animal welfare or comply with industry practice are, without a doubt, reflections of your attitude to leadership.  When you take on staff, or even if you are working with you partner, your willingness to be a good follower, and share your knowledge and skills, to trust the other people to do their job and to help them do their job better all contributes to you becoming a better leader.

I guess I focus on these things because I'm passionate about helping other people do their job better, to achieve their passions and goals, and because I want them to be safe from personal injury or from the unintended consequences of poor decisions.  So in my mind being a leader isn't about being in charge.  To me it comes down to using the opportunities that come my way in order to help people move closer to their goals.

I reckon if one of your goals is to enjoy your work and for the people you work with to enjoy their roles; if you and your colleagues want to be safe and effective across your business thinking about leadership skills and attitudes will help you move closer to achieving these goals.

I love a successful outcome!

In a number of these blogs for Rayner Reckons, I've written about the importance of working to achieve outcomes.   I have a deeply held belief that every business should know what goals they are working towards.  Those goals or outcomes don't have to mean that your business is to move into the top ten beef producers in the country, or to own more cattle in the region than anyone else.  

Your goals could be as personal as making sure you and your family can have a holiday away from the farm every year.  Or it could be a decision to structure your operations to respond to seasonal changes without significantly altering your enterprise.   

Whatever your outcomes are, its important to work towards those by structuring your daily, weekly, and monthly activities around the best tactics to help you achieve your outcomes on time and as efficiently as you can.

One of the key outcomes for RaynerAg is to help my clients find ways to more efficiently meet their goals.  

This year I've been working to help the team at Classimate services offer producers who want to market their livestock on line a credible, independent assessment of the structure, temperament, fertility & muscling of their cattle. 

This system would complement other data breeders want to provide their clients, such as EBVs or pedigrees on their animals.  I've written in previous Rayner Reckons about the way we have developed this concept.

For me there are some outcomes I wanted to achieve.  The first was to develop a system that ticked the boxes for industry credibility, repeatability, relevance and most importantly usefulness to producers, both from a selling and from a buying position.  

To achieve this goal I worked closely with a team of people who I respect for their industry knowledge and experience.  Together we developed a cattle assessment system that ticks those boxes.

The next goal was to actually undertake assessments for a producer who wanted to market their cattle on line.  As a new concept I wondered how producers would respond to the new opportunity.

It turns out there has been plenty of interest from producers in Queensland, New South Wales and South Australia. The first cattle to be assessed for the system are based in Gin Gin, Queensland.  

I was really pleased to have over 100 cows come through the yards to be assessed under the system I had developed with my colleagues. I reckon that in itself was a successful outcome to the project I'd been working on.

I reckon the next goal is to use the assessment data in two ways.  The first will be to provide the owners with the ability to market their cattle with the independent assessment scores we allocate each animal.  And secondly I want to provide the owner with a benchmark of their animals structure, the trends and observations I've seen, as well as some suggestions on how to manage those trends.  

That way I reckon there is real value in having your cattle assessed.  One, you can market them to a wider audience, and two, you can have something objective to work towards in your herd improvement process.

I'm really pleased this project is achieving the outcomes I wanted, its also reminded me of a few lessons that can be applied to any project you're working on to achieve your goals.

1. Break your goal down into a series of smaller goals so that you can manage them more easily

2. Look to your networks and seek the skills to help you get to your goal

3. Be prepared to invest in those skills or people.  It might mean paying for advice or assistance, but that is investment that pays a bigger return when you achieve your goals.

4.  Think about the other positive outcomes your achievements might bring.  It could be new options to manage your business, to market your livestock or in my case provide additional tailored support to producers.

I really love the outcomes from this project.  For me, I've been able to see some great cattle, meet some fantastic new producers, work more closely with a great group of colleagues as well as implementing a great cattle assessment program.  Its been a great few months, and I'm looking forward to setting some new goals to work towards.

Are you prepared for a fire?

How prepared are you if a fire starts on or spreads to your farm?  As a firefighter, this is a question I think about a lot.  Last week my crew was called to a grass fire on some grazing land close to Tamworth.  The fire actually started with a car catching alight.  But it quickly spread to the paddocks beside the road.  

There were a couple of issues with this fire. The first was it was actually quite difficult to get to the paddocks to put the fire out.  

The gate into the paddock was directly below a large tree, so there was no way any vehicle, let alone a fire truck could drive through the gate.  

Secondly the paddock was being grazed by several horses.  The horses were panicked by the flames, smoke, noise and trucks.  I was very concerned that they would do themselves major injuries on the fence line as they galloped around the paddock to escape the fire. 

Fortunately we were able to cut the fence, extinguish the fire and allow the horses owner to calm the animals down.  But its had me thinking a lot about the impact of fire on larger holdings.  

How prepared are you for a fire?  If anything people are probably over confident in their fire preparations.  Every fire is different.  This is because the fuel available to burn, the temperature, the wind and the humidity are all different, and these impact on fire behaviour.  

I reckon its essential that every year you make the time to review your fire plan. The NSW Rural Fire Service has a great checklist to help you plan and prepare for a fire.  

Its called the Farm FireWise Checklist and Action Plan.  Its designed to help you think through the areas you should be preparing, so that if a fire does occur, you at least have some measures in place to protect you life, your animals, your home and your infrastructure.

