I know it’s not even St Patrick’s Day yet, but my mind has started to plan my first silage cut of the year.

Strange as it may seem, but I’m planning on changing things around this year for a number of reasons.

Firstly, I might have another commitment around the June bank holiday weekend, so I want to make sure I have the silage cut and potentially the remainder of the slurry spread before this date.

I always aim to graze all the silage ground with cattle before I close it, as it usually allows a slightly earlier turnout.

Closing date

The closing date I aim for is 10 April. I will have some ground closed by this date, but, in reality, depending on weather and when I can get stock out to start grazing, it could be 20 April or even later before all ground is closed.

Silage is then usually cut the last week of May or the first week of June, again depending on weather.

This year, as I’ve said, I’m thinking about doing things a little differently.

It looks like we are all getting into the Agri Climate Rural Environment Scheme (ACRES) and one of the measures that I’ve chosen is a riparian zone, which I obviously won’t be allowed to graze as per the terms and conditions.

Main road

And as my farm is split by a main road, and the riparian zone will be on the opposite side of the road to the farm yard, I intend to close the remainder of the land on that side of the road and cut it for silage.

While some of this land would have been cut for silage in the past, most of it would traditionally be grazing land.

My thinking is I won’t have to cross the main road as often with cattle, which should leave managing cattle on my own a little easier and as this land is lower lying and slightly wetter in nature, I won't bother grazing it with cattle first.

It’s being grazed with lambs at the minute, so as soon as they are off it, slurry will be spread, then fertiliser, and it will be closed up.

My new plan may mean that some cattle will be a little longer in the shed than normal

My new plan may mean that some cattle will be a little longer in the shed than normal, but I should easily achieve the 10 April closing date for all my first-cut silage ground or maybe even earlier and hopefully a cutting date somewhere between 15 and 22 May.

I’d be hoping for excellent quality silage, if cut at that time of year and a silage and slurry-free June bank holiday.

My next problem is figuring out how best to get the slurry pipe across the road so I don’t have to start spreading it all with the tanker.