Growth this week has been good around the country and for those with grass in plentiful supply, keep following pervious advice.

For others, June is often a time on farm where you can really feel the pinch when it comes to grass.

Peak growth rates experienced in May normally drop off slightly come mid-June.

This, coupled with efforts to control grass quality by taking surplus bales, topping or pre mowing, ultimately slows down regrowths.

This leads to lower overall growth rates and in some cases a shortage of grass in the coming weeks.

Walking the farm this week and seeing the deficit that might be present in the middle and last third of your wedge early will give you a chance to keep a step ahead.

Once the cover/cow drops below 140, or it is looking like you are going to be grazing covers closer to 1,100 in a week’s time, you need to take action.

Options

What are the options? Firstly make sure fertiliser is out. Keep a unit of N per day out. So if you went with 27 units of nitrogen 27 days ago, you need to go again today.

I would look to see if there is any paddock not intended to be grazed by cows that could be brought into the rotation.

If not, my next step would be to temporarily increase the concentrates level in the parlour for a week or two to until grass builds back up.

Pre-mowing and grazing a heavy cover intended for surplus bales may also be necessary.

Yes – this will hit the tank, but paying a contractor to bale this field and then feeding it back as bales next week doesn’t make sense and will hit the tank and your pocket.

What you want to avoid is dropping below 130 cover/cow or grazing 1,100 covers or less and end up introducing bales of silage for a week of two to build grass back up.