Average grass growth rate across the country is 61kg/day which is slightly ahead of the ten year average.

Rainfall over the last week was between 20mm and 70mm.

As is often the case the areas that needed the rain the most got the least amount and those that were looking for a dry spell ended up getting most of the rain.

Growth rate on heavy farms is beginning to slow down, as fields get waterlogged.

I was in Cavan and Tyrone the other day and cows were poaching as land was saturated. Meanwhile, some farms in the south east are still struggling with drought, having received insufficient rain.

But most of the country did get around 40mm of rain, which was ideal, and growth and grazing conditions are normal.

At this stage, average farm cover should be in or around 280kg to 320kg per cow or 750kg to 1,000kg per ha. These targets depend on your stocking rate and the growth characteristics of your farm but most farmers should be at the mid-range of the targets. We really only have about five weeks of good growth left. The main target is to be at a farm cover of around 1,100kg to 1,200kg/ha by mid to late September. Failure to achieve this will mean excessive supplementation is needed in October and early housing.

Remember, every euro spent on supplement now (including using up silage stocks) will return more grass on the farm, because growth rates are reasonably good. So if average farm cover is below target don’t be shy about putting in the feed now. As the saying goes: a stitch in time ... Good bale silage is the supplement of choice.

Shane Leane, Teagasc Curtins Farm

Stocking rate (cows/ha): 2.96

Growth rate (kg/day): 56

Average farm cover (kg/ha): 801

Yield (l/cow/day): 16.5

Fat (%): 5.33

Protein (%): 3.93

Milk solids (kg/cow): 1.57

Supplement fed (kg/cow/day): 0.2

Growth rate has picked up after getting a good bit of rain over the last week. Average farm cover is just slightly above our target, so we are in a good position. I think growth rate will increase again next week. Stocking rate is 2.96 cows/ha and all the farm is now available for grazing. Pre-grazing yield is 1,500kg. We have 15 units left to spread in our nutrient budget, which will go out in the next two weeks. We will scan the herd in two weeks’ time, but early indications would suggest that breeding has gone reasonably well.

Donal Patton, Teagasc Ballyhaise

Stocking rate (cows/ha): 2.84

Growth rate (kg/day): 61

Average farm cover (kg/ha): 778

Yield (l/cow/day): 15.9

Fat (%): 4.59

Protein (%): 3.74

Milk solids (kg/cow): 1.37

Supplement fed (kg/cow/day): 0.5

Growth rate has been good over the past week, at 61kg per day. The whole farm is now available for grazing, so demand is 47kg per ha with 0.5kg of meal in per cow. Grazing conditions have turned sticky here over the past few days, so we are back up with the strip wire and giving 12-hour breaks. It’s partly because of ground conditions and partly because of higher pre-grazing yields, where it’s more difficult to get good clean-out. We are currently spreading 20 units/acre of urea and will spread another 15 units/acre in two weeks’ time.

Liam Burke, Innishannon, Co Cork

Stocking rate (cows/ha): 2.82

Growth rate (kg/day): 55

Average farm cover (kg/ha): 713

Yield (l/cow/day): 17

Fat (%): 4.58

Protein (%): 3.7

Milk solids (kg/cow) 1.45

Supplement fed (kg/cow/day) 0

Things are going well. We got a nice bit of rain over the last few days, and grass is beginning to motor now. I think it’s growing more than 55kg at present.

We haven’t been feeding supplement, but I am going to buy soya hulls and feed 2kg or 3kg for the next three weeks to build up cover.

I need to be at a cover of 330kg/cow by mid September, so I’m going to feed while growth is good.

Clean-out is excellent, but I’m noticing that cows are going through the covers fast, so dry matter must be low.

Michael O’Dwyer, Kilshane, Co Tipperary

Stocking rate (cows/ha): 2.52

Growth rate (kg/day): 76

Average farm cover (kg/ha): 553

Yield (l/cow/day): 19

Fat (%): 4.23

Protein (%): 3.58

Milk solids (kg/cow): 1.52

Supplement fed (kg/cow/day): 0.5

I’m going into covers of around 1,300kg. Because the stocking rate is low, I think I’ll build up covers easily enough. A lot of the farm has been reseeded over the past two or three years and this ground is growing really well, so I shouldn’t need to feed too much supplement.

My target is get 60% of the farm grazed by 1 November and start closing in early October.

Average farm cover will be up close to 450kg/cow at peak, in mid to late September. I’m currently spreading one bag/acre of Pasturesward after grazing.

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Grass + Beef: Rain - looking for it, or sick of it