Early turn out

[Louisa Gidney]

It's a glorious day here and the ground is dry, so I've turned out 3 dry cows to join the cow and stirks who went out a week ago. Conditions are far better for turn out now than in April last year.
Anyone else taking advantage of the weather?

[Mark Bowles]

Dry as a bone here in Leicetershire, it surley has to be the driest February I have experienced, cattle still inside though. If I turn out early the cattle are always ahead of the grass, I prefer it the other way round.

[Duncan MacIntyre]

More or less every year the Isle of Bute is greener in February than it is at the end of March or even into April.

Duncan

[pateshill]

lovely here in Carlisle too , mine are still inside for now until there is some grass, hope it comes early there eating me out of house and home.

Martin

[Jac]

Taking advantage of good weather, doing half and half - out during day and in at night. How wonderful it is with less work clearing buildings three times a day.

[SteveM]

tempted, moved young bull and two heifers without calves to holding pen as the 3rd heifer with them calved this morning, hopefully if weather keeps good they may go our next couple of weeks for a run around, then away for summer grazing

[Mark S]

Grass growing well in Cheshire, apart from 2 young bulls all cattle turned out, excellent conditions underfoot. Split into 2 groups, 1 group in a paddock that we are giving haylage in a ring feeder, the second group, cows due to calve 5 to 8 weeks and the bull are in a field with plenty of grass but we will feed haylage to each morning on the ground until they calve.

We have ample supplies of haylage and straw so if the weather and ground conditions change significantly we have the option to bring them back in. The cows will come back in anyway 4 to 5 days before they are due to calves so we can keep a close eye on them. Complete contrast to last year when they were turned out at the end of April.

Mark S

Brereton Herd

[Rob R]

With our grazing being a trailer ride away from the farm it isn't really possible but we've got to bring the dry cows in for bulling next week - quite envious of those with housing near the grazing, would be nice to see calves having a good run.