It really is a tale of two halves at the minute.

In Tipperary, Carlow, Waterford, Kilkenny and Laois, growth rates are in the teens, though many farmers are still recording growth in the single digits.

On the opposite end of the country, Mayo, Sligo and Donegal have growth rates between 65-76kg DM/day, with some individual farms recording growths of 100kg DM+.

The warm soil, combined with the ample rainfall in the northwest, has suited grass growth, while ground conditions and utilisation are still excellent.

There’s little farmers in drought-stricken areas can do, except to keep supplementing stock and praying for rain.

The Oak Park weather station has received 0mm of rain over the last seven days, while Malin Head received 16.8mm.

Significant rain required

There appears to be no rain for the southern half of the country until at least midweek, so fertiliser application will have to be withheld on this ground.

Remember, it’s moisture and not nutrients that are limiting growth, and with some soil moisture deficits hitting the 90s, it will take significant rain before ground is softened enough.

With temperatures having climbed in the mid- to high-20s again this week, farmers in these areas need to be vigilant regarding water supplies to cows.

With temperatures this high and a large amount of silage going into the diet, housing cows by day may be a way of reducing stress on them, instead of walking long distances.

It’s hard to see now with August halfway through that we would have covers built up sufficiently (1,000kg DM/ha) in a month's time on a lot of these farms, but when you are doing all you can regarding supplementing diets, there’s little more to do.

Things may change rapidly and hopefully it does so for those worst affected.