Last weekend, surplus grass was removed from the milking platform. In total, 129 round bales were made (about two bales to the acre). This week, following the grass walk on Friday, another two paddocks were skipped over. They will be cut as soon as the weather allows.

At the moment, it's wet and very showery in Kilkenny. However, the Kilkenny situation remains a good bit better than many dairy farms further south that had to stand off cows during the week with the persistant rain.

Growth rate

The growth rate calculated following the walk came out at 63kg/day. In effect, it’s probably a bit higher, but when you take out a large chunk of the platform for bales that is growing from a low base and skip over some fast-growing silage paddocks, you sort of artificially reduce the farm growth rate.

Farm cover is at 508kg (132kg/LU), so it’s good and tight (less than 150kg/LU), which is where you want it at this time of the year when growth is flying.

Breeding

Breeding continues in full swing. We have just completed two weeks to date and, so far, it seems to be going very well, with good strong heats and good numbers submitted.

Milk solids produced continues to increase and the latest collection docket shows the milk solids at 1.8kg milk solids/cow (21 litres at 4.37% fat and 3.81% protein). The diet is grazed grass only, with minerals and vitamins through the water. The fat and protein are continuing to climb – last weekend it was about 4.20% fat and 3.71% protein.

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Growth exceeding demand at Greenfield Kilkenny