Great rain ... but stay busy feeding stock

Feed quality across the State may have deteriorated following recent rain and the NSW Department of Primary Industries has suggested farmers who are not already doing so should move to full hand feeding.

NSW DPI Trangie livestock officer Edward Joshua said the rainfall was very welcome but it was likely nutrients would have been leached from dry standing feed.

Mr Joshua said while most producers were already hand feeding, some were also partly relying on dry standing feed in the paddocks to fulfil the entire livestock feed ration.

“These producers should move to full hand feeding immediately but the muddy conditions will mean they will need to set up troughs and hay racks so that feed isn’t trampled and spoiled,” Mr Joshua said.

“Hand feeding regimes should continue until there is sufficient paddock feed of good quality to maintain livestock.”

Early pasture growth or “green pick” following rain is high in water and low in dry matter content.Mr Joshua said it was the dry matter containing the nutrients that livestock needed to survive and grow.

“Dry sheep need about 400kg of pasture dry matter per hectare to maintain their body weight while dry cattle need 900kg of dry matter per hectare,” Mr Joshua said.

“Sometimes animals will stop eating supplied feed, instead preferring the fresh green pick from the paddock.

“But being composed mainly of water, the green pick can’t deliver the amount of nutrition needed by stock.

“For this reason it’s important to restrict the feed area so animals can continue to eat the supplied ration until enough paddock feed is available.”

Managing the transition from hand feeding to paddock feeding is also important so the rumen microflora have time to grow and process the change in feed.

Change in feed could have a significant impact on tensile strength of wool produced during the month following rain, so good management would be vital to ensure a positive financial outcome for producers, Mr Joshua said.

He said graziers would also need to consider content of the new rapidly growing pasture because some plants in their early stages could be toxic to livestock.

“Phalaris can cause staggers, sorghum can cause prussic acid poisoning and legume pastures may cause bloat,” Mr Joshua said.

“Its important to ensure livestock are not over hungry when these pastures are stocked.

“Producers should maintain a careful watch and at any sign of abnormal behaviour remove the livestock from the paddock.

“Rapid movement of young fresh pasture through the gut of livestock can trigger the onset of pulpy kidney in the largest and fattest animals - but this can be prevented by ensuring vaccination programs are maintained correctly and up-to-date boosters have been administered within the last three months.”

A grazing management plan based on pasture type, pasture condition and stock needs should be developed as part of a property management plan.Generally stocking rates after drought and immediately following rain are lower than normal due to de-stocking, allowing for rehabilitation of pastures.

For more information on livestock and pasture management contact your local DPI livestock officer, agronomist or the RLPB district veterinarian.

Media contact: Edward Joshua, NSW DPI, Trangie (02) 6880 8041 or 0428 285 987.