For example have you thought about things such as what is the plan for communications if a fire starts?  Can you rely only on mobile phones?  What is the Local Radio or CB channel?  

How is access to your farm?  Where would you direct fire trucks to go?  Can they get into paddocks without having to cut fences?  Where are your water supplies?  Are you relying only on poly pipe laid across the ground?

In recent fires some producers fire fighting response failed because the poly pipe they were relying on melted in the fire. 

Where will your livestock be safe?  Can you move your stock to a location that has been cultivated or heavily grazed so that there is nothing to burn?  Is it safe to muster your animals, or will it be quicker to cut your fences and allow them to move to safety?

After the fire has been extinguished or it has passed your property you need to think about checking there is no further risk to your infrastructure, such as smouldering posts or material.

For your livestock what feed will you have to provide them with.  In most cases hay is the best option to provide to livestock following a fire.  This is because hay is more suitable for all classes of stock than grains, and it is more rumen friendly, meaning there is less risk of digestive upsets and illness among stock.  

You need to assess all your animals and treat those animals that have been burnt or injured.  The NSW DPI has a useful guideline to assessing bushfire burns in livestock and you should refer to this guide.

Hopefully you will never have to experience the impact of a fire on your farm or in your local area.  

Having said that, don't ever assume you won't be impacted by a fire.  Even worse don't assume that if a fire happens you can handle it without some preparation.

Taking the time to update your plan, make sure you know how to respond, where to go, who to talk to and what your actions will be if a fire occurs is going to be the most important thing you can do this year.  

If you do have a fire, ring 000 and put your plan into place.  I reckon if we all do this, its going to help save lives, property and stock.

Why I love my job!

One of the features of my job is spending a lot of time traveling to visit clients. I don't mind travel so much.  It gives me a chance to think about my clients and what is happening with them in regards to the season, their programs and the new strategies we could look at to lift their businesses to a new level of production & profitability. 

I reckon its important to take the time to gather some thoughts and reflect on what they mean and could mean to the advice and services I provide.  

Every now and then I also get to thinking about how fortunate I am in my job!  In the last week Ive been part of a few events that have reminded me of the reasons why I love my job.  The events have all been a little different.  One was some pregnancy testing on commercial and stud cows.  

The other was participating in a seminar focussed on latest pasture research, and the last was working with some of my longest clients who hosted a visit of the International Red Poll World Congress.  All very different, but all very rewarding.

This week I wanted to write a Rayner Reckons that highlights why I love my job.

1. My clients: My business is built around providing producers with information that is technically sound, practically based and appropriate for their situation. And while that is the service I aim to provide, without clients wanting these services, the business wouldn't work. The clients who I have been fortunate to work with are great people for many reasons. Firstly they are passionate about their businesses, and are looking to make their businesses operate that little bit better in all areas. I love working with people who are enthusiastic, passionate and committed. I'm also humbled by their trust and confidence on the services and information I offer to them. I have to say I look forward to working with my clients on all of their projects!

2. Sharing Information: I love sharing information with others. There are so many fantastic research outcomes; practical solutions and good ideas that can be used to make any agricultural business perform even more effectively. I find it rewarding to share these outcomes and use them to help my clients or have an positive impact on agriculture generally.

3. Being challenged in my role: So much of my job satisfaction comes from the responding to the challenges associated with agricultural production. I want to help my clients better respond to the challenges for their enterprises. These can be dealing with the drought; improving herd fertility, increasing their market returns. These challenges are ones that require me to keep looking for new ideas, new information and new solutions. its really rewarding to step up and help address them.

4. Working with livestock: Not everyone gets to work outside and to work with animals! I like cattle! I enjoy working with them and improving my handling skills so that animals move and flow without unnecessary stress or excitement. I enjoy the chance to help my clients select animals that are best suited to their environment and to their markets and to out plans in place to breed that style of animal in the future. There's no doubt this is one of the best parts of my job.

5. Travelling to new places: In the past 18 months I have worked with clients from South Australia, NSW, QLD, Victoria and even in Malaysia. Its been really exciting to visit new places and see new ways of going about agriculture. Having said that, I reckon I get just as much excitement visiting a new farm within an hour of home to do some preg testing or look at bulls.

There are lots of reasons to love my job, and these are only a few of the reasons.  I reckon agriculture offers so many rewarding and pleasurable outcomes.  

Having said that, I still reckon one of the nicest parts of my job is having the chance to meet and work with a great group of people from all parts of Australia.  

And that is definitely why I love my job!

Are your bulls ready to work?

Its hard to believe that November is almost here.  The year seems to have passed so quickly, and for cattle producers the next event on the annual breeding calendar is just about to kick off.  If your enterprise is designed around a spring calving, that event is the annual joining period.  So the question is, are your bulls ready to work?

Joining is a critical event for any breeding enterprise.  If it isn't well managed the cash flow over the next 1 -2 years can be dramatically reduced.  

A poorly managed joining doesn't just mean less calves next year to sell.  It also has implications for the culling strategies and replacement programs you might have in place.  Both of these also impact on your profitability.

How you manage your joining program should be a key priority for the year.

Your bulls readiness to work is a key aspect of successful joining.  Its important you take some time to check your bulls over before you introduce them to their joining groups.  

