The weather and growth rates have been very mixed of late. While much of the midlands and east basked in weekend sunshine, many areas around the coast didn’t have such good fortune.
Be mindful the forecast is for heavier rain towards the end of the week and cooler temperatures. While this will reduce growth rates slightly, it is likely only to be temporary. The advice continues along the lines that if the paddock is gone too strong for grazing then skip over it.
At this time of the year, we tend to get adequate growth rates to sustain stocking rates over 4 cows/ha and growth is never too far away. Most farms are primed with slurry and nitrogen so make the most of it.
For many, this period of sustained good growth is when the large bulk of winter feed is tucked away. Whether that’s round bale or pit silage – it all counts.
This year, all farmers will be rightly trying to maximise growth in order to maximise winter feed conserved. Walk the farm twice a week – if you don’t do it potentially you could lose control in the space of a couple of days.
I know many farmers who took out paddocks last weekend and brought the cover per cow down under 140kg/LU as growth reached over 90kg/day on many farms.
Remember, when growth rates are hitting those sort of levels you need a short rotation to stay on top of it.
The other option at this time of the year to control surplus grass is to spray off a paddock or two for reseeding. While short-term it tightens the area available, a quick turnaround in a reseed and new grass can grow as much in six months as a poor-growing paddock will in 12 months. I know a number of farmers who have sprayed off for surface seeding in the last week.
Short-term rain and cooler temperatures but tentative signs of milder weather for early next week.Surplus grass taken out at weekend on many farms in east and midlands.Growth rate up considerably from previous week. 
Teagasc Curtins Farm, Cork
Stocking rate (cows/ha) 4.0
Growth rate (kg/day) 61kg
Average farm cover (kg/ha) 588kg
Yield(l/cow/day) 22.8
Fat (%) 4.59
Protein (%) 3.55
Milk solids (kg/cow/day) 1.9kg
Supplement fed (kg/cow/day) 0.2kg
Growth is still a bit behind where we would like it for time of year and hence our overall stocking rate is still at 4 cows/ha, which is 10% below for the same time in previous years. Clean-out was very good over last weekend and at the start of the week. We are getting down to residuals between 3.2 and 3.8cm which is near perfect for the time of year.
Milk yield is 22.8l at 4.59% fat, 3.55% protein (1.9kg MS) and SCC is averaging 89 cells/ml. The herd is receiving 16.5 kg of grass and 0.2 kg concentrate. Current performance is on a par with last year.
Ballyhaise, Co Cavan
Stocking rate (cows/ha) 3.5
Growth rate (kg/day) 64kg
Average farm cover (kg/ha) 650kg
Yield (l/cow/day) 22.0
Fat (%) 4.33
Protein (%) 3.52
Milk solids (kg/cow/day) 1.8kg
Supplement fed (kg/cow/day) 1.0kg
We are on a grass-only diet, except for 1kg of a high-mag nut to manage tetany risk. Growth jumped from 51kg last week to 64kg/day for the last seven days. We are matching demand with growth so it’s now up around 60kg/day also. We continue to follow the cows with 30 units of urea with added sulphur. While warm, there is enough moisture to make urea (46% N) an option. We have about 20% closed for silage. We are getting down to residuals of 4-4.5cm.
Milk yield is 22.0 litres at 4.33% fat, 3.52% protein (1.8 kg MS) and SCC is averaging 62,000 cells/ml.
Clonakilty Farm, Cork
Stocking rate (cows/ha) 3.8
Growth rate (kg/day) 89kg
Average farm cover (kg/ha) 664kg
Yield(l/cow/day) 27
Fat (%) 4.29
Protein (%) 3.51
Milk solids (kg/cow/day) 2.1kg
Supplement fed (kg/cow/day) 2.0kg
We have 160 out of 203 cows served (79%) in the first two weeks with no intervention by the vet. Cows are in excellent body condition score (averaging 3.03 BCS). The plan is for three weeks of dairy AI followed by beef AI for two weeks and then stock bulls to clean up the few that are left. We are spreading three-quarters of a bag of SUL CAN (27% N) on the tetraploid clover swards. To date, we have about 120 units of nitrogen spread. We are on 36-hour allocations of grass when weather is dry and have put a lot of effort into spur roads and temporary fencing.
Malin Head, Donegal
Stocking rate (cows/ha) 4.0
Growth rate (kg/day) n/a
Average farm cover (kg/ha) n/a
Yield(l/cow/day) 36.0
Fat (%) 4.12
Protein (%) 3.23
Milk solids (kg/cow/day) 2.7kg
Supplement fed (kg/cow/day) 4-12kg
We are still in at night with the milkers and while last weekend was sunny it’s still that bit cool for the time of the year. Growth rates are good and silage swards are growing nicely now. I find once they get bulked up and sheltered they come quick enough. We’ll be hoping to get cutting the last week of May. We will close about 15 acres of heavy cow ground for first-cut silage rather than try and get an early grazing. The sheep look after the drier, mossy ground. Early autumn calvers (33% of herd) are on 4 to 6kg per cow with fresh spring calvers on over 10kg of meal.
