PastureBase Ireland figures this week show an average growth of 68kg DM/ha over the last week, with higher-than-average growth witnessed in the northern half of the country.
Ample rainfall combined with soil temperatures between 14-16° Celsius saw growth rates hit above 100kg DM/ha for some farms in the northwest of the country.
Meanwhile, below average rainfall for the south and southeast has seen some farm growths as low as the mid 30s, though average growth throughout the region is in the high 50s to mid-60s on a per kg DM/ha basis.
Looking towards the week ahead, much of the country is to receive less than 15mm of rainfall, meaning where there is an issue with moisture stress, this is likely to be further compounded.
It should be highlighted that this is not an issue hitting a huge number of farmers, but it should also be monitored closely.
Of the farmers recording with PastureBase Ireland, 16% saw a cover per livestock unit below 160kg DM/ha, but even at this they had an average farm cover of 575kg DM/ha, which isn’t a serious issue, more one to keep an eye on and ensure it doesn’t get worse.
Some high quality silage bales fed at milking time is probably the cheapest way to help build cover where there is no stock (in-calf heifers) that can be offloaded from the grazing block
On the flip side, 44% of farmers measuring grass are seeing a surplus, and corrective action will have to be taken to maintain quality.
Rainfall levels will be higher in the northwest, but where there is a window of good weather, bales should be whipped off the block.
Above average growth in northwest, while some southern farmers are on the tighter side for grass.Where moisture stress is an issue, the week ahead will do little to rectify it.Where cover is tight, build through offloading stock from the grazing platform and supplement cows with silage.Surplus silage will have to be taken out on the majority of farms to maintain quality.Caroline O’Sullivan – Teagasc Curtins, Co Cork
Grass is gone very scarce here and the farm is drying out very quickly. We seem to be avoiding all of the rain that falls locally.
There was one paddock with a grass cover of 2,000kg that we intended to cut for silage but had no choice but to go back and graze it, which isn’t ideal. After that’s gone the pre-grazing yield will be gone to 800kg and 900kg/ha which isn’t ideal.
The whole farm is available for grazing so the demand is low, even with 2kg of meal per day. We’re getting similar growth rates across the farm, even on the paddocks getting higher rates of nitrogen. Hopefully we’ll get some rain soon.
Stocking Rate (cows/ha) 2.36
Growth rate (kg/ha/day) 32
Average farm cover (kg/cow) 206
Milk yield (l) 16.5
Fat (%) 4.94
Protein (%) 3.83
Milk solids (kg MS/cow) 1.49
Meal (kg) 2
Arthur Sweetman – Wellingtonbridge, Co Wexford
We’re not getting any rain worth talking about and the sea breeze is drying everything out. We have no surplus but we are carrying a good cover, so that should see us through for a while. Ideally I would like to be taking out paddocks for silage but we haven’t really had a surplus all year.
The whole grazing block is available for grazing now. I spread the whole farm with 20 units/acre of protected urea at the weekend. Clover is looking good this year and the good clover paddocks are just getting soiled water from now on. The temptation is to spread everywhere with nitrogen, but it’s moisture that is lacking, not N.
Stocking Rate (cows/ha) 3
Growth rate (kg/ha/day) 43
Average farm cover (kg/cow) 205
Milk yield (l) 24
Fat (%) 4.5
Protein (%) 3.7
Milk solids (kg MS/cow) 2.02
Meal (kg) 3
Martin Alexander – Killygordon, Co Donegal
It’s been an excellent year for growth, but a challenging year to maintain quality. I have over 100 bales of surplus grass taken off the platform to date, and we are still struggling to keep on top of quality; grass just seems to want to shoot out all the time.
We are operating on heavy ground here, so I am cautious regarding taking out too much ground in silage and growth stalling up.
We are divining some land, which we suspect has some springs in it, and hope to reseed after draining. Protected urea was spread in the last round, and cows are now being followed with Sulpha CAN.
Stocking Rate (cows/ha) 2.9
Growth rate (kg/ha/day) 64
Average farm cover (kg/cow) 216
Milk yield (l) 26
Fat (%) 4.36
Protein (%) 3.78
Milk solids (kg MS/cow) 2.18
Meal (kg) 4
PastureBase Ireland figures this week show an average growth of 68kg DM/ha over the last week, with higher-than-average growth witnessed in the northern half of the country.
