“Livestock farmers who want to capitalise on the effects of the excellent summer grazing season now need to focus on their animals’ winter nutrition needs, if they are to achieve the best margins.” This is the message from Belford based Northumbrian Quality Feeds.

The glorious weather of 2014 provided perfect summer and autumn grazing conditions and has set up many farms to face the colder months with confidence. Now the normal winter weather has arrived, it’s time for farmers to take stock and pay close attention to their feeding regime to ensure they don’t lose out on the benefits gained in the grazing season.

Northumbrian Quality Feeds nutritionist and General Manager, John Naylor, said: “Although we’ve thankfully not had the 18 inches of snow we saw three years ago in early December, the weather has definitely turned.

“The good summer has presented farmers with both positives and negatives when it comes to organising their winter feeding programme. There is an ample supply of fodder around with most barns and pits overflowing. However, the quality can be questionable, both nutritionally and with regard to minerals.

“We’re also seeing cattle entering the winter in very good condition, which in itself could present a problem with spring calving cows, which may be over fit. Now is the time to ensure that they have the correct condition score – 3.5 – because attempting to do this in the last two months before calving is not advisable.”

Similarly, store cattle have entered the winter in very good condition, and at this point, it is worth looking at their diets in detail. This will require different approaches depending whether they are to be sold as stores in the spring or whether they will be put out to graze.

Sheep farmers with store lambs have also benefitted from the good grazing conditions into early November.

John said: “When the grasses started to deteriorate, we’ve seen the killing-out percentages of these lambs deteriorate at the same time.

“To finish lambs on grass alone is not an efficient option. Many fodder crops are doing a good job but whether you are using grazed fodder or grass, concentrate feed is vital to ensure efficient finishing.”

When feeding concentrates to lambs, it is essential to use a quality product and to feed for no more than eight weeks. The lower prices of cereals this year means many farms are now mixing their own feeds but it is important to get the balance right.

“When mixing at home, you need to construct a digestive-friendly ration to ensure acidosis is kept to a minimum,” said John.

“At Northumbrian Quality Feeds, we are happy to help with forage, mineral analysis and ration formulation to ensure your stock are getting what they need to achieve optimum health, and therefore, better returns.”

In addition to both conventional and organic feed, NQF’s base at Easington near Belford also supplies mineral, feed blocks and liquid feeds. It is the only feed company in the county with its own compound food plant, which produces a range of nuts, rolls, pellets, mixtures and blends.

John added: “Livestock farmers are always facing the delicate balancing act of ensuring a return on the investment they put into their animals.

“Currently, morale in the beef and sheep sector is improving as a result of better market returns. Finished lamb prices have improved markedly in the last three weeks and store cattle prices are holding up well.

“However, the spring weather can have further challenges, so it is vital to ensure animals are in optimum condition over the winter months.”