Ideally your bulls will have been running together for some time in the lead up to joining.  This allows them to sort out their pecking order and this will minimise the time they spend fighting with each other instead of working.  it also helps reduce the risk of injury.

When you start to prepare for joining, you should bring you bulls to a location such as your yards and check them all over to ensure there are no injuries or issues that may have recently occurred.  Joining is a physically demanding time for bulls and slight physical injuries can become worse over time and may prevent your bull working as hard as he should.

Even if you have only purchased your bull at this years bull sales, check him over again before putting him out to work.  As a new bull he may have had some difficulty settling in and as a result could have some minor issues.

I reckon its definitely worth putting your bulls through a crush and checking everything, particularly sheath and testicles.  The bulls testicles should feel firm and springy, and if they don't, this is an indication his testicles may not be as healthy as desirable, and therefore his value as working bull may be lower.  

Its better to find the bull with issues before you put them with the cows, rather than mid way or at the end of joining.

Take some time to consider the mating load and length of joining for your bulls.  A structurally sound bull in working condition with a Fat Score of 2.5 - 3.5 should comfortably handle a joining period of 9 to 12 weeks.  In terms of a mating load, bulls in this condition and with good structural soundness should be mated at the rate of 3 bulls per 100 cows. 

If your plan is to single sire mate, that is one bull to a group of cows, you need to consider the following things:

* Don't overload your bulls with too many cows.  More than 40 is putting a lot of pressure on him and some cows may get missed

* Consider your paddock size.  If the paddocks are too big or have undulating terrain or timber and vegetation your bull could miss some cows

*Check your bull regularly and have a back up ready to replace him

These are good guidelines for multiple sire mating.  Stick to the 3% bulls to cows, and remember to check them frequently.  You need to make sure a bull hasn't injured himself while working, and be prepared to replace an injured bull.

One good trick some people use is to have their replacement bulls running as a group.  If there is a need to replace a bull through injury during joining, the whole group of bulls are swapped over.  The new bulls should get to work without too much fighting and the other group can be rested or treated for injury if that is an issue.

Keep an eye on all your mating groups.  As joining comes to a close, start thinking about how you will bring your bulls out, how you will run them and be prepared to boost their nutritional requirements following their working months.

While many people plan to put bulls out on Melbourne Cup day, which is only next Tuesday, its not too late to make some time to check your bulls and plan for the next few working weeks.  If your bulls are ready to work then your joining period will be off to a good start.

A System to Provide Independent Cattle Assessments

Earlier this year I was undertaking some work in Brisbane.  While I was in town I was contacted by Angus Burnett-Smith who wanted to talk to me about cattle assessment work.  I have to admit I was pleased to be contacted, largely because it seemed like a good chance to meet someone new, and hopefully it might bring some more work towards RaynerAg!

Well I was right on both of those assumptions!  Angus is the brains and energy behind an online livestock marketing system.  In simplest terms the ClassiMate model combines independent assessment of breeding livestock with an online marketing platform for those animals.

The model has proven to be very successful with small ruminant animals, and Angus was keen to discuss with me the opportunity to extend the platform to beef cattle.

It certainly was an exciting proposition.  

There are plenty of methods used in the beef industry to describe cattle. The challenge was to draw on those to develop a system that would allow breeders to be able to list their cattle on line, and for potential buyers to view those cattle with complete confidence in the way those animals had been assessed.

I reckon it was a challenge I had to accept, and I went away and worked with several industry people who have a level of experience and industry knowledge I respect.  Between us we looked at the current industry methods, and considered what traits are most important to assess in breeding animals. 

With a lot of research, discussion and testing, I was able to report back to Angus and the ClassiMate team we had developed a system we are confident in to assess with credibility and repeatability, breeding cattle of both sexes.  

The ClassiMate assessment system assesses structural soundness; temperament; fertility and muscle.  These are the traits that are important in any breeding enterprise, and using these as the basis for selection will certainly drive the performance of any beef business.  

Now that the system has been established the role of RaynerAg will be to provide ClassiMate members with the assessment service so that they can list their animals on the website. 

RaynerAg will not be working for ClassiMate.  I'll provide an independent service (along with the other team members) that is arranged on demand as people require it.

So what happens now?  Well firstly I reckon its important to remember that assessing your animals on their physical merits won't replace the value of EBVs which describe the genetic potential of an animal.  So if you are in BreedPlan I'd encourage you to continue to monitor and record the traits required to contribute to your EBVs.  

However having the opportunity to have your animals independently assessed for their structural soundness, temperament; fertility and muscle can be incredibly beneficial.  

Assessments such as these will allow you to select out animals that are not suited to your environment; to your market specifications or are just not right for your program.  

If you are trying to market your livestock and one option is to advertise your livestock online, providing potential buyers with an independent assessment of your animals can add to your credibility. 

I reckon there will be opportunities for breeders who are looking to try and combine traditional marketing techniques with online marketing.  There would be no reason why bulls in a sale catalogue or females in a feature sale couldn't be accompanied with both their individual EBVs and a ClassiMate score.  That way you address genetic potential and the animal's physical traits at the same time.

