Farmers in Leinster and parts of Munster are nearly resorting to rain dances at the moment, with almost no rain in over a month.
Thankfully, it looks like there’s light at the end of the tunnel with some level of rain forecast for most of Ireland over the weekend.
Unfortunately, even if there is rain, that bounce isn’t going to come for at least another ten days. The aim now should be to slow cows down where the farm is behind the average farm cover targets for September.
You can hold average farm cover where it is by matching demand to the current growth figures.
If there’s a growth of 20kg, drop demand to 20kg or less by reducing the cow’s allocation of grass and filling the gap with supplement.
Extend the rotation as long as is needed with grass in scarce supply. Rotation length should be a minimum of 30-days now on dry farms. Allocate 1/30th of the farm per day.
Now is the time to supplement. Keeping demand low over the next number of weeks as growth hopefully begins to pick up will help build cover towards the target of 800-1,000kg/DM/ha.
Daylight is getting shorter so it’s important to maximise growth now while you still can.
Fertiliser
The 14 September deadline for spreading nitrogen and phosphorous is fast approaching. Those who’ve held off on spreading in the dry weather have really only time for one more round.
It’s worth considering applying a higher rate than normal when you do go spreading to make up the difference of the missed round.
It’s important to stay inside the allowances now, as many farmers will be closing in on their limit.
On farms behind the average farm cover targets, drop demand below growth and supplement with meal, silage or palm kernel.When rain does eventually come, keep supplementing hard and give the farm a chance to build cover while the conditions still remain favourable for growth.The time for autumn reseeding is done, if it’s not done now wait until the spring.Get at least another round of nitrogen spread before the deadline, but be aware of your allowance limits. Stephen Kenny – Ardfinnan, Co Tipperary
The place is extremely dry at the moment. We’re very close to the rock here, on limestone ground. The wind is a big factor on this farm; any rain we’ve gotten in the last month has dried up very quickly. Growth is well back but we’re hoping for rain this weekend.
We’ll get out with one more round of protected urea and we’ll go with 18-19 units/acre following the cows. The cows are still milking well enough given the conditions.
We’re currently feeding 6kg of meal, 2kg of silage and 2kg of palm kernel. They’re due to be scanned next week but we’d be comfortable with how breeding went overall.
Stocking Rate (cow/ha) 2.53
Growth Rate (kg/day) 12
Average Farm Cover (kg/cow) 604
Yield (l/cow) 18.5
Fat% 5.16
Protein% 4.03
Milk Solids (kg/cow) 1.75
Concentrates 6
Colin Doherty – Adare, Co Limerick
We’re behind target here in terms of average farm cover. A bit of rain is wanted on the farm as growth is beginning to drop back.
When it comes, we’ll go out with 25 units/acre of nitrogen. We have 25% of the farm in good clover which is growing well at the moment.
This ground is getting no nitrogen currently and won’t be getting any before the deadline.
We’re on a 23-day round at the minute but we’re planning to start pushing this out now.
In general, it’s been a good year for grass on the farm. We’re close to 2t/DM/ha grown ahead of last year’s figures which is pleasing.
Stocking Rate (cow/ha) 3.16
Growth Rate (kg/day) 60
Average Farm Cover (kg/cow) 676
Yield (l/cow) 16.5
Fat% 5.04
Protein% 3.99
Milk Solids (kg/cow) 1.54
Concentrates 2
Bronwyn Fitzpatrick – Teagasc Ballyhaise, Co Cavan
We had rain last weekend so growth should pick up again next week. We had started feeding a small bit of silage to lower our demand. Our average farm cover is sitting lower than we’d want it to be for this time of year.
We’re going to up the meal to 6kg for the next while until our cover starts to build. In terms of fertiliser, we are going out with 23 units/acre of protected urea at the moment.
Any paddocks on the clover trial are getting half rate nitrogen.
The cows are being milk recorded at the end of this week and scanning will be done in the next couple of weeks.
Stocking Rate (cow/ha) 2.82
Growth Rate (kg/day) 54
Average Farm Cover (kg/cow) 620
Yield (l/cow) 20.5
Fat% 4.63
Protein% 3.76
Milk Solids (kg/cow) 1.77
Concentrates 4
Farmers in Leinster and parts of Munster are nearly resorting to rain dances at the moment, with almost no rain in over a month.