Read more
Grass+: Not out of the woods yet
The weather and growth rates have been very mixed of late. While much of the midlands and east basked in weekend sunshine, many areas around the coast didn’t have such good fortune.
Be mindful the forecast is for heavier rain towards the end of the week and cooler temperatures. While this will reduce growth rates slightly, it is likely only to be temporary. The advice continues along the lines that if the paddock is gone too strong for grazing then skip over it.
At this time of the year, we tend to get adequate growth rates to sustain stocking rates over 4 cows/ha and growth is never too far away. Most farms are primed with slurry and nitrogen so make the most of it.
For many, this period of sustained good growth is when the large bulk of winter feed is tucked away. Whether that’s round bale or pit silage – it all counts.
This year, all farmers will be rightly trying to maximise growth in order to maximise winter feed conserved. Walk the farm twice a week – if you don’t do it potentially you could lose control in the space of a couple of days.
I know many farmers who took out paddocks last weekend and brought the cover per cow down under 140kg/LU as growth reached over 90kg/day on many farms.
Remember, when growth rates are hitting those sort of levels you need a short rotation to stay on top of it.
The other option at this time of the year to control surplus grass is to spray off a paddock or two for reseeding. While short-term it tightens the area available, a quick turnaround in a reseed and new grass can grow as much in six months as a poor-growing paddock will in 12 months. I know a number of farmers who have sprayed off for surface seeding in the last week.
Short-term rain and cooler temperatures but tentative signs of milder weather for early next week.Surplus grass taken out at weekend on many farms in east and midlands.Growth rate up considerably from previous week.
Teagasc Curtins Farm, Cork
Stocking rate (cows/ha) 4.0
Growth rate (kg/day) 61kg
Average farm cover (kg/ha) 588kg
Yield(l/cow/day) 22.8
Fat (%) 4.59
Protein (%) 3.55
Milk solids (kg/cow/day) 1.9kg
Supplement fed (kg/cow/day) 0.2kg
Growth is still a bit behind where we would like it for time of year and hence our overall stocking rate is still at 4 cows/ha, which is 10% below for the same time in previous years. Clean-out was very good over last weekend and at the start of the week. We are getting down to residuals between 3.2 and 3.8cm which is near perfect for the time of year.
Milk yield is 22.8l at 4.59% fat, 3.55% protein (1.9kg MS) and SCC is averaging 89 cells/ml. The herd is receiving 16.5 kg of grass and 0.2 kg concentrate. Current performance is on a par with last year.
Ballyhaise, Co Cavan
Stocking rate (cows/ha) 3.5
Growth rate (kg/day) 64kg
Average farm cover (kg/ha) 650kg
Yield (l/cow/day) 22.0
Fat (%) 4.33
Protein (%) 3.52
Milk solids (kg/cow/day) 1.8kg
Supplement fed (kg/cow/day) 1.0kg
We are on a grass-only diet, except for 1kg of a high-mag nut to manage tetany risk. Growth jumped from 51kg last week to 64kg/day for the last seven days. We are matching demand with growth so it’s now up around 60kg/day also. We continue to follow the cows with 30 units of urea with added sulphur. While warm, there is enough moisture to make urea (46% N) an option. We have about 20% closed for silage. We are getting down to residuals of 4-4.5cm.
Milk yield is 22.0 litres at 4.33% fat, 3.52% protein (1.8 kg MS) and SCC is averaging 62,000 cells/ml.
Clonakilty Farm, Cork
Stocking rate (cows/ha) 3.8
Growth rate (kg/day) 89kg
Average farm cover (kg/ha) 664kg
Yield(l/cow/day) 27
Fat (%) 4.29
Protein (%) 3.51
Milk solids (kg/cow/day) 2.1kg
Supplement fed (kg/cow/day) 2.0kg
We have 160 out of 203 cows served (79%) in the first two weeks with no intervention by the vet. Cows are in excellent body condition score (averaging 3.03 BCS). The plan is for three weeks of dairy AI followed by beef AI for two weeks and then stock bulls to clean up the few that are left. We are spreading three-quarters of a bag of SUL CAN (27% N) on the tetraploid clover swards. To date, we have about 120 units of nitrogen spread. We are on 36-hour allocations of grass when weather is dry and have put a lot of effort into spur roads and temporary fencing.
Malin Head, Donegal
Stocking rate (cows/ha) 4.0
Growth rate (kg/day) n/a
Average farm cover (kg/ha) n/a
Yield(l/cow/day) 36.0
Fat (%) 4.12
Protein (%) 3.23
Milk solids (kg/cow/day) 2.7kg
Supplement fed (kg/cow/day) 4-12kg
We are still in at night with the milkers and while last weekend was sunny it’s still that bit cool for the time of the year. Growth rates are good and silage swards are growing nicely now. I find once they get bulked up and sheltered they come quick enough. We’ll be hoping to get cutting the last week of May. We will close about 15 acres of heavy cow ground for first-cut silage rather than try and get an early grazing. The sheep look after the drier, mossy ground. Early autumn calvers (33% of herd) are on 4 to 6kg per cow with fresh spring calvers on over 10kg of meal.
Read more
Grass+: Not out of the woods yet
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