Average grass growth over the last 10 days was mixed enough. Some farms continue to grow well into the 70s, but other farms are lagging in the mid-50s.

Part of the issue has got to do with average farm cover.

Some farmers found their average farm cover dropped two weeks ago. It was down around 120kg to 130kg/cow on many farms.

Slower growth rates

Growth rates will be slower when average farm cover is low. The target average farm cover is 160kg to 180kg/cow.

However, with mild and high temperatures forecast for this week, one should expect a lift in growth rates everywhere.

Air temperatures are set to rise to the high 20s by the end of the week.

This, combined with ample soil moisture in most places, should lead to a jump in grass growth, particularly where there is plenty of nitrogen spread.

Jump in growth

A jump in growth rate will be welcomed by farmers who have a low average farm cover and are tight for grass.

However, those with enough grass will need to be careful, as a jump in growth will lead to big grass surpluses and we know from experience that this leads to increased stem in the sward and a drop in cow performance.

Protein and fat percentages should be on the rise

Cows have now gone off peak production on most farms, with litres slightly back in most cases.

However, protein and fat percentages should be on the rise.

The aim now should be to keep these increasing for the rest of the year and the only way to ensure this is to keep good-quality grass ahead of cows.

Where the cover/cow was down at the 120kg to 130kg mark on farms, in most cases concentrate levels were raised in the parlour.

With silage ground back in on most grazing blocks, demand is low and with a bounce in growth predicted, these farms will see themselves back up in grass very quickly.

Identifying this early and bringing back down the concentrate level can save a couple of hundred euro very quickly and help control grass quality.

In a 100-cow herd, 2kg concentrate extra fed in the parlour for five days is an extra tonne of meal fed.

Grass wedge

Walk the farm today and find out exactly what your grass situation is and make a management decision based on the farm walk and grass wedge.

The grass situation will change very quickly in periods of high growth, so I would be targeting to walk the farm again at the weekend, at least.

With silage and the breeding season very quiet at the moment, getting out twice this week to do a grass walk should not be a problem.