I'm pleased I was able to work with a great team to develop this system. Naturally I hope ClassiMate see's new members that are looking to have their cattle assessed!  But I also have to be honest and say I'm pleased that a team of people I respect came together to put some ideas together to have a system in place that will aid beef producers across Australia improve their herds and hopefully move much closer to their owners goals.  

If you are interested in joining ClassiMate you can get in touch with them yourself.  As an independent assessor, my connection with ClassiMate is now purely to be on their list of cattle assessors and to ensure the system used to assess cattle into the future maintains industry relevance and credibility.  I reckon it will work and I think there will be plenty of producers who will gain a lot from both the assessments and the new marketing opportunities. 

Problems with foxes

This week I had a phone call from a new client who has taken on a small farm in NSW.  Its an exciting time for them, as they are starting a small beef herd, and are looking to enjoy a new direction with the purchase of their farm.  As well as running a few cows, they have done the usual things many new farmers do such as planting a veggie garden and they also had some chooks.

I say had, because until this week they did have chooks. Sadly a fox has taken most of their chooks over night! 

I reckon we have all had a similar experience at some point in our farming life.  As a small child I remember my grandparents having a fox take their chooks, and even last year the pet chooks of my local fire station in town were all taken by a fox.

The impact of foxes on agriculture is often considered in the destruction they cause to sheep and goat production, chicken & egg production and even occasionally with horticulture.

There is no denying foxes cause a huge amount of damage every day in Australia to agriculture and to the native wildlife on our farms and in our bushland.  I saw some research that suggests a fox eats about 400grams of food a day.  About a 1/3 of that will be made up of farm livestock, 1/3 from pest animals like mice or rabbits and the final 1/3 from wildlife. 

But foxes will eat 100% of their diet from whatever is easiest to catch!  The research went on to state foxes will make up to 50% of their diet from farm livestock and the losses in lambing flocks range from 10 - 30%.

The problem is, there are plenty of foxes!  Current estimates suggest fox populations have about 4 foxes per square kilometre. As you can see from this picture, that means that within 5km of your home there's around 312 foxes!

If you have sheep, goats or chickens, this alone should get you thinking about your control measures!  

The thing is, many cattle people don't really think foxes pose much of a problem to their enterprises, and so are less likely to participate in control programs.  

I reckon its vital to be involved.  Firstly effective control can only happen across properties, as we all know foxes can move through fences!  Secondly it will help protect the native wildlife that lives in your area.

While these are both good enough reasons to be involved, foxes do have a production impact on cattle!

There is a parasite known as Neospora Caninum which is responsible for abortions in cattle.  On the north coast of NSW, Neospora Caninum is thought to be responsible for over 30% of all abortion losses in both beef and dairy herds.

Cows become infected by this parasite after eating eggs of the parasite that may be passed by a dog or another carnivore, such as a fox.  Dogs and foxes are thought to become infected with the Neospora parasite after eating infected foetal tissue or afterbirth.  

Foxes are opportunistic feeders, and during calving will take advantage of after birth as well as praying on vulnerable calves if they get a chance.  And while foxes may not always kill calves, the fact that they could be spreading a parasite like Neospora means they are having an impact on herd fertility by reducing the number of calves born in your cow herd.

So next time you see a fox, just remember there is likely to be another 49 of them within a 2km radius of you! Any one of those foxes, and most likely all of them, are having a direct impact on your agricultural business, as well as on the wildlife you enjoy seeing when you are out working in the paddock.

I reckon we all need to take a greater role in controlling foxes, and hopefully minimising the problems they bring down on us every day!  

How much nutritional wisdom do your cows have?

Have you ever heard someone state categorically that "animals know what they need to eat"?  I hear claims like this quite often.  In general I hear statements like this when we are discussing supplementary feeding programs, in particular the need for adding minerals and trace elements.

There's no doubt animals need minerals and some trace elements for their well being.  In general animals obtain the minerals and elements they require as part of their daily feed intake.

In most circumstances the feed cattle eat each day has enough of minerals and trace elements to satisfy the animals needs.  

There is another way cattle obtain them in their diet.  Thats through the soil.  I remember being told in a lecture from a vet that cattle eat roughly about 1kg of soil a day!

It makes sense when you think about it.  If plants are pulled out from the soil during grazing, some soil will make its way inside!!  Fortunately it comes out in the dung!

In that process cattle can access some of the minerals that may not be available form the feed itself. 

Having said all that, there are times when the plants or the soil can't supply the minerals and elements cattle need.  

So, do cattle know they need to have these minerals and elements, and will they actively search for them?  Many people say that cattle will do this.  They use plenty of examples to demonstrate this position.  

In my experience and from many years working with researchers, I'm not so sure.  I reckon my position is best summed up in this picture.

More recent research suggests that animals will look for particular minerals, but only when they have been deliberately depleted of that mineral and when the deficiency is major.  It seems that when the deficiency is minor, the animals don't know they are missing it and don't go looking for it!  

So what does this mean for producers designing feeding programs?  I reckon it means that in the short term, deficiencies are not recognised by animals, and you can't expect them to go and eat a supplement to correct the problem.  If you do want them to eat something, its more likely they will go to something they are used to eating, suck as a block.  This is why sulphur blocks work quite well on some forage crops.  

