Growth rates have held up on the majority of dairy farms this week, and on some farms grass supply might actually be ahead of autumn budgets.

Down south, the Curtins research farm didn’t get the kick in growth rate it had planned for and subsequently farm covers didn’t increase. To balance that, they have decided to feed 3kg of meal per cow for at least 10 days to try and give growth rates a chance to build up the farm cover.

In Clonakilty, Fergal was planning to take out a surplus paddock of grass last week, but the weather didn’t play ball and he is only cutting it this week. The time for taking out surplus grass is running out now.

Most farmers will have enough stock to maybe let another group of animals take out a paddock, rather than cut for round bales at this stage in the year.

You need to be heading to over 300kg of grass cover per cow now. Some of those that are short in cover are feeding good-quality, round-baled silage to try and extend the rotation length to allow grass covers to build up across the farm.

If you don’t measure your grass growth each week, then you should get a handle on rotation length – you should be heading for a figure of over 25 days.

Take the time to sit down and develop a plan for your last rotation. Doing it now will allow you tweak the plan depending on grass covers and the location of paddocks.

Steven Fitzgerald

Teagasc Curtins, Co Cork

Stocking rate (cows/ha) 2.96

Growth rate (kg/day) 50

Average farm cover (kg/ha) 775

Yield (kg/cow/day) 18

Fat % 5

Protein % 3.93

Milk solids (kg/cow) 1.60

Supplement fed (kg/cow/day) 3

We didn’t get the kick in grass growth that we needed this week, so we have introduced 3kg of meal per cow. We only measured 50kg/day of grass – down from 70kg last week. So far, we have only fed 170kg of meal per cow this year, so another 30-40kg of meal (3kg for 10 days) won’t break the bank and is allowing us to extend the rotation. How much extra milk we will get is not clear yet. We continue to spread 25 units of N/acre as paddocks are grazed off. So far this year, we have spread 235kg of N/ha. Cell count is running at 95,000/ml.

Donal Patton

Teagasc Ballyhaise, Co Cavan

Stocking rate (cows/ha) 2.9

Growth rate (kg/day) 65

Average farm cover (kg/ha) 790

Yield (kg/cow/day) 16.1

Fat % 4.82

Protein % 3.77

Milk solids (kg/cow) 1.43

Supplement fed (kg/cow/day) 1

We lifted 100kg in average farm grass cover from last week. We got a good bit of rain over the weekend, which is making grazing conditions a little tricky. With this in mind, we have moved to 12-hour break of grass (allocation per milking) to protect grass ahead and regrowths. We are going into covers of 1,600kg, which is not too high yet, but they will get higher in the coming weeks. The cell count is at 192,000/ml at the moment.

Fergal Coughlan

Clonakilty, Co Cork

Stocking rate (cows/ha) 2.95

Growth rate (kg/day) 73

Average farm cover (kg/ha) 820

Yield (kg/cow/day) 15

Fat % 4.92

Protein % 4.27

Milk solids (kg/cow) 1.36

Supplement fed (kg/cow/day) –

Cows on the Tetraploid plus clover swards have too much grass, so we are going to cut out one paddock. We weren’t able to cut it last week due to the wet weather. Average farm cover is 810kg DM/ha (275kg DM/LU) and growth rate last week was 7 kg DM/ha per day. The stocking rate is 2.95 LU/ha and demand is 50kg DM/ha/day. Our pre-grazing yield is 1,550kg DM/ha and we are allocating 17kg DM of grass/cow – no concentrate is being fed. Minerals are being administered through water. Cows on the clover swards are currently milking 18.9kg/day at 4.51% fat and 3.94% protein and 1.59kg MS/day.

Jim Garry

Ballynacally, Co Clare

Stocking rate (cows/ha) 2

Growth rate (kg/day) 43

Average farm cover (kg/ha) 880

Yield (kg/cow/day) 18

Fat % 4.27

Protein % 3.78

Milk solids (kg/cow) 1.47

Supplement fed (kg/cow/day) 3

Rain is making grazing that little bit tricky again this week. We measured another 15mm of rain and it has topped up the three inches (65mm) that we have got in the last number of weeks. Luckily, we managed to spread lime a few weeks ago, because there wouldn’t have been a chance to travel since. We are spreading 35 units of N/acre after paddocks are grazed. Our stocking rate is low, so we are under no pressure for grass.