First-cut silage has now been harvested on all of the programme farms. After a dry spring, a common trend across the farms has been that silage yields are generally lower compared to previous years.
On the farms where silage was harvested during the last week of May, there were late growth spurts as swards benefitted from rain and higher day time temperatures. This helped to bulk out swards.
Harvesting dates for second-cut should be around mid to late July
Grass was starting to head out, but there was still plenty of leaf present in standing swards. As such, feed quality should be reasonably high.
However, to confirm feed values, silage will be tested at a later stage. This data will be used to make up winter feed programmes.
Feed budgets
Where first-cut yields are lower than previous years, these farms are closing off silage ground for second-cut as early as possible.
Harvesting dates for second-cut should be around mid to late July. As there is less risk of grass turning to seed in second-cut, the farmers can opt for bulk in this crop.
This should help offset any potential fodder deficits. Aiming for a second-cut in July still leaves enough time to close off ground for a small third-cut, should a deficit still exist.
If silage supplies are adequate after second-cut, this ground will come back into the grazing rotation for August.
Grass growth
Grass growth struggled to keep ahead of livestock demand during early to mid-May. However, after soils received rain in late May, there has been a marked increase in growth rates across most of the farms.
Daily growth rates averaged 86kg DM/ha last week, with a peak growth rate of 95kg DM/ha/day on Jonathan Blair’s farm.
Farmer focus: Barry Carty – Garrison, Co Fermanagh
Barry Carty harvesting first-cut silage on 28 May. After a slow start, grass bulked out well and averaged around eight bales per acre.
Our farm suits this kind of weather as soils are naturally heavy. Silage was harvested last week, with 40ac cut across two land blocks.
I mowed 23ac on Sunday 24 May and baled grass on Tuesday 26 May. The remainder of the silage ground was mowed on Wednesday and baled up the following day. Yields are good, better than I thought before the grass was cut. Across all ground, swards averaged eight bales per acre.
The plan is to close off the silage ground for second-cut as soon as possible. Slurry has been mixed and is fairly watery. Silage ground will get a light coat of slurry and 22:4:14 with sulphur. Silage ground was also aerated using a spiker, to help open the soil more and improve drainage.
Farmer focus: Paul and Thomas Jamison – Dromore, Co Down
Grass growth picked up over the last 10 days. In early May, growth rates were typically around the 40kg DM/ha/day mark, but were almost double that towards the end of the month. But this week, growth has slowed again. So far, we have not been in a position to take out any bales, as we were concerned that the lack of rain would leave us short for grass. Silage was cut in the last week of May, with 54ac going into the pit. The swards looked heavy in the field, but once the pit was filled, I reckon yields are down by 30%, or 100t, when compared to other years.
So far, we have not been in a position to take out any bales, as we were concerned that the lack of rain would leave us short for grass
At a rough calculation, there should be close to 350t in the pit which is about 6.5t/ac of fresh grass. There was a noticeable difference across swards, with reseeds performing really well this spring.
Silage ground is being closed up this week for second-cut. Slurry is being applied using an umbilical pipeline and dribble bar. With no rain forecast, we were wary of using a splash plate, which is why we opted for the dribble bar. It is also a more efficient way to get nutrients into the ground. After slurry, the plan is to spread CAN with sulphur. With a lighter first-cut, we need to maximise the yield in second-cut. I have a back-up plan to purchase silage from a neighbour as necessary.
Farmer focus: Fionbharr Hamill – Downpatrick, Co Down
Our farm needs rain, as ground is burning up. We were buffer-feeding cows with second-cut silage during May, but intakes were low as silage was quick to go off.
We did get rain a couple of weeks ago and grass did respond, so we stopped buffer-feeding for a short period. But this moisture is now gone and grass is struggling again.
We would be down to 10 days ahead of stock, so unless things change soon, we will have to start buffer-feeding with silage again.
First-cut silage was harvested during the second-last week of May. Yields were well down by about 50% on last year.
With a big deficit in the first cut, we will need a good second-cut
But silage had to be cut, as it had stopped growing and grass was starting to die back. We put 60ac in the pit and will go with the same area for second-cut.
I put watery slurry out on aftermaths, but have yet to spread bagged fertiliser, as ground is so dry and there is no rain forecast. With a big deficit in the first cut, we will need a good second-cut and some additional bales.
Normally, at this time of year, we would sow kale for outwintering cows. But the plan is to hold off and go with forage rape in July. Hopefully, we will have got some rain by then to help establish the crop.
Read more
Dry weather delays silage at Drumforber
THRIVE: meadows mown for silage on demo farm
First-cut silage has now been harvested on all of the programme farms. After a dry spring, a common trend across the farms has been that silage yields are generally lower compared to previous years.
