Grass growth in the northwest of the country is still ahead of the long-term average, and it’s no wonder why. Soil temperatures are high and there is ample moisture in the ground, maybe too much at a time with the soil moisture deficit (SMD) recorded at 0 in one area of Donegal, essentially meaning saturation. For these farms, surplus is likely there in ample amounts and the dry week will give plenty of opportunity to get this mown out and banked.

On the other hand, some farmers are not looking forward to more dry weather. They have had little to no rainfall over the past few weeks, and this increase in temperature is just going to put more pressure on the system. If this is the case, then the mower needs to be firmly parked up and any strong coves grazed with a strip-wire, to try and get you out of this hole. Stemmier, stronger grass, while far from ideal from a quality point of view, will help keep cattle full and will last them well, so get the reel and poly posts out.

Shaun Diver, Tullamore Farm, Co Offaly

Weaning of the ewe flock is ongoing this week, with everything to be weaned bar the ewe hoggets with lambs as these lambs are a shade younger. An additional 45 lambs have been drafted for sale this week, weighing from 43-45kg, while some forward lambs have also been separated out. I’ll likely try and draft once more off grass before introducing a small amount of concentrates. No wormer has been used to date, with FEC results to date showing no worm burden.

Second cut silage will hopefully be done at the weekend. After a high-quality first cut, this was allowed to bulk up and will be targeted towards dry cows in winter. Weaned ewes will graze off headlands.

System :Suckler to beef

Soil Type:Variable

Farm cover (kg/DM/ha):684

Growth (kg/DM/ha/day):56

Demand (kg/DM/ha/day):44

Ger McSweeney, Millstreet, Co Cork

The blacker type soil we have has held the moisture well, but we have probably peaked now until we get more rain. Dry weather suits us, but only to a certain degree. Paddocks that have been grazed in the last 10 days are slower to come back. Some of our paddocks that were stitched with clover are on the hungry side, so these will likely be topped up with some bag fertiliser when we have rainfall in the forecast.

Second cut is very close to being ready. I’m going to walk it this evening and decide what to do; harvest now and get excellent quality or let it bulk more. After delaying cutting some first cut I think I have enough bulk and will probably cut now with the fine weather.

System:Suckler to weanling

Soil Type:Variable

Farm cover (kg/DM/ha):834

Growth (kg/DM/ha/day):68

Demand (kg/DM/ha/day):43

William Treacy, Hackballscross, Co Louth

We will likely run slightly tight now with the forecasted dry weather; light showers and drizzle had kept us ticking along before this. Our reseed sown in late May has come back in to the rotation, and some paddocks we cut in the last 10 days will hopefully come in too. The fact we kept getting some moisture meant that we could go out each week with fertiliser on grazed paddocks.

Grass quality has improved a lot. We have all our heavy covers either baled out or grazed and are back on to lush covers between 10-12cm in height.

Second cut is coming fit for cutting now soon. I will take out some of these fields for third cut as I will be looking to bank as much fodder as possible.

System:Suckler to beef

Soil Type:Variable

Farm cover (kg/DM/ha):784

Growth (kg/DM/ha/day):65

Demand (kg/DM/ha/day):62