Croglin Group meeting - improving quality grassland and parasite control

Tuesday 19 January 2010

GILLIAN Butler, independent nutritionist from Newcastle University, stimulated discussion on Making Better Use of Grass and Forage amongst 16 farmers.

They also discussed the linked issue of parasite control in sheep.

The relative cost of energy and protein in good and poor grazed and conserved grass compared favourably to any bought-in cereals or compound feeds.

Improving the quality of silage was debated and the following things were agreed upon:

cutting at the right stage of plant maturity (and time of day if possible with the contractor!) improved fermentation and digestibility
use additives when conditions are not ideal
the best chop length is the width of a cow’s mouth
increased clover in the sward increases protein value later in the year, when sheep breeders on the East Fellside usually cut

Specific targeting of any bought-in feeds to different types of stock is most efficient when based on the analysis of the forage.

Greater reliance on forage makes any mineral and trace element deficiencies more acute.

Ideas for extending the grazing season, or deferring autumn grass for winter grazing were not seen to be compatible with some local soils and the Helm wind!

Also, the idea of bulk buying of concentrates or cereals and beans direct from arable farms was dismissed by the group.

Parasite control

Research at Moredun showed that relatively low rates of infection by worm larvae slows down growth in finishing lambs by 8 weeks or 6kg. ALSO

There are flocks in the UK now which are carrying worms that are resistant to all 3 types of wormer.

So how can farmers solve the dilemma of how to:

reduce the risk of high worm burdens in lambs
without over-using wormers and increasing the risk of resistant worms?

4 options were discussed:

Keeping the most susceptible stock (ewes with twins and weaned lambs) on the ‘cleanest‘ pastures and using dry ewes to ‘hoover up’ worm eggs and larvae.

Gradually selecting within the flock for resistance to worms. Unfortunately the main selection in rams for this trait is being done in the terminal sire breeds. Faecal egg counting is part of this process.

Quarantining ALL bought-in stock

Worming ewes at lambing and / or feeding a higher protein feed (bought-in, or May grass) to early lactation ewes. Both reduce the contamination of pasture for lambs.

The group's next meeting is on Wednesday 17th February, on soil management.