In the long term, deficiencies like calcium and phosphorus seem to be felt more by the animal.  In these longer term deficiencies, animals do seem to look for options to address the absence of these minerals. This is when cattle will lick the soil, and in many cases chew bones. 

While its easy to think they know that chewing bones is a result of nutritional wisdom, most researchers think its more likely that they do it because it makes them feel better.  

There is one big exception to this!  And its the need for sodium, in other words, the need for some salt.  

We know there are some specific metabolic needs that will trigger the animals brain to crave salt.  When this happens you will see cattle licking the ground or looking for salt deposits.  

It was actually this behaviour that first made people think cattle possessed nutritional wisdom.

So what does this mean at a practical level?  I reckon the first thing is to realise your animals are not smart enough to choose their specific mineral needs in the short term.  Its up to you to monitor your animals and ensure they are not deficient.  

You also need to think of how you supply your animals needs.  Don't rely on the animals to pick and choose.  If there is a deficiency in your animals intake, then design a program that will actually correct it quickly and effectively.  In the long run it will be much more cost effective.

I reckon the final thing is don't have a guess! If you're not sure about your cattle and their nutritional needs, get some advice.  If you don't have nutritional wisdom, just remember your cows can't tell you what they need either!

Do you have a goal for your business?

In the last few weeks I've met a few people who have talked to me about their "5 year plan".  These are people who have set some goals in their lives for where they would like to be.  For one person it was a location they wanted to live in, and a business they wanted to operate.  For another it was a qualification and profession they were aspiring to.

These people have been great to meet and share a few ideas with.  I reckon I'm very fortunate in having the opportunity to work closely with plenty of farmers to help achieve their goals or even contribute to their "5 year plans!"

What I've learnt is setting goals is important for every business.  It doesn't matter if you operate a part time farm enterprise; or your entire income is derived from the farm, setting goals is essential.  

I was recently asked why are goals essential?  

It is really quite straight forward.  A goal gives you a direction to aim for.  It lets you develop practical strategies, the on farm actions that you can follow and hopefully avoid making mistakes that cost you money.

A goal give you a purpose for on farm recording; for focussing on improved management skills or even for developing new skill sets.  Without that purpose you can spend a lot of time recording data, going to courses and workshops or moving cattle around for little practical return.

I know that this doesn't sound like rocket science!  However the number of people I have had a chance to meet and work with, who are carrying out activities for no real purpose is surprising.  

One of the benefits of working with people is bringing a fresh perspective to an operation.  There are times when I see people doing something, and I have to ask, "why are you doing this?"  There are plenty of times where the answer is "I don't know" or "because its always what we do.."  

Now that's not to say that what they are doing is wrong or unnecessary!  Sometimes I ask and find the answer is that the action is important for a specific reason or program.  

But, the chance to stop and think about things for a little while is vital.  I'd encourage producers to take time, at least once every 12 months, to sit down and review a few things about their business.

First of all ask yourself:

• What is the goal of the business. What do you want to achieve?

• How close does the business come to achieving that goal?

• What actions and program work best to help you achieve your goals?

• What are you doing each day and do these things actually help you or are they a distraction?

• Could you do things differently?

I reckon these 5 questions are quite challenging to answer.  If you are honest with yourself, you need to spend some time on each point.  Having said that, the answers you come up with can really help you focus your business to be capable of achieving your goals more efficiently.

There are plenty of people who can help you bring a fresh perspective to identifying your goals and answering these questions.  However, if you do get another opinion, make sure its from someone who will look at your goals as well as your on farm strategies.  There's not much point looking just at goals if they can't help you towards the most efficient activities.  

Finally, don't let someone convince you to change what you do each day simply to follow a trend or fad!  Make sure that they give you ideas that actually help you achieve your goals!!  

Making time to take a break

I was very tempted to not share a Rayner Reckons this week. The reason is I have actually put aside two weeks for a short break.  I know for many of my clients, the idea of taking a break or having a short holiday is just that, an idea!  

Now I'm running my own business, I understand the pressure felt by farmers and other business owners to focus on the jobs to be done; the projects that are on going and the issue of being able to actually afford some time off.  There are plenty of reasons to put off a break.

So I know there are plenty of reasons not to take a break.  I've got plenty of exciting projects happening and I'm loving working with a range of clients.  Its easy to focus on the job.  But, I also remember a few years ago during a long drought period, a farmer I knew told me how he had not left the farm in four months.  I saw him at a seminar and dinner in Armidale.  He was telling me how great it was just to be away from the place. How it was so monotonous and draining.  I really felt he was struggling with everything, and the weekend away really changed his outlook.

Now I know a weekend is only short.  But I do know how easy it is to become exhausted by work.  Being exhausted is no joke.  You make poor decisions, you build bad habits and you become careless.  

In our industry you can't afford the risk of creating bad habits or getting careless.  A simple mistake can lead to physical injury, or can contribute to poor decisions in regard to your business management or in regards to your livestock.

So in actual fact taking a break is essential. You need to get a chance to re focus and refresh and recover from the demands of work.

Thats why companies make their employees take a break each year. 

As self employed business operators, we have to be a bit more disciplined and focus on taking a break for our own safety and for the well being of our business.

