The turn around in the weather has been drastic. Rainfall levels have been extremely high, with all weather stations reporting between two and four times the normal rainfall for the year over the last week.
While air temperatures have cooled, soil is still holding on to the heat from two weeks ago and is marginally ahead of the norm for the time of year.
For our Grass+ beef farmers, and many others, the hopeful return of the warm and dry weather at the weekend is needed. A delayed spring meant that many farmers simply hadn’t the crop of grass to mow in the last fine spell, and with recent strong growth rates on these fields, grass is beginning to lodge with the heavy rain not helping.
Stemmy paddocks
Plenty of paddocks have stemmed out in the last two weeks as well due to high growth rates and the plant's natural cycle. If first cut is being completed, it would be worthwhile trying to nip some of these out to get a better handle on grass quality, but ensure that there is sufficient grass coming up afterwards.
The two weeks or so after first cut is complete is often a pinch point on farms with grass supplies.
Ger McSweeney – Milstreet, Co Cork
The main block of first-cut was made in that spell of fine weather in excellent conditions, with 2,000 gallons slurry having gone back out onto 15 acres of this, followed by 46 units of protected urea/acre for second-cut.
It has greened up nicely, with growth remaining good. Some heavier ground that is not being cut has been topped up with 21 units/acre of protected urea and will go back into the grazing mix.
Some later-grazed ground and two paddocks that went ahead of cows will hopefully be mown when the weather turns good again. Cattle are grazing ideal covers of 1,300-1,400kg DM/ha, with the cleanouts being good considering the rainfall.
Calves were faecal sampled a number of weeks ago, with the results showing signs of coccidiosis, so all calves have now been drenched.
System Suckler to beef
Soil Type Variable
Farm cover (kg/DM/ha) 672
Growth (kg/DM/ha/day) 60
Demand (kg/DM/ha/day) 59
Mark Maxwell – Ballinagore, Co Westmeath
We had been extremely tight for grass three weeks ago, but the spurt of growth that came after got us out. We’ve had plenty of rain the last week or so, but ground is still fine grazing-wise, with some gaps a little tender.
We are hoping to cut first-cut this weekend, with a short weather window given. Most of this ground will go be going back in for a second cut after.
Some paddocks that skipped ahead of cows were topped up with nitrogen two weeks ago and will hopefully be cut and baled out in two weeks’ time or so.
Topping them up as opposed to baling them then means that we have something worthwhile to bale up.
We drafted a batch of our homebred heifers off grass last week, with these having been turned out early in spring. Calves are due their booster for Bovipast in the coming days
System Suckler to beef
Soil Type Variable
Farm cover (kg/DM/ha) 855
Growth (kg/DM/ha/day) 50
Demand (kg/DM/ha/day) 61
Shane McGuinness – Newford Herd, Co Roscommon
Growth has been really good of late. We ended up mowing out nine paddocks before the weather broke, which helped to get a handle on farm cover, while this also means that we have plenty of leafy after grass ahead of cattle now as well.
Dry cow silage is earmarked for pitting this weekend if the weather comes good, while the clover and ryegrass silage for the finishing unit will also hopefully be harvested in second-cut at the weekend as well.
I spread 18-20 units of protected urea plus sulphur across most of the grazing block on Monday, with no fertiliser having been spread in the two weeks previous.
Calves were weighed yesterday (Tuesday) and a recent dung sample showed them to be clean. Breeding will finish in the next two weeks on the cows and has already been completed with the heifers.
System Suckler to beef
Soil Type Variable
Farm cover (kg/DM/ha) 685
Growth (kg/DM/ha/day) 71
Demand (kg/DM/ha/day) 38