There is no substitute for spring grass. Not only is grass the cheapest feed source on Irish livestock farms, but when well managed it is has a higher feed value than concentrates.

Getting as many days as possible at grass is essential to the profitability of the BETTER Farms.

Last week, grass quality was analysed on Mike Dillane’s farm in Co Kerry. Grazing swards are well managed on the farm, with a high percentage of ryegrass in swards. The grazing sward had a dry matter of 19.7%, grass sugars of 13.2% and crude protein of 23.8%.

Considering that most concentrate rations used on suckler beef farms have a crude protein of 14% to 16%, spring grass can support a higher growth rate in weanling cattle compared to meal and silage. Even more important is that the higher performance is achieved at a fraction of the cost.

The grazing sward also had an energy value of 1.03 UFL which is higher than barley. Getting spring-calved cows out to graze good quality spring grass will lead to an increase in dry matter energy intake. This can sustain lactation without the requirement for concentrates and have a positive effect on cow fertility.

Grazing rotation

On some of the programme farms, the first grazing rotation is now complete. The first rotation included the silage ground and lasted between 30 and 40 days. With the silage ground being closed for first cut, the grazing rotation will reduce to 20 to 21 days, which is ideal for the time of year.

Fertilizer is being applied at a rate of 30 to 40 units of nitrogen on the programme farms. Urea is no longer being used on farms as weather conditions are less favourable. Instead, farms are using CAN where soils have previously been slurried or received 10-10-20.

With improved ground conditions, where cattle had been spread over a large area to prevent sward damage earlier in the year, they have now been tightened up into larger groups to simplify grazing management.