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20 Dec 2025
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20 Dec 2025
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The time to address body condition in spring calving cows is now
With cows now settled into their winter accommodation, most farmers are understandably not thinking too much about the 2026 spring calving season yet.
There is however one important course of action that should be taken straight away to help ensure a successful calving season and subsequent breeding season.
Having cows in the correct body condition at calving is very important to reduce problems at calving.
Cows that are too thin at calving, will result in a delay in them coming back on heat regardless of how well they are fed after calving as well as having a greater chance of calving weaker calves with poor vigour.
On the other hand, cows that are too fat at calving are more likely to encounter calving difficulty due to excess fat around the birth passage. Therefore, having the cow at the correct body condition at calving time is very important.
There is no point in trying to address an issue with body condition in the weeks coming up to calving.
Trying to do that at this stage is likely to cause more problems than it solves.
The time to address body condition in spring calving cows is now.
All cows should be checked for fat cover particularly around the tail head, ribs and the loin.
Cows that are thin should be grouped together and fed either better quality silage and / or some concentrates.
Fat cows should also be grouped together with their diet changed to poorer quality silage or restricted silage.
It is also important to note that having thin cows now, is no reflection on management as most farms will have a few thin cows now for various reasons.
It’s the actions that are taken now which count. A, what can often be, modest change in feeding regime for relative groups should even out the body condition of your cows by February and help contribute to a successful calving season.
Teagasc provides a Local Advisory and Education service to farmers. They have offices based in Roscommon Town (Tel: 090 6626166), Castlerea (Tel: 094 9620160) and Longford Town (Tel: 043 3341021), You can find us on Facebook
@Teagascroscommonlongford, Instagram @teagasc.rnld and X @teagascRNLD. Email; RoscommonLongford Advisory@teagasc.ie
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