Average growth rate this week has dropped to 60kg per day, which is right on the 10-year average for this week in August. Once again, there is a big variation in growth rates across the country. Two weeks ago, dry conditions were just affecting parts of Kildare, Carlow and Kilkenny, but there is now a noticeable reduction in growth rates right across the south and northeast.
Many farmers in this region are feeding bale silage and meal in an effort to keep average farm covers up. However, with widespread rain forecast over the next few days it’s unlikely that the soil moisture deficits will persist for much longer. We would normally expect to see a boost in growth rates after a dry spell.
On the flip side, farms elsewhere are continuing to grow well, many with growth rates in excess of 80kg per day. An option some farmers choose at this stage is to set up a portion of the farm (around 30%) for a third cut of silage but rather than cutting it they graze it in late September or early October. This has the effect of really slowing down the rotation length and keeps average farm cover up. If doing this, you would probably need to spread 40 to 50 units/acre of nitrogen now and leave it to bulk up.
Depending on what your grass budget says, it might make more sense to start supplementing now, rather than later in the autumn. The principle is to put in the supplement when grass is growing well, so you get more grass back for every kilo of supplement fed.
Good-quality bale silage from surplus paddocks is the supplement of choice – no effect on production and effective at reducing grass intake. But make the decision based on your grass budget.
Average growth rate is 60kg per day.Many farms suffering from drought stress but rain is on the way.Consider closing up some of the farm for a third cut/graze.Depending on grass budget, consider feeding silage now to help build up grass covers.Shane Leane
Teagasc Curtins Farm
Stocking rate (cows/ha) 2.96
Growth rate (kg/day) 57
Average farm cover (kg/ha) 745
Yield (l/cow/day) 17
Fat % 5.06
Protein % 3.87
Milk solids (kg/cow) 1.56
Supplement Fed (kg/cow/day) 0
The farm has really started to dry out in the past week but with a few drops of rain beginning to fall and a good lot of rain in the forecast we should be OK. We grew 57kg this week which isn’t bad going. We’re not feeding any supplement yet.
Average farm cover is on target. We will blanket-spread with 15 units of nitrogen across the farm in two weeks’ time and this will be the last application for the year. We did spread 50 units/acre of muriate of potash last week on the fields that got cut for silage this year.
Aidan Lawless
Teagasc Johnstown Castle
Stocking rate (cows/ha) 4.05
Growth rate (kg/day) 27
Average farm cover (kg/ha) 767
Yield (l/cow/day) 16.5
Fat % 4.37
Protein % 3.75
Milk solids (kg/cow) 1.32
Supplement fed (kg/cow/day) 0
At this stage, half of the autumn-calving herd is dried off. The production figures only include the cows that are milking. The plan is to dry off all the autumn-calving cows by 22 August. Calving starts on 23 September. At the moment the autumn calvers are following the milkers by cleaning out the paddocks. No supplement is being fed as demand is low. We have two paddocks earmarked for silage but we will decide on Monday if we cut them or not – it depends on how much rain we get. If we don’t cut them we will graze them with the dry cows.
Michael Ryan
Cashel, Co Tipperary
Stocking rate (cows/ha) 3.8
Growth rate (kg/day) 76
Average farm cover (kg/ha) 790
Yield (l/cow/day) 21
Fat % 4.4
Protein % 3.75
Milk solids (kg/cow) 1.7
Supplement (kg/cow/day) 1.5m 3s
I think growth rates have decreased since the last grass cover. Things are getting dry so we are feeding 4kg of bale silage per day along with 1.5kg of meal. We started feeding the silage because we have a high stocking rate so struggle to build up cover anyway and because the farm is getting dry it isn’t helping. My target is to have a cover of 270kg/cow by early September. I prefer to supplement early while growth is still good. I will take the silage out of the diet as soon as I can but it depends on the average farm cover.
Donnacha Tobin
Aglish, Co Waterford
Stocking rate (cows/ha) 3.43
Growth rate (kg/day) 50
Average farm cover (kg/ha) 612
Yield (l/cow/day) 20
Fat % 4.6
Protein % 3.97
Milk solids (kg/cow) 1.75
Supplement fed (kg/cow/day) 3m 3s
Growth is decreasing. It was 62kg last week and it is down to 50kg this week. We wouldn’t have a very dry farm but the grass is still beginning to burn. Hopefully we will get enough rain over the weekend to keep things ticking over. In any case, I am putting in a few kilos of silage per cow for the next few days. It’s good-quality bales so it shouldn’t affect performance. Cows are milking well. I have been feeding 2kg of meal for most of the summer to cover for tetany and other minerals. I haven’t scanned yet but fertility looks reasonably good.
