For many farmers, the main infrastructural investments they are willing to make on their farms are based around buildings in the farmyard. Budgets usually tighten up significantly for any improvements outside of this. Ironically, the money invested in the fields is the best place farmers can expect to see a return on their investments.

Teagasc research shows that every extra day spent grazing grass in the springtime is worth €270/day/100 dairy cows. Similarly, in autumn, one extra day is worth €150/day/100 cows. Proper grazing infrastructure is crucial to extending the grazing season and utilising the cheapest feed source available. Electric fencing systems are a fairly cheap but effective method of setting up a paddock system. In this Focus, we demonstrate how to set up an electric fence to ensure it is working to its potential.

Grass on outfarms is often not managed as well as it should be and this can be put down to limited water access points. Some farmers only use the water from a stream flowing on their land for their livestock. Using this water is fine but it can be nearly impossible to manage grass in a rotational grazing system if livestock have to travel back to the one water point daily.

We look at the use of a solar water pump which allowed for the installation of paddocks on a Tipperary outfarm.