After increasing by 20% last week, grass growth rates are up a further 25%, to 76kg DM/ha/day on average, across the country in the seven days up to Wednesday 24 May.

A number of our BETTER farmers’ average farm cover has increased exponentially in the space of two weeks and it is only now as they measure grass for the first time that they’re realising just how quickly things can turn.

Indeed, a number of our farmers are running with farm covers double what they should be.

Given that many will be attempting to take a first cut of silage this week, knocking some extra grass on these farms with big grass supplies is a no-brainer. Growth is on an upward curve and with tropical conditions forecast for the weekend there is no sign of this changing.

Sugars in grass act as a food for acid-producing bacteria during the ensiling process – not enough present and these bacteria won’t produce enough acid. Not enough acid and we won’t inhibit all the sinister organisms that we don’t want in our silage clamp. Plants produce sugars via the process of photosynthesis, which is driven by light. This is why the guidelines state to mow crops in the evening – after a full day’s exposure to light.

High levels of nitrates in grass can affect the rate at which pH drops in the silage clamp, leading to a poor fermentation.

Residual amounts of N fertiliser in the crop are the principal cause of this and though a general guide is to allow for an uptake of two units of N per day, slow grass growth rates such as those in early May can stall uptake.

Send samples of your grass, plucked in clumps from around the field, to your adviser for sugar and nitrate testing. Nitrates of greater than 600ppm would be considered high, though if there are sufficient sugars present (=3%) grass will ensile correctly up to 800ppm. Wilting to 27-30% dry matter will reduce the effects of high nitrates. Where sugars are at 2-3%, target a 24-hour wilt and use an acid-based or molasses additive if not possible. Below 2% sugars and additive should be used regardless.

Nigel O’Kane

Co Galway

System: suckler to beef

Soil type: free-draining loam

Average farm cover (kg DM/ha): 408

Grass growth (kg DM/ha/day): 30

Hard to believe we’re looking for rain in the west here but grass still hasn’t kicked on despite the recent showery spell. It is beginning to head out now that bit sooner as it’s under stress for moisture. On a more positive front, I’ve cut my first crop of silage and hope to gather it today (Thursday). All ground was grazed tight prior to closing, so I’m confident it’ll make top-quality silage. I’ll make a decision on whether to close for second-cut over the weekend as I’ve nearly 100 bales left over from last year.

I’m finishing last year’s spring-born bulls at the minute. The original plan was to finish them under 20 months allowing them to get cheap weight gain on over the summer and house in August. Unfortunately, the poor growth forced my hand and I had no choice but to house them earlier in May at an average weight of 450kg as grass was scarce. I’ve slowly built them up to ad-lib and they’ll be fed hard for 100 days.

Joe Healy

Co Meath

System: suckler to beef

Soil type: heavy clay

Average farm cover (kg DM/ha): 1431

Grass growth (kg DM/ha/day): 115

Last week, with the excellent growing conditions, grass really powered on. Surpluses are starting to appear and there are a number of paddocks identified which will be taken out in the next few days. I have already over 50 bales taken from surplus paddocks which will make high-quality silage for feeding to weanling bulls next winter.

To date, there are 13 cows left to calve and I hope a week or so should see that number well reduced. All of the calved cows are out and doing very well. I have a group of 30 heifers which I have identified as being suitable replacements and in the coming weeks they will be synchronised and served. I have three groups of last year’s bulls in the shed now for finishing. Some are being built up on meals and others are fully ad lib at this stage.

Silage was cut on Tuesday and was tedded out on Wednesday to wilt. It will be picked up today and should make good-quality fodder.

Ger O’Dwyer

Tullamore Farm

System: suckler to beef/calf to beef

Soil type: variable

Average farm cover (kg DM/ha): 668

Grass growth (kg DM/ha/day): 89

Grass growth has taken off here this week and we have decided to remove 7.2ha from the grazing area as round bales. This was mowed on Wednesday and will be lifted Friday morning. There is also 7.12ha taken out for reseeding at the moment. The 4ha that was reseeded with the Dalbo min-till machine on 20 April is progressing well. This got a bag of CAN/acre at the beginning of this week. A lot of spear thistles have appeared since seeding and these will be sprayed this week. As the thistles have appeared in clumps, we will try to just spray the areas affected to avoid killing the clover. Kale will be sown over the next fortnight and the ground will be sprayed off at the end of this week. AI will finish at the end of this week. Seventy of 87 cows have been submitted over the past 21 days, which means submission rate was 80% in the AI group. Bulls will be turned out with approximately 41 cows/heifers each at the end of this week.

John McSweeney

Co Cork

System: suckler to beef/calf to beef

Soil type: relatively dry

Average farm cover (kg DM/ha): 1359

Grass growth (kg DM/ha/day): 76

There is lots of grass here and I am planning to add more ground to my first cut which is for taking in the coming days. I have 10 of 23ha earmarked for the main cut. At 2.68 LU/ha, my stocking rate is quite big and though farm cover is high there are a handful of very strong paddocks pulling it up and I have split the grazing block into 31 paddocks – some permanent, some temporary – and thus can easily skip over heavy covers.

As well as my 20 sucklers I am rearing 96 dairy calves at the moment. Going forward, I will push up to 30 cows and pull back to 40-50 calves, opting for a beef-cross (Hereford/Angus), as opposed to a pure Friesian. I am having good results pushing my suckler calves and the best dairy animals as U16-month bulls and I think I will keep doing this system, perhaps weighing the dairy stock in the back and pushing the heaviest out as bulls with my sucklers. The rest can go as bullocks or be sold for cashflow when needed.