Read more
Grass+ beef: Building grass and minding autumn-calvers
Average growth rate this week has dropped to 60kg per day, which is right on the 10-year average for this week in August. Once again, there is a big variation in growth rates across the country. Two weeks ago, dry conditions were just affecting parts of Kildare, Carlow and Kilkenny, but there is now a noticeable reduction in growth rates right across the south and northeast.
Many farmers in this region are feeding bale silage and meal in an effort to keep average farm covers up. However, with widespread rain forecast over the next few days it’s unlikely that the soil moisture deficits will persist for much longer. We would normally expect to see a boost in growth rates after a dry spell.
On the flip side, farms elsewhere are continuing to grow well, many with growth rates in excess of 80kg per day. An option some farmers choose at this stage is to set up a portion of the farm (around 30%) for a third cut of silage but rather than cutting it they graze it in late September or early October. This has the effect of really slowing down the rotation length and keeps average farm cover up. If doing this, you would probably need to spread 40 to 50 units/acre of nitrogen now and leave it to bulk up.
Depending on what your grass budget says, it might make more sense to start supplementing now, rather than later in the autumn. The principle is to put in the supplement when grass is growing well, so you get more grass back for every kilo of supplement fed.
Good-quality bale silage from surplus paddocks is the supplement of choice – no effect on production and effective at reducing grass intake. But make the decision based on your grass budget.
Average growth rate is 60kg per day.Many farms suffering from drought stress but rain is on the way.Consider closing up some of the farm for a third cut/graze.Depending on grass budget, consider feeding silage now to help build up grass covers.Shane Leane
Teagasc Curtins Farm
Stocking rate (cows/ha) 2.96
Growth rate (kg/day) 57
Average farm cover (kg/ha) 745
Yield (l/cow/day) 17
Fat % 5.06
Protein % 3.87
Milk solids (kg/cow) 1.56
Supplement Fed (kg/cow/day) 0
The farm has really started to dry out in the past week but with a few drops of rain beginning to fall and a good lot of rain in the forecast we should be OK. We grew 57kg this week which isn’t bad going. We’re not feeding any supplement yet.
Average farm cover is on target. We will blanket-spread with 15 units of nitrogen across the farm in two weeks’ time and this will be the last application for the year. We did spread 50 units/acre of muriate of potash last week on the fields that got cut for silage this year.
Aidan Lawless
Teagasc Johnstown Castle
Stocking rate (cows/ha) 4.05
Growth rate (kg/day) 27
Average farm cover (kg/ha) 767
Yield (l/cow/day) 16.5
Fat % 4.37
Protein % 3.75
Milk solids (kg/cow) 1.32
Supplement fed (kg/cow/day) 0
At this stage, half of the autumn-calving herd is dried off. The production figures only include the cows that are milking. The plan is to dry off all the autumn-calving cows by 22 August. Calving starts on 23 September. At the moment the autumn calvers are following the milkers by cleaning out the paddocks. No supplement is being fed as demand is low. We have two paddocks earmarked for silage but we will decide on Monday if we cut them or not – it depends on how much rain we get. If we don’t cut them we will graze them with the dry cows.
Michael Ryan
Cashel, Co Tipperary
Stocking rate (cows/ha) 3.8
Growth rate (kg/day) 76
Average farm cover (kg/ha) 790
Yield (l/cow/day) 21
Fat % 4.4
Protein % 3.75
Milk solids (kg/cow) 1.7
Supplement (kg/cow/day) 1.5m 3s
I think growth rates have decreased since the last grass cover. Things are getting dry so we are feeding 4kg of bale silage per day along with 1.5kg of meal. We started feeding the silage because we have a high stocking rate so struggle to build up cover anyway and because the farm is getting dry it isn’t helping. My target is to have a cover of 270kg/cow by early September. I prefer to supplement early while growth is still good. I will take the silage out of the diet as soon as I can but it depends on the average farm cover.
Donnacha Tobin
Aglish, Co Waterford
Stocking rate (cows/ha) 3.43
Growth rate (kg/day) 50
Average farm cover (kg/ha) 612
Yield (l/cow/day) 20
Fat % 4.6
Protein % 3.97
Milk solids (kg/cow) 1.75
Supplement fed (kg/cow/day) 3m 3s
Growth is decreasing. It was 62kg last week and it is down to 50kg this week. We wouldn’t have a very dry farm but the grass is still beginning to burn. Hopefully we will get enough rain over the weekend to keep things ticking over. In any case, I am putting in a few kilos of silage per cow for the next few days. It’s good-quality bales so it shouldn’t affect performance. Cows are milking well. I have been feeding 2kg of meal for most of the summer to cover for tetany and other minerals. I haven’t scanned yet but fertility looks reasonably good.
Read more
Grass+ beef: Building grass and minding autumn-calvers
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