Getting Winter Ready Part 1: Winter Housing

In the first part of a three-part series, ‘Getting Winter Ready’, on the Beef Edge, Teagasc Beef Specialist, Niall Kerins, discusses ‘Winter Housing’.

 

Housing is a key part of maximising winter performance, farmers can have the nutrition of the animal correct and the animal treated to have them healthy and yet still not be achieving 0.6kg/head/day over the winter period on weanlings.

 

Space allowance is important to determine, how many weanlings/stores/cows should be housed per bay.

 

Feed barrier spacing is often overlooked. Good ventilation is also critical, we often see sheds and maybe there is an issue even though you would think there’s loads of air coming in at either end of the shed. Draughts are just as bad, if not worse, than poor air movement and stuffy conditions.  Niall outlines what farmers can do to avoid draughts and assess sheds.

 

Every winter a significant number of cattle are housed and fed in rented sheds. Niall outlines what are the key things to consider if you are interested in renting a shed.

 

Further details at: 

https://teagasc.ie/news--events/daily/4-key-winter-housing-considerations/

 

For more episodes from the Beef Edge podcast, visit the show page at:
https://www.teagasc.ie/thebeefedge

 
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