Watch: grazing and silage update from Thrive demo farm
Grass growth has kicked on significantly over the last 10 days on the demonstration farm, with growth finally exceeding demand for the first time this year. Declan Marren has an update from the farm.
Regrowth on grazed paddocks has really improved over the last 10 days.
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Now that grass growth has increased, the aim is to maintain grazing quality in front of stock for the next three weeks.
If this can be successfully done, it will go a long way to maintaining cattle performance at grass over the coming months.
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At this stage, over 40% of the farm is closed for first-cut silage, with an additional five paddocks (8 acres) of the grazing platform now earmarked for an early cut of silage as well.
Yearling cattle are at grass almost 70 days at this stage, so they will be weighed in the coming week to assess performance over the start of the grazing season.
The aim is to keep stock entering leafy covers of between 1,200kg DM/ha and 1,400kg DM/ha (8cm to 10cm pre-grazing sward heights) to maximise liveweight gain from grazed grass.
The oldest batch of calves are now being weaned and are outside full-time.
The next batches of calves are on once-a-day milk feeding and spend the day at grass before coming back into the shed at night.
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Title: Watch: grazing and silage update from Thrive demo farm
Grass growth has kicked on significantly over the last 10 days on the demonstration farm, with growth finally exceeding demand for the first time this year. Declan Marren has an update from the farm.
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Now that grass growth has increased, the aim is to maintain grazing quality in front of stock for the next three weeks.
If this can be successfully done, it will go a long way to maintaining cattle performance at grass over the coming months.
At this stage, over 40% of the farm is closed for first-cut silage, with an additional five paddocks (8 acres) of the grazing platform now earmarked for an early cut of silage as well.
Yearling cattle are at grass almost 70 days at this stage, so they will be weighed in the coming week to assess performance over the start of the grazing season.
The aim is to keep stock entering leafy covers of between 1,200kg DM/ha and 1,400kg DM/ha (8cm to 10cm pre-grazing sward heights) to maximise liveweight gain from grazed grass.
The oldest batch of calves are now being weaned and are outside full-time.
The next batches of calves are on once-a-day milk feeding and spend the day at grass before coming back into the shed at night.
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