Click here for Grass+ data and comment from dairy farms
The past week has seen grass growth rates improve again across much of the country. With grass demand currently from 30-35kg DM/ha on many farms, and growth rates in the 40s and 50s, farm covers are building slowly.
The drier conditions have led to much better utilisation on some farms and allowed those on heavy land to graze out paddocks better. In some cases, there has been a focus on grazing the heaviest parts of farms while under-foot conditions allow.
Paddocks will start to be closed on heavy farms in the coming weeks, while on dry farms, closing of paddocks will commence in mid-October. At this stage, the target should be to have an average farm cover of about 900-1,100kg DM/ha, with a rotation length of about 35 to 40 days. The dry conditions are resulting in farmers being able to graze off heavy covers of 12cm+ (2,000kg DM/ha+) to 4-5cm.
Weaning is ongoing on most farms. Sale date, calf weight and grass supply are all factors being considered when planning weanling. Most farmers are feeding 1-2kg of ration per day to weanlings as the energy levels of grass are reducing.
With the changeable temperatures and cooler nights, there is particular heed being paid to weanlings for any signs of early pneumonia.
Budgets have been completed on some farms in the past few weeks to weigh up whether to finish cattle or sell live. Those who traditionally finish cattle are continuing to do so, with others taking advantage of the strong live trade.
In some cases, finishing cattle have been housed. This is mostly the case on farms running high stocking rates. Finishing cattle at grass are being fed 4-6kg depending on breed and animal type.
Growth has improved as has average farm covers.Closing of paddocks will start in 1-2 weeks on heavy and dry farms.The current target is to have 900-1100kgDm/ha of an average farm cover.Grass utilisation has improved substantially.Autumn calving continuing and weaning taking place.Charlie Crawford
Co Donegal
Farming system Suckler to weanling
Land type Dry
Growth rate (kg DM/ha) 50
Average farm cover (kg DM/ha) 822
Grass growth on the farm has picked up in the past few weeks. After weaning the weanlings, I housed the cows and this helped to start building covers. My farm cover is 822kg DM/ha and I have 32 days ahead. Cows are grazing out sheltered paddocks near the sheds to 4cm. These paddocks will be closed in rotation in order to have grass available for ewes and lambs in the paddocks.
The lambs are currently a priority for grass paddocks and are being moved every three days to maximise performance. I have over a third of the lambs sold and have another third almost at target weight that will be sold in the next fortnight.
The ewes are being flushed at the moment and the ram will be let out at the end of October. The weanlings are performing well at the moment. The heifers are getting 2kg/head/day and the bulls 4kg/head/day. The bulls will be ready to sell by the end of November.
Mike Dillane
Co Kerry
Farming system Suckler to Beef
Land type Heavy
Growth rate (kg DM/ha) 36
Average farm cover (kg DM/ha) 896
Last round of nitrogen went out at 30 units per acre before the closing date. I am currently aiming to build extra grass for autumn calvers and I currently have 35 days grazing ahead of stock. Thirty bulls have been housed for finishing, with the target of slaughtering the majority of these before Christmas under 16 months.
They are currently eating 8kg to 9kg per day of ration, plus silage and straw. Heifers are on 5kg per day outside. The aim is to house the top 12 in the next two weeks with aim to finish by Christmas. The target is to achieve a 320kg carcase. Cows calving currently, I have 24 calves from 23 cows. I hope to have 85 calved by Christmas with the aim to calve up to 100 by same period next year.
Ground conditions are drying out the past week. Land got very wet two weeks ago after almost 6in of rain fell in three days. I hope to keep cows and calves out until late November if ground conditions allow. If ground is too wet I plan to keep lighter weanlings out longer.