Two days isn't really enough for a proper break.  In my case after three days, I'm checking emails and even on a stroll near the beach today I was looking at some clover and then I started thinking about bloat management, before considering why cape weed was kicking on so well in that particular area. So I reckon it will take a few days to properly switch off!

But I am also gaining a sense of perspective.  I'm feeling more refreshed and I know after a break I will be in a position to give complete attention to my job without bad habits possibly developing!

So if you are in the position where your last break was so long ago you can't remember it, or if you have not left the farm in months, ask yourself; 

• What bad habits have you developed?

• What short cuts are you taking?

• Are you making clear and balanced decisions?

If you're in that position, I reckon it's a great idea to take a break.  It will be the best thing you can do for yourself and for your business.

Im going to enjoy my break and then I'm excited about getting back into it afterwards!

Whats going on in your cow herd?

I reckon this time of the year is possibly the most frenetic for beef cattle breeders.  Spring calving is well underway, and there are plenty of people talking to me about the ups and downs of calving.  At the same time the bull selling season in northern NSW and southern Qld is dominating the minds of many producers.  Meanwhile, in the back of everyones mind is the question about what the spring will be like and if we can finally move towards a good season and a strong market.

I've been giving this time of year some thought as I travel to meet clients and attend bull sales in the north. 

A couple of things stand out for me.  Firstly it seems like 80% of the people I speak to are looking for bulls specifically to join to heifers.  These "heifer bulls" are being sought to address, in many cases, a difficult year for calving heifers.

If you are experiencing difficulty in calving your heifers, don't just blame the bull!

Birth weight is a major cause of calving difficulty. And the bull does contribute to the potential weight of the calf.  However, don't neglect the other factors in calving difficulty! You should also consider how well grown your heifers are; what nutritional program they have been managed under and how has your management of this group been undertaken generally.  

If you really want to get on top of a problem, you need to know whats going on in that part of your herd.

The second thing I've noticed a lot at recent sales is many producers have not really thought a lot about the structural soundness of the cows within their breeding herd. 

It seems that people are confident in looking at bulls and saying they want to make sure of feet or legs or eyes.  

But when I ask them whats the general level of structural soundness in their herds, on more than one occasion I've been told the producer just doesn't know.

I have to say it makes selecting a bull for long term herd improvement, a real challenge.  Unless you know where your herd sits for all attributes, such as growth to meet market specs, for fatness, for size, for temperament and for structure, you can't actually make the most informed decision regarding the influence a new bull may make in your breeding herd.  

At best, its an informed hunch!  With EBVs and a physical assessment of a bull you can decide if he will generally improve your herd.  

But; (and there is always a but) is the bull likely to improve the structural soundness of the herd?  Does he help lift your herds muscle score?  Will he help correct the level of cow hocked animals or introduce legs that are possibly too straight.  In other words will the bull make existing problems better or worse?

If you haven't spent time considering your cow herd and working out whats going on in the herd, I reckon you've made your bull purchasing decisions just a little bit harder.  

So while I know it's a busy time right now, try and put aside a bit of time to look objectively at your cows.  Start assessing them and make some decisions about each female and her long or short term future in the herd.  If you do this now, come joining time, you may actually be able to have a select group to join with the bull and this could be the group that really does achieve the lift in production you wanted!

If you need a hand or a second opinion to help you be more objective about your cows, then I'm always happy to come out and help you work out whats going on. 

After all this will help me next year when you start looking for a bull to lift your herd performance that little bit higher!

Farewell to a great mentor

Mentors can make a huge difference in your career and in your life generally.  I've been incredibly fortunate to have enjoyed the guidance of a number of mentors.  

So what is a mentor?  I reckon a mentor is a person who can demonstrate an example of how to go about things, who can share knowledge and experiences, and wants to provide you with a ready ear to listen and discuss your actions and often the results of those actions!  If you are really lucky, a mentor can become your friend as well as your guide.

When I joined the NSW Department of Agriculture as a Trainee Livestock Officer (Beef Products) I was fortunate in having two exceptional mentors formally appointed for my first year in the job.  When I was appointed to the Glen Innes district as the Beef Cattle Officer, I became part of a small tight knit team.  I'll always consider myself incredibly blessed to have been part of the team that had been so effective in working and helping the NSW beef industry for so long.  The older experienced Beefo's were the ones we looked to as new team members.  I came to see Bill McKiernan as my unofficial mentor.

I was always very much on my toes around Bill.  He was based at Scone and was the go to person for pretty much most things.  Bill was the pioneer in describing muscling in cattle, in developing the language we commonly use, and showing producers just how valuable muscling could be in their herds.

Bill's contribution to the beef industry was so much more than his work in muscle assessment.  He played an integral role in developing drought management strategies as well as undertaking a huge role in extending the results of much of the cross breeding research undertaken by the Department.  

Not only was Bill involved in the beef industry, he also undertook a large amount of applied research and extension with the horse industry in the Hunter Valley.

In fact there pretty much wasn't much that had been done by the Department in beef production that Bill hadn't been involved in or contributed to.  If you look at the NSW DPI Prime Facts, Bill was the author or a co author on most of them.

For a young Beefo, Bill's knowledge and experience were vital in supporting my initial steps into beef extension.

