Grass+ Beef: growth remains static but outlook more positive

Sometimes the figures don’t reflect the feeling on the ground, and this week’s PastureBase Ireland growth rates of 45kg DM/ha for drystock farmers seems to be one of these.

The past week has seen temperatures in the high teens to mid-20s, with a scattering of rain in between to keep any moisture stress at bay.

June always sees a seasonal dip in grass growth, as grass concetrates its efforts on heading out as a form of self-reproduction; in essence, it hits the panic button. This year, the cold northeasterly breeze magnified the dip in growth, though with grass growth failing to reach its potential peak this year the dip was less significant but felt all the same due to few covers built up.

In the summer months, a good indicator of an uplift in growth is a blight warning for our friend the potato farmer, or for those blessed with owning ovines, 'maggot weather', and I was lucky enough to hear my first blight warning of the year last weekend. Warm, balmy conditions are ideal for growth, and while it has been mainly dry this week, there are enough scattered showers falling, with more forecast, to keep grass pushed on, combined with the increased air temperatures.

So while the figures aren’t enthusing, the mood of farmers has definitely changed, and we will hopefully see this come to fruition next week with growth exceeding demand and farm cover building to allow for the much-needed correction on a lot of hairy paddocks.

Ken Gill – Cloonbologue, Co Offaly

Grass is just about balancing with demand at the minute, with my pre-grazing covers slightly lower than I would like. The silage ground coming back in to the rotation soon should help alleviate any demand issues.

I took the opportunity of the fine weather last week to mow out some paddocks that had gone stemmy and, growth depending, I will take out some additional paddocks in a couple of weeks.

Overall, quality is good due to the low pre-grazing covers and cattle are grazing out paddocks well.

The cover crop of peas, oats and barley is likely a month away from cutting, while my red clover silage is still a couple of weeks away as well for both the old sward and the newly sown ley.

System Suckler to beef

Soil Type Variable

Farm cover (kg/DM/ha) 553

Growth (kg/DM/ha/day) 41

Demand (kg/DM/ha/day) 29

Niall O’Meara – Killimor, Co Galway

We baled a paddock on 20 June, yielding just under five bales/acre. I would normally target 6-6.5 bales/acre but it was harvested in dry conditions. Another 5 acres was cut and baled this week.

We have been getting some nice dashes of rain, and with the bit of warmth coming back in to ground, growth is relatively steady.

After a heavy shower of rain on Friday I spread 12-14 units/acre of protected urea on 44% of the farm. Some 0-7-30 has been spread on silage ground and some low index grazing paddocks.

One part of the farm that was grazed poorly during the last round has a hairy sward on it, so I am grazing with beef heifers and weanlings and following with autumn calving cows.

System Suckler to weanling

Soil Type Variable

Farm cover (kg/DM/ha) 680

Growth (kg/DM/ha/day) 55

Demand (kg/DM/ha/day) 44

Trevor Boland – Dromard, Co Sligo

Growth has improved over the last week, even since I last took a measure. The warmer weather and showers of rain in between have helped push on grass.

I had been on the tight side with grass, getting down to 8-9 days ahead, but now I am at 10-12 days and looking likely to increase this further.

With the farm having run tight on grass, I blanket spread 18-6-12 on the grazing block which, combined with the warmer weather, has kicked on grass growth.

Second cut ground is growing nicely, having been slow to take off post cutting. I’d hope to cut this mid to late July. Some reseeding was carried out this week, with ground disced and power harrowed with a grass-white clover mix used.

System Suckler to weanling

Soil Type Variable

Farm cover (kg/DM/ha) 582

Growth (kg/DM/ha/day) 87

Demand (kg/DM/ha/day) 54