Grass quality has been a big issue for a lot of farmers in the past three weeks. A moisture deficit occurred on many farms across the country. Some farmers then held off on spreading nitrogen and this showed, with plants rushing to stem.
Rain came and growth is back up now, with predictions for over 70kg/day next week. However, many farmers are still feeding upwards of 3kg/day of meal. Milk price is good, so farmers are pushing output.
This looks like a good idea, but grass quality is suffering as a result of the substitution effect meal has on grass.
Farms have seen milk protein levels drop considerably, as cows are forced to eat poorer quality swards. We are seeing the impact that chasing output in the past few weeks has had.
Production could suffer for the next couple of months, as it’s hard to fix the problem now.
Where quality is an issue, mechanical intervention will be needed to fix it. Topping after grazings is the best way to get rid of stem in paddocks without affecting milk solids.
Topped paddocks will take two to three days longer to recover but it may be necessary.
These paddocks have to be eaten at 1,400kg/DM/ha in the next rotation to try and keep quality right. Reduce meal feeding levels and keep on top of nitrogen (N) spreading.
Each rotation 16-20 units/acre of N should be going out with five units of sulphur. Half this or soiled water on good clover paddocks. As noted in this week’s report on Mark Lonergan’s farm in Tipperary.
Paddocks with enough clover to cut back chemical nitrogen spreading will have clover in every step you take in the field.
Meal feeding levels are high and are continuing to affect grass quality. Top paddocks with a lot of stem after grazings and skip paddocks with heavy covers.Graze returning covers at 1,400kg/DM/ha and continue with nitrogen applications. Reseeds approaching the three leaf-stage should be receiving post-emergence spray. Use clover-safe sprays where appropriate.Colm O’Leary – Blarney , Co Cork
Grass growth is back up to 60kg/day after over three weeks in the low 40s due to the lack of moisture. We were forced to introduce silage and feed meal quite heavily, as average farm cover dropped as low as 438kg/DM/ha before the rain.
Unfortunately, this has had a big impact on milk protein levels, with them dropping to 3.57%. With growth back up, the wedge is looking healthier and it has allowed us to cut silage out of the diet and reduce meal feeding levels. We will probably need to skip heavy paddocks by next week.
The farm is 40% clover and this ground is back to half-rate spreading for the rest of the year.
Stocking Rate (cows/ha) 2.83
Growth (kg/ha) 60
Average Farm Cover (kg/cow) 209
Yield (l/cow) 27
Fat % 4.52
Protein % 3.57
Milk Solids (kg/cow) 2.25
Concentrates (kg/cow) 3
Eoin McCormack – Teagasc Clonakilty, Co Cork
We are managing four different clover trials on the farm. The figures for this week are from the grass clover + 150kg/N/ha trial. Growth has lifted this week and we are growing a lot of grass.
We will have to manage this now and will be taking out paddocks for bales in the next few weeks.
Grass quality had been poor for the last few weeks but we’re starting to get over this hump. Yield had dropped back but is starting to recover again. Paddocks in this trial got 10 units/acre after the last rotation.
We have made around 150 bales so far and this was good quality, but we’ll need a big second-cut.
Stocking Rate (cows/ha) 3.24
Growth (kg/ha) 90
Average Farm Cover (kg/cow) 211
Yield (l/cow) 21.2
Fat % 4.57
Protein % 3.56
Milk Solids (kg/cow) 1.78
Concentrates (kg/cow) 3
Darren Healy – Redcross, Co Wicklow
Like most people we’ve had a struggle maintaining quality on the farm. Grass went to stem very quickly in the space of two weeks. It happened quicker than I had seen it in many years.
The tide has started to turn though, and quality is improving again.
We brought 40 acres of first-cut silage ground back in to the rotation which has nice aftergrass coming. This has boosted our cover/cow back up to a good place.
We blanket spread about 80% of the farm with 15 units of nitrogen in the last few weeks. Breeding has gone fairly well, over 50% of the cows served with sexed semen in the first 10 days have held.
Stocking Rate (cows/ha) 3.4
Growth (kg/ha) 52
Average Farm Cover (kg/cow) 195
Yield (l/cow) 26.5
Fat % 4.39
Protein % 3.77
Milk Solids (kg/cow) 2.23
Concentrates (kg/cow) 4
Grass quality has been a big issue for a lot of farmers in the past three weeks. A moisture deficit occurred on many farms across the country. Some farmers then held off on spreading nitrogen and this showed, with plants rushing to stem.
