The last few weeks have been nothing short of phenomenal from a grass growth and utilisation perspective. Average grass growth rate is running between 20kg and 30kg/day above the long-term average.

We had hoped for a kick in grass growth after the bad summer drought. Older farmers said they remembered great grass growth after previous droughts in 1995 and again more recently in 2006.

Implications

The implications of all this is that there is more grass on farms now than normal. This is a good thing, as it means that most farmers have hit their peak average farm cover targets of 1,100kg to 1,200kg/ha (400kg/cow).

With higher than normal growth rates, there is the possibility of closing paddocks a little bit later than normal. Most farmers would normally start closing around 5 to 10 October.

They would normally have 60% of the farm closed by end of October and stretch the rest of the paddocks for as long as they can into October.

Good conditions

With good ground conditions and higher than normal growth rates, with good ground it should be possible to extend grazing later this year, possibly into December, and still achieve target opening average farm covers.

It all depends on what the weather is like for the next six weeks. There is heavy rain due in most parts later this week.

With daylight hours decreasing, it doesn’t take long for land to get wet, so keep this in mind when planning on grazing heavy covers.

Calendar farming is never a good thing; you need to react to what is happening in the fields. If this means closing a bit later than normal then so be it.

If you are on target average farm cover, reduce supplement

But, in real terms, most farmers don’t know when they close, as it all depends on when you reach the closing average farm cover.

The point is, you can decide in late November whether a paddock is closed or not.

What is important is getting a good clean-out on paddocks to ensure a nice leafy regrowth. Keep cows on 12-hour breaks, even if ground conditions are good. If you are on target average farm cover, reduce supplement.

A lot of farmers are continuing to feed high levels of meal despite higher than normal growth rates. This suggests that they are failing to react to the conditions.

It's last-chance saloon to get potash and lime spread on heavier land this autumn.

With ground conditions so good, it’s a wasted opportunity not to correct pH and K levels. Spread 2t/acre of lime and 63kg/ha of K to fields low in pH and potash.

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