Willie Treacy
Co Louth
Farming system Suckler to Beef
Land type Dry
Growth rate (kg DM/ha) 41
Average farm cover (kg DM/ha) 803
My grass budgeting indicated that I was starting to get tight on grass last week as growth slowed down, while demand is increasing with younger cattle now having bigger appetites. I decided to house my 30 yearling bulls weighing around 500kg and 49 2014 spring heifers for finishing last week for the Christmas market. As a result, my daily demand has reduced from 47kg DM/ha/day back down to 35kg DM/ha/day, which is equivalent to a stocking rate of 2.29 LU/ha (1,730kg liveweight/ha).
Grass growth picked up slightly from 36 to 41kg DM/ha last week which will help build covers for October. My average farm cover is 803kg DM/ha, which at my current stocking rate leaves me with 23 days grazing ahead. With the dry weather, I started weaning some of my heaviest spring-born bull calves and will continue to wean more over the next two weeks. I reseeded a 6acre field on 10 September. I applied two bags of gran lime/ac and three bags/ac of 8-8-15 compound fertiliser.
Matthew Murphy
Newford Herd, Athenry
Farming system Suckler to Beef
Land type Dry
Growth rate (kg DM/ha) 79
Average farm cover (kg DM/ha) 1162
Grazing conditions have been excellent over the past few days in Athenry, with cows and calves getting longer in paddocks due to the dry conditions. We grew 79 kg/DM/day over the past week, which was a real bonus. Our demand has dropped to 39kg so this has allowed average farm cover rise to 1,162kg DM/ha, which is where we want to be in September. We currently have 27 days ahead of stock and we are stocked at 2.76 LU/ha. If weather turns very wet in the next fortnight we may opt to house finishers and try and keep the weanlings out as long as possible. Finishing cattle are currently getting 5kg/head/day of a finishing ration at grass. We castrated the bull weanlings last week and we aim to start weaning in the next couple of weeks, weaning the first calvers first. All calves were dosed and they will get an IBR vaccination and RSV/PI3 vaccination this week before weaning. Calves were weighed last week and bull calves averaged 266kg and are gaining 1.24kg/day and heifer calves averaged 256kg and are gaining 1.17kg/day.
Click here for Grass+ data and comment from dairy farms
The past week has seen grass growth rates improve again across much of the country. With grass demand currently from 30-35kg DM/ha on many farms, and growth rates in the 40s and 50s, farm covers are building slowly.
The drier conditions have led to much better utilisation on some farms and allowed those on heavy land to graze out paddocks better. In some cases, there has been a focus on grazing the heaviest parts of farms while under-foot conditions allow.
Paddocks will start to be closed on heavy farms in the coming weeks, while on dry farms, closing of paddocks will commence in mid-October. At this stage, the target should be to have an average farm cover of about 900-1,100kg DM/ha, with a rotation length of about 35 to 40 days. The dry conditions are resulting in farmers being able to graze off heavy covers of 12cm+ (2,000kg DM/ha+) to 4-5cm.
Weaning is ongoing on most farms. Sale date, calf weight and grass supply are all factors being considered when planning weanling. Most farmers are feeding 1-2kg of ration per day to weanlings as the energy levels of grass are reducing.
With the changeable temperatures and cooler nights, there is particular heed being paid to weanlings for any signs of early pneumonia.
Budgets have been completed on some farms in the past few weeks to weigh up whether to finish cattle or sell live. Those who traditionally finish cattle are continuing to do so, with others taking advantage of the strong live trade.
In some cases, finishing cattle have been housed. This is mostly the case on farms running high stocking rates. Finishing cattle at grass are being fed 4-6kg depending on breed and animal type.
Growth has improved as has average farm covers.Closing of paddocks will start in 1-2 weeks on heavy and dry farms.The current target is to have 900-1100kgDm/ha of an average farm cover.Grass utilisation has improved substantially.Autumn calving continuing and weaning taking place.Charlie Crawford
Co Donegal
Farming system Suckler to weanling
Land type Dry
Growth rate (kg DM/ha) 50
Average farm cover (kg DM/ha) 822
Grass growth on the farm has picked up in the past few weeks. After weaning the weanlings, I housed the cows and this helped to start building covers. My farm cover is 822kg DM/ha and I have 32 days ahead. Cows are grazing out sheltered paddocks near the sheds to 4cm. These paddocks will be closed in rotation in order to have grass available for ewes and lambs in the paddocks.
