Keeping on top of maintenance tasks helps prevent issues becoming costly problems. Here are our suggestions for summer’s ‘to do’ list.
Ensuring that your animals have protection from the sun is essential to avoid heat stress. Check that all grazing areas have either natural shade or an artificial structure providing shelter. Inspect and repair shade structures, and plan and prioritise any repairs that are needed.
Keeping on top of flies will keep your animals more comfortable and help reduce the possibility of health problems caused by them. Implement fly control measures such as fly traps and sprays. Ask your vet for advice on the most appropriate topical treatments to use.
Clear vegetation along fence lines to prevent damage and maintain security. This is particularly important with electric fencing where longer grass or weeds can cause the fence to short out. Regularly check for and fix any weak spots in your fencing.
If you will be buying in hay or straw for the winter, now is the time to prepare storage areas. Ensure they are dry, clean, and well-ventilated to prevent mould and spoilage.
Regularly clean and re-fill water troughs to ensure fresh, clean water is always available for your animals. Check for algae build-up and give troughs a good scrub to encourage your livestock to drink plenty.
Regularly cut back or pull up weeds such as nettles, ragworth or thistles in your grazing to prevent them going to seed and spreading further. Thistles are particularly pesky and may need digging out.
The nutritional needs of livestock can change with the seasons – particularly with the availability of grass. Ensure you are feeding the correct amounts of an appropriate ration for your livestock’s age, size and life stage. As always, ensure your feed storage area is clean and dry.
Focusing on maintenance tasks means you can keep your smallholding well-organised and efficient, ensuring the safety, health and productivity of your animals.
Contact our team for advice or find your local stockist.
