Over the past seven days, 47kg/DM/ha/day has been grown on the Tullamore Farm. We were starting to suffer from lack of rain and we had a welcome wet weekend.

Growth is expected to be far in excess of 49kg/DM/ha/day this week.

Two paddocks have been identified as being too strong and will be taken out for silage at the first opportunity. Paddocks will be walked twice this week to make sure we are on top of things.

Reseeding

Five acres of reseeding were completed last week with 14kg/ac of Abergain and 1kg/ac of Aberherald clover going in. Rotation has dropped to 19 days and could possibly drop more this week.

The average farm cover is 527kg/DM/ha and our cover per livestock unit is 162kg/DM/ha.

There are currently 12 days of grass ahead of stock. Some 72ac was spread on Monday 15 May with 27.5 units of CAN/ac. This brings total nitrogen application to 90 units/ac on the grazing paddocks.

The paddock reseeded with the min-till machine will need to be sprayed for weeds in the next seven to 10 days. Another 3.6ac was sprayed off last week for reseeding.

Breeding

Breeding is progressing well with 67/87 cows submitted in the AI group.

Six of the 23 April-calving cows have been in heat and served with the Limousin stock bull. Cows are being heat checked three times daily and being inseminated at midday each day.

Weaning

Some 60 February- and March-born Angus and Hereford cross-heifer calves will be gradually weaned over the next two to three weeks.

They are currently consuming 1.1kg/ration/day and will be turned out when weaned to graze the new reseeds.

Read more

In pictures: infrastructure costs on the Tullamore Farm

Watch: Tullamore Farm – what has been happening?