The lambs are currently a priority for grass paddocks and are being moved every three days to maximise performance. I have over a third of the lambs sold and have another third almost at target weight that will be sold in the next fortnight.
The ewes are being flushed at the moment and the ram will be let out at the end of October. The weanlings are performing well at the moment. The heifers are getting 2kg/head/day and the bulls 4kg/head/day. The bulls will be ready to sell by the end of November.
Mike Dillane
Co Kerry
Farming system Suckler to Beef
Land type Heavy
Growth rate (kg DM/ha) 36
Average farm cover (kg DM/ha) 896
Last round of nitrogen went out at 30 units per acre before the closing date. I am currently aiming to build extra grass for autumn calvers and I currently have 35 days grazing ahead of stock. Thirty bulls have been housed for finishing, with the target of slaughtering the majority of these before Christmas under 16 months.
They are currently eating 8kg to 9kg per day of ration, plus silage and straw. Heifers are on 5kg per day outside. The aim is to house the top 12 in the next two weeks with aim to finish by Christmas. The target is to achieve a 320kg carcase. Cows calving currently, I have 24 calves from 23 cows. I hope to have 85 calved by Christmas with the aim to calve up to 100 by same period next year.
Ground conditions are drying out the past week. Land got very wet two weeks ago after almost 6in of rain fell in three days. I hope to keep cows and calves out until late November if ground conditions allow. If ground is too wet I plan to keep lighter weanlings out longer.
Willie Treacy
Co Louth
Farming system Suckler to Beef
Land type Dry
Growth rate (kg DM/ha) 41
Average farm cover (kg DM/ha) 803
My grass budgeting indicated that I was starting to get tight on grass last week as growth slowed down, while demand is increasing with younger cattle now having bigger appetites. I decided to house my 30 yearling bulls weighing around 500kg and 49 2014 spring heifers for finishing last week for the Christmas market. As a result, my daily demand has reduced from 47kg DM/ha/day back down to 35kg DM/ha/day, which is equivalent to a stocking rate of 2.29 LU/ha (1,730kg liveweight/ha).
Grass growth picked up slightly from 36 to 41kg DM/ha last week which will help build covers for October. My average farm cover is 803kg DM/ha, which at my current stocking rate leaves me with 23 days grazing ahead. With the dry weather, I started weaning some of my heaviest spring-born bull calves and will continue to wean more over the next two weeks. I reseeded a 6acre field on 10 September. I applied two bags of gran lime/ac and three bags/ac of 8-8-15 compound fertiliser.
Matthew Murphy
Newford Herd, Athenry
Farming system Suckler to Beef
Land type Dry
Growth rate (kg DM/ha) 79
Average farm cover (kg DM/ha) 1162
Grazing conditions have been excellent over the past few days in Athenry, with cows and calves getting longer in paddocks due to the dry conditions. We grew 79 kg/DM/day over the past week, which was a real bonus. Our demand has dropped to 39kg so this has allowed average farm cover rise to 1,162kg DM/ha, which is where we want to be in September. We currently have 27 days ahead of stock and we are stocked at 2.76 LU/ha. If weather turns very wet in the next fortnight we may opt to house finishers and try and keep the weanlings out as long as possible. Finishing cattle are currently getting 5kg/head/day of a finishing ration at grass. We castrated the bull weanlings last week and we aim to start weaning in the next couple of weeks, weaning the first calvers first. All calves were dosed and they will get an IBR vaccination and RSV/PI3 vaccination this week before weaning. Calves were weighed last week and bull calves averaged 266kg and are gaining 1.24kg/day and heifer calves averaged 256kg and are gaining 1.17kg/day.
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