Correcting paddocks: The spurt in growth over the last three weeks, combined with the natural cycle of the grass plant to stem out in late May/early June, have left many paddocks heavy and stemmy in nature.

While cattle will graze these to a certain extent, the energy level in them is below what we would like and certain amount of this will be walked into the ground and wasted.

The ideal thing to do with these paddocks is to skip them for grazing and mow them out, but this is not always feasible.

Pre-mowing or strip-grazing followed by topping is an option. Pre-mowing works best where only enough grass for 24 hours eating is mowed, as beyond this too much grass is dunged on and wasted.

When topping ground, ensure that the topper is set low enough to actually correct sward quality and it is not just done for aesthetics. Paddocks with a high weed burden may also be ear-marked for topping to correct these for spraying again.

Weed control: As mentioned above, topping can be used to get weeds back under control and allow for spraying, where necessary. Docks and thistles are probably the two most common weeds affecting grassland farmers, and for the optimum kill rate of these using sprays, the plant needs to be at the correct stage in its life cycle.

First-cut silage ground that was harvested two to three weeks ago should also be checked for weed encroachment and treated as necessary.

Spot spraying can be used in both silage and grazing ground where weed levels are low, provided that a suitable herbicide for spot spraying is used.

Take note of the required time ground must be left before grazing or silage cutting can commence post-spraying, and maintain a buffer zone of 6m from any water courses.

Farmers should have appropriate PPE, a tested sprayer and have a relevant course done before undertaking any spraying on their farm, with all spraying recorded in the SBLAS record book.

Some spring reseeds completed towards the end of April/beginning of May will also be able ready for their post-emergence spray. Where clover has been used in a seed mix, ensure that a clover safe spray is utilised.

Farm safety: With a burst of good weather set to hit us over the weekend, we will see a lot more machinery in yards and fields with a rush on to get silage harvested. Caution needs to be exercised, especially surrounding children and older people regarding machinery. Slurry spreading will commence shortly after and the appropriate safety steps regarding agitation and gases need to be taken to avoid fatal mistakes.

Finally, stock bulls have been turned out in many farms to mop up cows at the end of breeding. No matter how comfortable you are with a stock bull or how quiet you think they may be, never trust a bull and complete herding from the safety of a tractor or jeep.