Farmers and professionals agree that we’ve had an unusually difficult year for grass growth.

Harmful negativity has been emerging in the last few weeks. It is attacking us from two angles, from media sources generating hype and from some farmers trying to find reasons for poor grass growth other than the very obvious lack of heat and rain.

I wrote about the slow grass growth on our farm last week.

We have been using protected urea on this farm for five or six years now. We are consistently growing 13 tonnes of grass/hectare. The use of protected urea has been cited as one of the reasons for reduced grass production by some farmers.

Where is the science?

Let’s think about that for a moment and ask the question that the late Paddy O’Keeffe would have asked some years back. “Where is the science?”

The dairy industry in Ireland is fortunate to have one of the best research institutes in Teagasc, Moorepark. Brendan Horan, Principal Research Officer in pasture-based systems there, has answered this rhetoric by saying that there are several peer-reviewed papers that have investigated the effectiveness of protected urea and have found that it gives the same yield as urea or CAN fertiliser.

Peer-reviewed means written by scientific experts in the field and then put through a rigorous evaluation process where weaknesses, faults or errors are picked up, making the paper robust and consequently, accepted by the regulatory bodies all over the world.

It is in our own interest as farmers to take note of the science and to instigate the changes that are necessary in order for us to continue to farm sustainably. If we do not accept the science, the department will just make new regulations to make us change.

Harmony

You might say we are caught between a rock and a hard place. It is important that we farmers protect our licence to farm and that does mean continuing to change.

We also need to retain as much autonomy as we can. Working with the system rather than against it makes sense. Harmony is definitely the best way forward and that includes making sure the public support us.

We’ve had Colm’s discussion group on a farm visit. There’s nothing like it to focus the mind on the figures and to have your plans challenged or endorsed as the case may be. It’s important to remember that most farmers are experiencing the same difficulties and it is good to share views. Two heads will always be better that one.

If you have 15 or 20 discussing your stumbling blocks and coming up with strategies; you are winning. There was also a Teagasc/Dairygold farm walk event on the farm of Tom and Helen O’Connell in Inniscarra, close to our farm.

Large crowd

It was an evening meeting that drew a large crowd and resulted in a sociable gathering with refreshments served.

Farmers need these kinds of evenings when they are struggling with management decisions. It was a very focused event on stocking rate. Grass growth was back 7% on the farm on average over the last three years.

As Tom has high EBI cows, these need an increased allowance of grass, meaning that 10% more area had to be allocated to feed the cows. This amounted to a 17% change. That in turn dictated a need to reduce stocking rate.

When the weather is problematic and grass yields are back, reducing stocking rate is one of the areas where action can be taken. Many farms are overstocked. This leads to feeding more meal which adds cost to the system. Reducing cow numbers to suit the farm’s grass production is better.

Carrying extra animals in the system is a costly business, especially when feed and fodder are scarce.

Our cull cows and heifers are off to the mart next weekend along with the bulls that ran with the heifers. That will make managing grass easier and more importantly, shift the focus onto the cows that are generating income and the heifers that are the future of the business.

If you are carrying too many replacements, as many farms are, they should go too. Take the unprofitable extras out of the system. Get off the negativity bus and the stress levels will decrease.