Tuesday and Wednesday of this week were wet, but ground conditions are still holding up well in most places. The forecast for the next week is for very little rain, but very high air temperatures, up to 15°C in places. Soil temperatures are already between 3°C and 4°C higher than normal, so we can expect much higher than usual growth rates for the next few weeks. It seems that nature is making up for the poor year last year.
Farmers who have very little of their farm grazed need to get into gear. There’s only a week left in February so all animals that could be out, should be out. What harm if they need to come back indoors again in a week or two time? You’ll save two weeks of silage and grow a heap more grass on account of getting more area grazed and kick-started into growth.
Grazing 30% of the farm in February, or early March for those on heavier land, is important to ensure there is enough grass back on the first fields grazed. With more grass on farms this spring, getting through the area is very challenging, but it’s a good challenge. However, failure to achieve the targets means a grass deficit in early April is more likely. This is because you’ll have a heap of grass on some paddocks that are too strong for grazing, and others with not enough grass.
Continue to graze the paddocks with the lowest grass covers as this will help to increase the area grazed. When turning out animals for the first time, make sure they have an appetite for grass. Do this by keeping them off silage for five or six hours before turnout. Continually adjust the allocation of grass until you’re getting the correct clean-outs. There should be no dung pads from the first rotation.
For those who haven’t spread fertiliser yet, I’d be going with 40kgN/ha now. For those who have already spread nitrogen, hold off on the second application until early March. See more on page 70.
The forecast is for high air temperatures which will further boost grass growth rates.If less than 20% of the farm has been grazed, get as many stock out as possible to get area grazed.Graze paddocks that have low covers first.If no nitrogen has been spread yet, apply 40kgN/ha now.
Read more
Grass+: optimum conditions for fertiliser
Tuesday and Wednesday of this week were wet, but ground conditions are still holding up well in most places. The forecast for the next week is for very little rain, but very high air temperatures, up to 15°C in places. Soil temperatures are already between 3°C and 4°C higher than normal, so we can expect much higher than usual growth rates for the next few weeks. It seems that nature is making up for the poor year last year.
Farmers who have very little of their farm grazed need to get into gear. There’s only a week left in February so all animals that could be out, should be out. What harm if they need to come back indoors again in a week or two time? You’ll save two weeks of silage and grow a heap more grass on account of getting more area grazed and kick-started into growth.
Grazing 30% of the farm in February, or early March for those on heavier land, is important to ensure there is enough grass back on the first fields grazed. With more grass on farms this spring, getting through the area is very challenging, but it’s a good challenge. However, failure to achieve the targets means a grass deficit in early April is more likely. This is because you’ll have a heap of grass on some paddocks that are too strong for grazing, and others with not enough grass.
Continue to graze the paddocks with the lowest grass covers as this will help to increase the area grazed. When turning out animals for the first time, make sure they have an appetite for grass. Do this by keeping them off silage for five or six hours before turnout. Continually adjust the allocation of grass until you’re getting the correct clean-outs. There should be no dung pads from the first rotation.
For those who haven’t spread fertiliser yet, I’d be going with 40kgN/ha now. For those who have already spread nitrogen, hold off on the second application until early March. See more on page 70.
The forecast is for high air temperatures which will further boost grass growth rates.If less than 20% of the farm has been grazed, get as many stock out as possible to get area grazed.Graze paddocks that have low covers first.If no nitrogen has been spread yet, apply 40kgN/ha now.
Read more
Grass+: optimum conditions for fertiliser
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