On the farms where silage was harvested during the last week of May, there were late growth spurts as swards benefitted from rain and higher day time temperatures. This helped to bulk out swards.
Harvesting dates for second-cut should be around mid to late July
Grass was starting to head out, but there was still plenty of leaf present in standing swards. As such, feed quality should be reasonably high.
However, to confirm feed values, silage will be tested at a later stage. This data will be used to make up winter feed programmes.
Feed budgets
Where first-cut yields are lower than previous years, these farms are closing off silage ground for second-cut as early as possible.
Harvesting dates for second-cut should be around mid to late July. As there is less risk of grass turning to seed in second-cut, the farmers can opt for bulk in this crop.
This should help offset any potential fodder deficits. Aiming for a second-cut in July still leaves enough time to close off ground for a small third-cut, should a deficit still exist.
If silage supplies are adequate after second-cut, this ground will come back into the grazing rotation for August.
Grass growth
Grass growth struggled to keep ahead of livestock demand during early to mid-May. However, after soils received rain in late May, there has been a marked increase in growth rates across most of the farms.
Daily growth rates averaged 86kg DM/ha last week, with a peak growth rate of 95kg DM/ha/day on Jonathan Blair’s farm.
Farmer focus: Barry Carty – Garrison, Co Fermanagh
Barry Carty harvesting first-cut silage on 28 May. After a slow start, grass bulked out well and averaged around eight bales per acre.
Our farm suits this kind of weather as soils are naturally heavy. Silage was harvested last week, with 40ac cut across two land blocks.
I mowed 23ac on Sunday 24 May and baled grass on Tuesday 26 May. The remainder of the silage ground was mowed on Wednesday and baled up the following day. Yields are good, better than I thought before the grass was cut. Across all ground, swards averaged eight bales per acre.
The plan is to close off the silage ground for second-cut as soon as possible. Slurry has been mixed and is fairly watery. Silage ground will get a light coat of slurry and 22:4:14 with sulphur. Silage ground was also aerated using a spiker, to help open the soil more and improve drainage.
Farmer focus: Paul and Thomas Jamison – Dromore, Co Down
Grass growth picked up over the last 10 days. In early May, growth rates were typically around the 40kg DM/ha/day mark, but were almost double that towards the end of the month. But this week, growth has slowed again. So far, we have not been in a position to take out any bales, as we were concerned that the lack of rain would leave us short for grass. Silage was cut in the last week of May, with 54ac going into the pit. The swards looked heavy in the field, but once the pit was filled, I reckon yields are down by 30%, or 100t, when compared to other years.
So far, we have not been in a position to take out any bales, as we were concerned that the lack of rain would leave us short for grass
At a rough calculation, there should be close to 350t in the pit which is about 6.5t/ac of fresh grass. There was a noticeable difference across swards, with reseeds performing really well this spring.
Silage ground is being closed up this week for second-cut. Slurry is being applied using an umbilical pipeline and dribble bar. With no rain forecast, we were wary of using a splash plate, which is why we opted for the dribble bar. It is also a more efficient way to get nutrients into the ground. After slurry, the plan is to spread CAN with sulphur. With a lighter first-cut, we need to maximise the yield in second-cut. I have a back-up plan to purchase silage from a neighbour as necessary.
Farmer focus: Fionbharr Hamill – Downpatrick, Co Down
Our farm needs rain, as ground is burning up. We were buffer-feeding cows with second-cut silage during May, but intakes were low as silage was quick to go off.
We did get rain a couple of weeks ago and grass did respond, so we stopped buffer-feeding for a short period. But this moisture is now gone and grass is struggling again.
We would be down to 10 days ahead of stock, so unless things change soon, we will have to start buffer-feeding with silage again.
First-cut silage was harvested during the second-last week of May. Yields were well down by about 50% on last year.
With a big deficit in the first cut, we will need a good second-cut
But silage had to be cut, as it had stopped growing and grass was starting to die back. We put 60ac in the pit and will go with the same area for second-cut.
I put watery slurry out on aftermaths, but have yet to spread bagged fertiliser, as ground is so dry and there is no rain forecast. With a big deficit in the first cut, we will need a good second-cut and some additional bales.
Normally, at this time of year, we would sow kale for outwintering cows. But the plan is to hold off and go with forage rape in July. Hopefully, we will have got some rain by then to help establish the crop.
Read more
Dry weather delays silage at Drumforber
THRIVE: meadows mown for silage on demo farm
This is a subscriber-only article
SHARING OPTIONS: