We’ve been grazing during the day for over two months now, but due to a cold spell in April, the cows only went to full-time grazing from the 17 April.

Since then, grass growth has increased greatly and over the past two weeks managing it has become more challenging.

Cows have been grazing slightly heavier covers than usual, but to ease the pressure, I’ve taken out several grazings for silage that are being cut this week and ensiled along with the first cut of silage. Although grass is difficult to manage and it always seems to be a feast or a famine, I thoroughly enjoy the challenge of it.

I was hesitant to take out too much grass last weekend due to concerns that growth rates might decrease on the back of a prolonged dry period. But after we received 8.5mm of rain on Monday, I feel confident that grass growth will be sufficient, even with the long period of warm, sunny weather forecast again for the next two weeks.

Measuring grass

Since returning from New Zealand in the summer of 2016, I’ve consistently measured grass growth throughout the grazing season on the farm.

Most years, May brings a surplus of grass, with growth far exceeding demand.

However, in the past two years, May has brought more modest growth, which made planning more difficult. This year we’re back to seeing strong growth rates, currently measuring at 108kg DM/ha/day on the grazing block. This gives us the flexibility to remove surplus grass for silage.

Yields

Cows have responded well to the grass and during this favourable weather it has created ideal grazing conditions to allow good graze-outs with no field damage.

The spring-calving group is averaging 29l/cow/day, while the autumn-calving group is producing around 24l. Our milk-from-grass target was set at 16.5l, but we have increased this to 19l as of Monday, given that excess grazing is being harvested and cows are now grazing more ideal covers. I’m optimistic that this won’t impact overall milk yields, but rather increase the proportion of grass in the cows’ diet, which is always a win.

In previous years, I’ve pushed milk from grass to as high as 24l. However, with the current feed-to-milk price ratio being the most favourable it’s been in several years, we’ll feed a little extra to produce additional milk in a way that remains economically sustainable.

NAP

Despite the promising outlook for this year, the industry has encountered a worrying development.

Last week, the proposed Nutrients Action Programme for 2026–2029 was released for consultation. The regulations outlined in this draft could significantly reduce output on many farms, including mine.

It’s concerning to think how these changes may affect NI’s entire agricultural industry. I hope the final version of the programme is revised in a way that supports sustainable farming practices without placing undue strain on family farms like ours.

Balance

Farming has always been a balancing act between opportunity and challenge. This spring has reminded me of both – but above all, it’s reinforced why I love doing what I do.