Great drying conditions have kickstarted grazing for many farms, albeit much later than many would be accustomed to. With the delayed spring from an early and a mild winter, farmers are facing some heavy swards for grazing.

Normally, farms on their second rotation at this point of the year would find themselves flying through paddocks as the dry matter is relatively low.

This year, with most paddocks only being grazed for the first time now, cattle are getting better lasting out of paddocks. It’s important to note this when allocating grass.

Where paddocks have become too strong for grazing, a decision on when to cut these must be taken.

For lower stocked farms, taking these out as long term silage will artificially increase the stocking rate and may make managing covers easier, while heavier stocked farms may be better off the mow these out soon and get them back growing again.

Farmers

Shaun Diver – Tullamore Farm, Co Offaly

Grazing conditions have improved over the last week, with the silage ground drying out. It has received three bags of Cut-Sward/acre. I didn’t go too heavy on N as I hope to get it cut towards the end of May.

Breeding has started, with 30 synchronised heifers AI’d, while breeding on cows commenced on Monday. All stock is out, except a handful of the later calving cows and the beef bulls.

Heat detection collars have gone on most of the cows, but we are not using these just yet as they adjust to each cows routine.

Whole crop has been sown on 4.5 acres of the farm, with an oats, pea (50%) and barley mix used. The ground was spread with dung and ploughed before sowing.

System Suckler to beef

Soil Type Variable

Farm cover (kg/DM/ha) 844

Growth (kg/DM/ha/day) 20

Demand (kg/DM/ha/day) 29

Stephen Frend – Newford Herd, Co Roscommon

Calving finished on Monday, just before the good weather landed. All stock are now at grass, with three groups of animals grazing the home farm; two groups of 40 cows and calves and one group of replacement heifers.

While covers are strong enough, we are not hitting anything over 1,400kg DM/ha.

Stock are getting good lasting in paddocks, likely due to the high DM of grass with most covers being grazed for the first time.

Breeding kicked off on Monday morning, with a teaser bull running with each group.

We have reseeded 20 ac of stubble ground that had previously been in tillage with a high clover mix with 2.5kg white clover included and two bags 10-10-20/acre.

System Suckler to beef

Soil Type Variable

Farm cover (kg/DM/ha) 1,149

Growth (kg/DM/ha/day) 24

Demand (kg/DM/ha/day) 31

William Treacy – Hackballscross, Co Louth

About 70% of the stock is out at grass now. There is a batch of finishing heifers and finishing bulls that will remain inside until slaughter, with just some autumn calving cows to be turned out in the next few days. We have been zero grazing in grass to some of these cattle, with ample grass on the farm at the moment.

Growth has really lifted, especially on paddocks that received slurry. I’ve been strip grazing some of the heavy covers, with cows getting a 24-hour allocation. There are some heavier paddocks earmarked for baling in the next week or so if the weather holds up. I want to get these back growing again and get some slurry out on them to lower some of the tanks in the yard.

System Suckler to beef

Soil Type Free draining

Farm cover (kg/DM/ha) 1,600

Growth (kg/DM/ha/day) 35

Demand (kg/DM/ha/day) 28