Grass growth stood remarkably well against a relatively testing time with the lack of rainfall, but we are now hopefully going to see significant rainfall occur across the country over the weekend. Soil temperatures are about 6°C , so this combined with rainfall should see grass growth kick forward.

Many farmers would have stopped spreading fertiliser for the most part over the last two weeks, and would be anxious to get going with some again.

However, caution would have to be exercised in this regard as some of the rain that is falling is thundery in nature, and combined with the rock-hard nature of ground at the minute, fertiliser could easily be washed off paddocks. Try and ensure that no significant rainfall is forecast for at least 48 hours post application, with the same rule applying for slurry.

Ken Gill – Clonbollogue, Co Offaly

We could definitely do with rain. We got a small drop oin Tuesday night, but could do with much more.

I grazed some strong covers (1,800-2,000kg DM/ha) that I would normally have baled out, but I was fearful of running tight on grass and I’m glad now that I did this.

Instead of my normal three days in a paddock, I was getting five to six days out of these which helped hold the rotation length.

Red clover was baled recently yielding 8.5-9 bales/acre, which I am happy with. The grass silage swards are still looking a little light and would hopefully bulk up with some rain, with the plan being to cut in the first week of June.

The combi crop is looking good for having next to no rain got.

System Organic suckler to beef

Soil Type Variable

Farm cover (kg/DM/ha) 627

Growth (kg/DM/ha/day) 20

Demand (kg/DM/ha/day) 33

Shaun Diver – Tullamore Farm, Co Offaly

First cut was mown and pitted this week in excellent conditions. The crop was mowed earlier than planned as we were fearful that our silage ground would get very wet if the weather broke.

We received some rain on Tuesday evening, and once we get some more we will go out with slurry and bagged fertiliser, with the aim of a bulky second-cut for dry cow feed.

Some of our drier paddocks are really starting to burn up, and we are lucky that we carried a high cover of grass in to sustain growth and the rotation length.

Lambs have been weighed for their 40 day weight analysis, with the first main group of singles and twins having an average weight of 25.5kg.

System Suckler to beef

Soil Type Variable

Farm cover (kg/DM/ha) 915

Growth (kg/DM/ha/day) 64

Demand (kg/DM/ha/day) 46

Jack Spillane – Tipperary Calf Farm, Co Tipperary

Eighteen acres of ground is to be mown out as surplus tomorrow hopefully (Thursday). Some of this was silage ground that was light and was held off in case growth collapsed, while some of the rest of it is just strong grazing covers. We received a nice bit of rainfall over six or seven hours yesterday, which should push on our growth a bit too.

Fertiliser went out on the majority of the grazing platform last week, while the silage ground has received 1,800 gallons/acre of slurry. Silage ground will hopefully be topped up with 80 units N/acre this week, with some of the low index ground receiving 10-10-20 as part of this N allocation. Approximately 60 acres will be cut for second-cut silage.

System Dairy calf to beef

Soil Type Variable

Farm cover (kg/DM/ha) 750

Growth (kg/DM/ha/day) 44

Demand (kg/DM/ha/day) 32