GIVEN the continuing good weather conditions this Autumn the option of keeping cattle out for longer this year is particularly relevant, but it is vital that grass is managed well and any supplementary feeding is introduced in advance to help check any dramatic changes in weather or at housing.

Autumn grass can be as nutritious as spring growth, particularly following a prolonged dry spell, but managing it effectively is more challenging as the quality can fall off quite quickly with the onset of autumn and as winter housing approaches.

Careful management of the diet is needed to ensure a smooth transition from summer to winter rations, allowing the rumen microbes to adapt and repopulate to the change in the rumen environment.

Getting it wrong, by making a sudden change will result in at least two weeks when LWG will, at best stand still or at worst, result in cattle losing weight. Feeding some grass silage to supplement and support grazing at this time will improve growth rates. If the quality of the silage is 10.5 to 11.0 ME plus, with a dry matter of around 30 per cent, it will enhance the daily LWG of the animal in late autumn and during the transition period and ultimately improve the profitability of the beef enterprise.

As long as ground conditions permit, cattle will continue to put on weight outdoors well into November or longer, provided the feed available meets their nutritional requirements, be it grass, silage / hay and the appropriate concentrates. However, to manage the transition properly, the process needs to be planned with a gradual change to the composition of the diet over a two to three week period in advance of housing.

Ideally, winter finishing cattle need to be within 120/130kg of finishing. Keep an eye on the condition of the animal. Ideally, through regular weighing, as the grass quality drops the concentrate level needs to increase to compensate, or the animal will start to go through a storing stage again.

There is a possibility of very good grass quality this autumn and hopefully, any rain we get will provide fresh grass growth of very high quality and give us all an extended grazing season.

Please call your local Mole Agriculture representative or Feed Sales Specialist, Kenny McDonald, on 07989 155482 to discuss your livestock’s nutritional requirements pre-housing.