Rain came and growth is back up now, with predictions for over 70kg/day next week. However, many farmers are still feeding upwards of 3kg/day of meal. Milk price is good, so farmers are pushing output.
This looks like a good idea, but grass quality is suffering as a result of the substitution effect meal has on grass.
Farms have seen milk protein levels drop considerably, as cows are forced to eat poorer quality swards. We are seeing the impact that chasing output in the past few weeks has had.
Production could suffer for the next couple of months, as it’s hard to fix the problem now.
Where quality is an issue, mechanical intervention will be needed to fix it. Topping after grazings is the best way to get rid of stem in paddocks without affecting milk solids.
Topped paddocks will take two to three days longer to recover but it may be necessary.
These paddocks have to be eaten at 1,400kg/DM/ha in the next rotation to try and keep quality right. Reduce meal feeding levels and keep on top of nitrogen (N) spreading.
Each rotation 16-20 units/acre of N should be going out with five units of sulphur. Half this or soiled water on good clover paddocks. As noted in this week’s report on Mark Lonergan’s farm in Tipperary.
Paddocks with enough clover to cut back chemical nitrogen spreading will have clover in every step you take in the field.
Meal feeding levels are high and are continuing to affect grass quality. Top paddocks with a lot of stem after grazings and skip paddocks with heavy covers.Graze returning covers at 1,400kg/DM/ha and continue with nitrogen applications. Reseeds approaching the three leaf-stage should be receiving post-emergence spray. Use clover-safe sprays where appropriate.Colm O’Leary – Blarney , Co Cork
Grass growth is back up to 60kg/day after over three weeks in the low 40s due to the lack of moisture. We were forced to introduce silage and feed meal quite heavily, as average farm cover dropped as low as 438kg/DM/ha before the rain.
Unfortunately, this has had a big impact on milk protein levels, with them dropping to 3.57%. With growth back up, the wedge is looking healthier and it has allowed us to cut silage out of the diet and reduce meal feeding levels. We will probably need to skip heavy paddocks by next week.
The farm is 40% clover and this ground is back to half-rate spreading for the rest of the year.
Stocking Rate (cows/ha) 2.83
Growth (kg/ha) 60
Average Farm Cover (kg/cow) 209
Yield (l/cow) 27
Fat % 4.52
Protein % 3.57
Milk Solids (kg/cow) 2.25
Concentrates (kg/cow) 3
Eoin McCormack – Teagasc Clonakilty, Co Cork
We are managing four different clover trials on the farm. The figures for this week are from the grass clover + 150kg/N/ha trial. Growth has lifted this week and we are growing a lot of grass.
We will have to manage this now and will be taking out paddocks for bales in the next few weeks.
Grass quality had been poor for the last few weeks but we’re starting to get over this hump. Yield had dropped back but is starting to recover again. Paddocks in this trial got 10 units/acre after the last rotation.
We have made around 150 bales so far and this was good quality, but we’ll need a big second-cut.
Stocking Rate (cows/ha) 3.24
Growth (kg/ha) 90
Average Farm Cover (kg/cow) 211
Yield (l/cow) 21.2
Fat % 4.57
Protein % 3.56
Milk Solids (kg/cow) 1.78
Concentrates (kg/cow) 3
Darren Healy – Redcross, Co Wicklow
Like most people we’ve had a struggle maintaining quality on the farm. Grass went to stem very quickly in the space of two weeks. It happened quicker than I had seen it in many years.
The tide has started to turn though, and quality is improving again.
We brought 40 acres of first-cut silage ground back in to the rotation which has nice aftergrass coming. This has boosted our cover/cow back up to a good place.
We blanket spread about 80% of the farm with 15 units of nitrogen in the last few weeks. Breeding has gone fairly well, over 50% of the cows served with sexed semen in the first 10 days have held.
Stocking Rate (cows/ha) 3.4
Growth (kg/ha) 52
Average Farm Cover (kg/cow) 195
Yield (l/cow) 26.5
Fat % 4.39
Protein % 3.77
Milk Solids (kg/cow) 2.23
Concentrates (kg/cow) 4
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