As my career developed I came to know Bill more personally as well as professionally.  Bill understood agricultural extension in the way very few people actually did.  He was able to discuss and shape extension programs and provide encouragement to focus on being not just technically sound in the field of beef production, but to become equally proficient as an extension specialist.  

Bill was pretty much a black and white operator.  He described things as he saw them. If you weren't prepared for it, his assessment of an event or a position could shake you.  I think all the team lived in fear of Bill telling us what he thought of something that wasn't up to standard! But it also meant that I learned to avoid the Data Free Opinion!  To know what I was talking about before I opened my mouth and to have developed a thorough understanding of the project I was involved within.

Sadly, Bill McKiernan passed away over the weekend after a long illness.  My thoughts and prayers are with Bill's family and his friends.  This week Australian agriculture has lost one of its greatest contributors and supporters.  I'm grateful my career has been influenced by Bill, and I'm pretty sure his influence will still mentor me into the future.

Getting ahead of the pack!

How often have we heard industry leaders, politicians or general statements reported in the media, businesses should be aiming for best practice?  Its not a new expression!  Its used to encourage us to aim for a level of practice in our management systems, our production systems or for our general decisions. 

Aiming for a standard is a good thing.  However the other day I heard an interview on the ABC's Landline program that made me stop and think.

The interview was with Mr Sunny Verghese who is the CEO or OLAM International.  OLAM is one of the worlds largest agricultural commodity trading companies.  Its definitely an interview to watch or to read the transcript.

I was struck by a statement made by Mr Verghese.  He said that aiming for best practice isn't such a great strategy, since the whole world is aiming for best practice.  If everyone is aiming for best practice, it puts you in the middle of the pack!  The ideal place to be is to be aiming for next practice!  Looking for the next breakthrough; the next development, setting a standard for everyone else to aspire to.

When I think about this I have to admit to being excited.  I love the idea of developing new and better ways to go about agriculture.  

I caught that interview around the same time I saw this image. I think it sums up my approach to RaynerAg and the people I am really enjoying working with.

I find it inspiring to work with producers who have a vision and a goal.  I value the chance to be part of their dreams and to help see them come together in their businesses.

I reckon there are a few things that I have drawn after reflecting on this image and from the interview.

Firstly if you have a dream and a passion, follow it.  Who knows that it isn't going to be the next practice others will aspire towards!  

Make it happen! As an extension officer, I know that you have to test ideas and see if they work.  You can learn just as much from something not working as seeing it work perfectly. If you don't try you will never learn how good that idea may be.

Most of all, have fun!  Don't take for granted the pleasure and happiness of working with animals, with working in the environment and the laughs you can have each day.  

Getting ahead of the pack and creating the next practice for others to aspire to will take a bit of work. But its exciting and challenging, and ultimately it will be really rewarding.  I'm definitely looking forward to being ahead of the pack and being there with the people I most enjoy working with!

Transporting animals, have you checked the new standards?

How familiar are you with your obligations to ensure animals are transported safely and appropriately? Its an interesting questions to ask producers or livestock agents.  Sometimes the response I get to that question is a blank look or even a comment that its up to the truckie!  In actual fact, anyone responsible for the care and management of livestock has an obligation to know the current standards and adhere to them.

Its called the chain of obligation, and it starts with the owner of the animal and ends with the final receiver of the livestock.  Anyone along the way, be it the agent, truck driver, staff at the sale yard, feedlot, depot or processor is included in the chain. So its important you make yourself familiar with the current national standards. 

The current Australian Animal Welfare Standards and Guidelines for the Land Transport of Livestock are the basis for a national consistent framework regarding standards and responsibilities associated with ensuring welfare of animals is maintained.  

The national standards and guidelines cover alpacas; buffalo; camels, cattle, deer, emu, goats, horses, poultry, pigs, ostriches and sheep.  

There are general guidelines that apply to all animals.  Having read through these standards, I reckon they provide a logical progression for anyone who will be responsible for transporting animals.  

The general standards include recommendations for:

• Responsibilities & planning

• Stock Handling competency

• Transport vehicles and facilities for livestock

• Pre transport selection of livestock

• Loading, transporting and unloading livestock

• Humane destruction

Each of these points addresses important considerations for every person who is responsible for the animal.  

This includes questions such as;  are the animals fit to load?  There are useful pointers for the suppliers of animals selecting animals and assembling them for transport as well as identifying the responsibilities for sac section of the chain of responsibility.

As well as these general standards, the document addresses the specific requirements for transporting animals of each species.  These standards cover important issues such as loading densities; transportation of pregnant animals; suitability of vehicles for different species and tim of feed or water.

Transporting animals is something that everyone involved in agriculture will have to do at some stage to other.  

Having the national standards in place means we re all working to the same standard and working to consistently achieve the best welfare standards for our animals.

I reckon its definitely essential you download a copy of the standard and become familiar with its standards and recommendations.  

Top tips to manage calving time

In northern NSW calving season is just starting.  In fact just this week I was visiting a farm just in time to see a calf being born.  Its always a great pleasure to see a calf safely delivered and for mum and the calf to be doing well. 

Managing the calving season is one of the high priority tasks for beef producers.  After all, the number of calves that can be safely born & then grow on to meet sale weights or joining weight does directly impact on your enterprise's profitability.

With this in mind, I thought I might share a few of my top tips for managing calving.

