Grass supplies: While it still isn’t where it should be for this time of the year, farm cover has recovered well on drystock farms, with an average farm cover of 636kg DM/ha recorded this week, while average growth rates were 7kg DM/ha above demand at 39kg DM/ha. Growth has skyrocketed in the hardest-hit counties, such as Laois, Kilkenny and Carlow, with predicted growth for the week ahead set to supersede these levels.

In the west, arguably, too much rain has fallen, with ground conditions having lapsed and heavy covers of grass becoming more difficult to graze well. With covers having crept up on these farms, strip grazing may need to be called into action, as locking cattle into paddocks in an effort to try and get them to graze it out will result in damage to the paddock. A problem shared by all farmers is the low dry matter in this lush grass that’s available. A small amount of roughage in the form of a bale of straw or hay in a ring feeder would greatly aid in keeping cattle’s stomachs right. This low dry matter also means that forward store cattle will see gut fill and energy intake compromised. An increase in concentrate levels may be necessary, even with ample grass to hand, to maintain growth levels.

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Fertiliser: It’s last chance saloon for spreading any chemical N, with the closed period kicking in from 14 September. Slurry can be spread up until 30 September, with prudent use of both required to maximise grass growth and N utilisation. Older swards tend to drop off in growth from here on out, with newer reseeds tending to plough on, so prioritise these swards getting N as the return on kg N to kg DM will be highest.

Beef welfare scheme closing date: The 2026 Beef Welfare Scheme closes for applications on Wednesday 23 September at 5pm, with farmers advised to send in their applications as soon as possible. Up to €75/calf is available for up to 45 calves, with a mandatory action of €35/head for meal feeding pre- and post-weaning complemented by optional actions of vaccination (clostridial and/or pneumonia and/or bluetongue in sucklers) and/or testing of forages or a faecal sample. The vaccination option carries a payment rate of €15/calf, with samples receiving up to €25 per eligible calf.

Dates for the diary: The rescheduled farm walk on the farm of James Skehan Killaloe, Co Clare, takes place this Friday at 5pm. Topics for discussion on the day include financial performance, soil health, herd health, red clover swards, grazing infrastructure and will include a finishing cattle demonstration. The Eircode is C94 VW19.

Teagasc Mayo will also host an autumn beef mart event in Ballinrobe mart this Thursday 10 September titled ‘Maximising Weanling Performance this Autumn’. Breeding, nutrition and animal health will all be covered by a variety of speakers to include representatives from Teagasc, NCBC, Aurivo and Ballinrobe Veterinary. Starting at 7pm, both events are free to attend and no pre-registration required.