BEEF CALENDAR
JANUARY
• End of bulling for mature cows on 31 January
• De- worm all stock above six months against liver-fluke, in problem areas
• De –worm against roundworms, on badly affected properties
• Pay attention to fly control
• Weekly dipping to control ticks, particularly brown ear tick adults
• Dipping may be reduced if cattle have been vaccinated against tick borne diseases
• Tick borne diseases are a menace at this time, particularly theileriosis (January disease)
• Cattle to be on phosphate/salt supplementation
FEBRUARY
• Pregnancy diagnosis for heifers
• Weaning of calves
• Vaccinate weaners and yearling against contagious abortion and blackleg
• Booster vaccinate yearling against blackleg, at 18 months of age
• Continue fly control
• Tick control paying particular attention to brown ear ticks
• Tick borne diseases are major menace as well as lumpy skin disease, rift valley fever, blue-tongue and other vector borne diseases
• Provide cattle with phosphate/salt supplement
MARCH
• Pregnancy diagnosis on mature cows
• Cull non-pregnant heifers
• Vaccinate young stock (18months of age) against blackleg
• Continue fly control in problem areas
APRIL
• Breeding soundness examination for bulls should be carried out
• Cull non- pregnant mature cows and poor performers
• Deworm all young stock and adults against roundworm
• Begin protein supplementation and start using of crop residues e.g. groundnut hay
MAY
• Continue with activities as in April
• May reduce dipping frequency (fortnightly to monthly) depending on tick challenge
JUNE
• Reduced dipping frequency (fortnightly to monthly) depending on challenge
• Vaccinate against tick borne diseases (theileriosis, red water, gall sickness, heartwater).
• Consult your Government vet on the use of these vaccines in your area. (animals can be vaccinated using the vaccines from May to October as long as they are above 3 months of age)
• Protein supplementation and usage of crop residues
JULY
• Calving for heifers starts
• Implement livestock identification trust tagging for calves.
• Control brown ear tick nymphs which become active until September.
• Protein and phosphate supplementation and usage of crop residues
AUGUST
• Calving for mature cows starts
• Implement identification tagging for calves
• Vaccinate breeding bulls against vibriosis and leptospirosis
• Protein and phosphate supplementation and usage of crop residues
SEPTEMBER
• Dehorn calves at one month of age
• Vaccinate cows and heifers against vibriosis and leptospirosis
• Continue protein and phosphate supplementation
• Plant toxicity is expected at this time of the year, take precautionary measures e.g. over grazed pastures are a great risk for plant toxicity.
• Beware of calf scours in newly born calves (birth to 3 months).
OCTOBER
• Start bulling of heifers.
• Castrate calves using burdizzo at three months or surgical at one month
• Cull cows for old age before bulling
• Vaccinate against vector borne diseases e.g. lumpy skin, rift valley fever, stiff sickness, blue tongue
• Deworm all stock above six months against liverfluke, paramphistomes and roundworms
• Continue protein supplementation
• Watch out for bont legged and red legged ticks under the tail
• Plant toxicity is expected at this time of the year, take precautionary measures
NOVEMBER
• Start bulling of mature cows
• Remove protein supplementation and replace with phosphate/salt supplementation in summer
• Fly control in problem areas
DECEMBER
• Ticks and tickborne diseases are on the increase, intensify tick control (increase dipping to weekly, depending on challenge)
• Stop bulling of Heifers on 15th December
• Fly control in problem areas
• phosphate/salt supplementation
Acknowledgements: Edith Makusha