Thankfully, it looks like there’s light at the end of the tunnel with some level of rain forecast for most of Ireland over the weekend.
Unfortunately, even if there is rain, that bounce isn’t going to come for at least another ten days. The aim now should be to slow cows down where the farm is behind the average farm cover targets for September.
You can hold average farm cover where it is by matching demand to the current growth figures.
If there’s a growth of 20kg, drop demand to 20kg or less by reducing the cow’s allocation of grass and filling the gap with supplement.
Extend the rotation as long as is needed with grass in scarce supply. Rotation length should be a minimum of 30-days now on dry farms. Allocate 1/30th of the farm per day.
Now is the time to supplement. Keeping demand low over the next number of weeks as growth hopefully begins to pick up will help build cover towards the target of 800-1,000kg/DM/ha.
Daylight is getting shorter so it’s important to maximise growth now while you still can.
Fertiliser
The 14 September deadline for spreading nitrogen and phosphorous is fast approaching. Those who’ve held off on spreading in the dry weather have really only time for one more round.
It’s worth considering applying a higher rate than normal when you do go spreading to make up the difference of the missed round.
It’s important to stay inside the allowances now, as many farmers will be closing in on their limit.
On farms behind the average farm cover targets, drop demand below growth and supplement with meal, silage or palm kernel.When rain does eventually come, keep supplementing hard and give the farm a chance to build cover while the conditions still remain favourable for growth.The time for autumn reseeding is done, if it’s not done now wait until the spring.Get at least another round of nitrogen spread before the deadline, but be aware of your allowance limits. Stephen Kenny – Ardfinnan, Co Tipperary
The place is extremely dry at the moment. We’re very close to the rock here, on limestone ground. The wind is a big factor on this farm; any rain we’ve gotten in the last month has dried up very quickly. Growth is well back but we’re hoping for rain this weekend.
We’ll get out with one more round of protected urea and we’ll go with 18-19 units/acre following the cows. The cows are still milking well enough given the conditions.
We’re currently feeding 6kg of meal, 2kg of silage and 2kg of palm kernel. They’re due to be scanned next week but we’d be comfortable with how breeding went overall.
Stocking Rate (cow/ha) 2.53
Growth Rate (kg/day) 12
Average Farm Cover (kg/cow) 604
Yield (l/cow) 18.5
Fat% 5.16
Protein% 4.03
Milk Solids (kg/cow) 1.75
Concentrates 6
Colin Doherty – Adare, Co Limerick
We’re behind target here in terms of average farm cover. A bit of rain is wanted on the farm as growth is beginning to drop back.
When it comes, we’ll go out with 25 units/acre of nitrogen. We have 25% of the farm in good clover which is growing well at the moment.
This ground is getting no nitrogen currently and won’t be getting any before the deadline.
We’re on a 23-day round at the minute but we’re planning to start pushing this out now.
In general, it’s been a good year for grass on the farm. We’re close to 2t/DM/ha grown ahead of last year’s figures which is pleasing.
Stocking Rate (cow/ha) 3.16
Growth Rate (kg/day) 60
Average Farm Cover (kg/cow) 676
Yield (l/cow) 16.5
Fat% 5.04
Protein% 3.99
Milk Solids (kg/cow) 1.54
Concentrates 2
Bronwyn Fitzpatrick – Teagasc Ballyhaise, Co Cavan
We had rain last weekend so growth should pick up again next week. We had started feeding a small bit of silage to lower our demand. Our average farm cover is sitting lower than we’d want it to be for this time of year.
We’re going to up the meal to 6kg for the next while until our cover starts to build. In terms of fertiliser, we are going out with 23 units/acre of protected urea at the moment.
Any paddocks on the clover trial are getting half rate nitrogen.
The cows are being milk recorded at the end of this week and scanning will be done in the next couple of weeks.
Stocking Rate (cow/ha) 2.82
Growth Rate (kg/day) 54
Average Farm Cover (kg/cow) 620
Yield (l/cow) 20.5
Fat% 4.63
Protein% 3.76
Milk Solids (kg/cow) 1.77
Concentrates 4
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