While surfaces are sticky during and after rain, soils are drying out fast. Unlike this time last year, there is capacity in the soil to take water. The other big boost to farmers this February is the amount of grass that is available. According to PastureBase, the average farm cover on farms that have recorded a grass walk is 950kgDM/ha. This is well up on previous years and this is the average, so some farms are well over 1,100kg/ha.

Farms that have a high opening cover need to act strategically to be able to use it all in the first rotation. There are a number of key things to keep in mind. Firstly, you should aim to have between 30 and 40% of the farm grazed in the first four weeks. This will ensure there is sufficient time for these paddocks to recover in time for grazing in the second rotation.

The next thing to remember is to have enough grass on the farm for the start of the second rotation. The only way you’ll know this for sure is to complete a spring grass budget. This is described in detail on pages 30 and 31. Simply following the spring rotation planner and not looking at or measuring grass growth and average farm cover is not a good idea – you need to do both.

Some farmers are wondering whether they should go out grazing with other stock such as heifers and dry cows. Again, this all depends on what effect it will have on the budget. I’d be slow to let other stock graze grass that could be fed to milking cows, but in some cases it might make sense. Put the cover on fields that you intend to graze with other stock at zero, and see the effect on average farm cover and on the budget.

To hit the grazing targets in February, it will be necessary to start off grazing in lower covers of around 600kg to 800kg/ha. When conditions are reasonably good, graze wetter and lower lying paddocks or paddocks with poor access.

Keep the drier land for when conditions are more challenging.

  • There is plenty of grass. The challenge will be to get through it all.
  • Complete a grass walk and a spring grass budget.
  • Target grazing between 30 and 40% of the farm in the first four weeks.
  • Start grazing in lighter covers first.
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    Early days but super spring prospects