Ample rainfall combined with soil temperatures between 14-16° Celsius saw growth rates hit above 100kg DM/ha for some farms in the northwest of the country.
Meanwhile, below average rainfall for the south and southeast has seen some farm growths as low as the mid 30s, though average growth throughout the region is in the high 50s to mid-60s on a per kg DM/ha basis.
Looking towards the week ahead, much of the country is to receive less than 15mm of rainfall, meaning where there is an issue with moisture stress, this is likely to be further compounded.
It should be highlighted that this is not an issue hitting a huge number of farmers, but it should also be monitored closely.
Of the farmers recording with PastureBase Ireland, 16% saw a cover per livestock unit below 160kg DM/ha, but even at this they had an average farm cover of 575kg DM/ha, which isn’t a serious issue, more one to keep an eye on and ensure it doesn’t get worse.
Some high quality silage bales fed at milking time is probably the cheapest way to help build cover where there is no stock (in-calf heifers) that can be offloaded from the grazing block
On the flip side, 44% of farmers measuring grass are seeing a surplus, and corrective action will have to be taken to maintain quality.
Rainfall levels will be higher in the northwest, but where there is a window of good weather, bales should be whipped off the block.
Above average growth in northwest, while some southern farmers are on the tighter side for grass.Where moisture stress is an issue, the week ahead will do little to rectify it.Where cover is tight, build through offloading stock from the grazing platform and supplement cows with silage.Surplus silage will have to be taken out on the majority of farms to maintain quality.Caroline O’Sullivan – Teagasc Curtins, Co Cork
Grass is gone very scarce here and the farm is drying out very quickly. We seem to be avoiding all of the rain that falls locally.
There was one paddock with a grass cover of 2,000kg that we intended to cut for silage but had no choice but to go back and graze it, which isn’t ideal. After that’s gone the pre-grazing yield will be gone to 800kg and 900kg/ha which isn’t ideal.
The whole farm is available for grazing so the demand is low, even with 2kg of meal per day. We’re getting similar growth rates across the farm, even on the paddocks getting higher rates of nitrogen. Hopefully we’ll get some rain soon.
Stocking Rate (cows/ha) 2.36
Growth rate (kg/ha/day) 32
Average farm cover (kg/cow) 206
Milk yield (l) 16.5
Fat (%) 4.94
Protein (%) 3.83
Milk solids (kg MS/cow) 1.49
Meal (kg) 2
Arthur Sweetman – Wellingtonbridge, Co Wexford
We’re not getting any rain worth talking about and the sea breeze is drying everything out. We have no surplus but we are carrying a good cover, so that should see us through for a while. Ideally I would like to be taking out paddocks for silage but we haven’t really had a surplus all year.
The whole grazing block is available for grazing now. I spread the whole farm with 20 units/acre of protected urea at the weekend. Clover is looking good this year and the good clover paddocks are just getting soiled water from now on. The temptation is to spread everywhere with nitrogen, but it’s moisture that is lacking, not N.
Stocking Rate (cows/ha) 3
Growth rate (kg/ha/day) 43
Average farm cover (kg/cow) 205
Milk yield (l) 24
Fat (%) 4.5
Protein (%) 3.7
Milk solids (kg MS/cow) 2.02
Meal (kg) 3
Martin Alexander – Killygordon, Co Donegal
It’s been an excellent year for growth, but a challenging year to maintain quality. I have over 100 bales of surplus grass taken off the platform to date, and we are still struggling to keep on top of quality; grass just seems to want to shoot out all the time.
We are operating on heavy ground here, so I am cautious regarding taking out too much ground in silage and growth stalling up.
We are divining some land, which we suspect has some springs in it, and hope to reseed after draining. Protected urea was spread in the last round, and cows are now being followed with Sulpha CAN.
Stocking Rate (cows/ha) 2.9
Growth rate (kg/ha/day) 64
Average farm cover (kg/cow) 216
Milk yield (l) 26
Fat (%) 4.36
Protein (%) 3.78
Milk solids (kg MS/cow) 2.18
Meal (kg) 4
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