Tip 1: Put your calving heifers in a paddock that is easy to access when you are checking your heifers.  Ideally have a paddock set aside close to the yards.  There may be times when you need to asset your cows so being close to the yards will reduce stress on your animal and on yourself!

Tip 2: Checking your cattle is important and you need to do it regularly.  But don't be too intrusive!  When cows give birth, they often find a quiet spot.  Just watch and observe and only get as close as you need to. 

Tip 3: Keep a box of long vet gloves in your vehicle or if you have a store at the yards keep them there.  Personal hygiene is important, and you don't need to get birthing fluids, blood or other matter on your skin if you do have to assist your cows.  It prevents any cuts you have on your skin becoming infected.  It's also good hygiene for your cows!  While we are on that tip, keep a drum of water a towel and some soap or disinfectant in the kit as well.

Tip 4: If you do have to assist your cows and you use mechanical aids, go easy!!  Work with the cow and her contractions.  Ease the calf with the cow. Don't just pull the calf out! You could do some real damage to the calf and the cow if you are not gentle.

Tip 5:  Put your newly calved cows into a different paddock with access to good quality feed.  Remember these cows have a huge increase in energy demand with the calf at foot.  You have to match that demand with feed.  

Tip 6: Keep a record of your cows and how they handled calving.  Did you have to assist the cow?  Does she care for the cow and milk well?  These are important records to help you select and manage fertility in your herd.

Tip 7: If you are going to measure and record birth weights, do it safely!  Cows are very protective mums.  Don't assume that a quiet cow will be quiet when you approach or interfere with her calf!!

Weigh the calf in a cradle or on scales in a way that won't stress the calf unduly.  Then leave it alone once you are done.  

Ideally weighing little calves is a two person job, just so that one person can keep an eye on mum!  I remember during the cross breeding trials conducted by NSW DPI in Grafton, some cows would actually jump onto the back of the ute just to keep an eye on their calf!  Don't take safety or your cows for granted!

Tip for next year: If you are trying to calve heifers and cows over a fairly long period, you will probably start to wish calving would hurry up and end!  Theres no doubt your heifers need a fair bit of attention.  

My tip for next year, try joining your heifers to calve earlier than the cow mob.  This means joining them earlier and that way you can give them the attention they need at calving.  If they calve earlier it will give them a few more weeks to get over calving and that way you can more successfully rejoin them for the following year. This will also let you put them onto a targeted management program to ensure they are well fed and can care for their calves properly.

Calving can be a tough time with cold starts and plenty of time in the paddock.  At this time of the year a little preparation can help you manage this season more effectively for you and your cows.

Keeping your cows warm this winter

We have just passed the shortest day of the year in Australia.  Even though we are well into winter, in Northern NSW it often feels as if it doesn't really get cold until we get past the winter solstice.  

Last weekend saw blizzard conditions and gales in southern NSW and Victoria.  The Central West and parts of the Northern Tablelands had plenty of snow and sleet.

While winter in Australia may not be as harsh as winter in other countries, it can still be pretty challenging for livestock.  

This image was captured at Guyra on the Northern Tablelands of NSW by the Ray White Team.   

Snow, sleet, rain and cold winds form a pretty nasty combination of conditions for your livestock.  If you run a sheep enterprise you know these conditions can be fatal, particularly for lambs or for sheep off shears.  

The Bureau of Meteorology provides an excellent warning system for these weather events.  Sheep graziers alerts are critical in preparing to manage cold spells.  

But these warnings are not just for sheep graziers!  If you have livestock, you should act accordingly.  

In conditions such as these cattle can suffer just as badly as sheep.  If you have an early calving herd, or cows in Fat Score 2 or below, your cows are just as much at risk as your sheep.  Wind chill can particularly effect your cattle and cows without sufficient body condition can struggle to cope with conditions.

To manage these conditions, you need to plan early.  Moving cows to more sheltered paddocks will limit the wind chill effect and help them avoid the worst of the weather.  Its often a few degrees warmer in shelter, particularly if cows can keep out of the wind.

Its also important to assess your feed options.  If cows have access to plenty of roughage or dry standing feed, this will be a great help.  The process of digestion on roughage releases a lot of heat, and that helps cows see out the worst of the cold.

If you have been feeding your cows, hay is the best option to manage the cold snaps.  As with paddock roughage, the digestion of hay releases plenty of heat.  Hay is a much better option to feed your cows during snow, or wet cold conditions than many people may realise. 

Fortunately for most graziers the snow won't last weeks! However if you are unprepared a snow event, or even a very cold wet and windy period can result in livestock losses.  

Several years ago I remember Brahman cattle were bought from the Gulf Country to the Northern Tablelands in July.  The day after they arrived it snowed!  Unfortunately there were losses among those animals.

Planning ahead by providing some plenty of hay and shelter may have helped these animals cope with conditions much better than they did. 

More importantly prior planning factoring in the weather and its effect on light cattle may have meant the cattle would not have been delivered to the Northern Tablelands in a period when snow and sleet were likely to occur.

I've heard it said "there's no such thing as bad weather. There's only the wrong clothes!"  Well I reckon for graziers, we can't avoid the weather, we just have to adapt.  And if you can plan early, you can minimise the effects the cold and help keep your cows warm this winter.