Grass growth is holding well on Tullamore Farm, with 43kg/DM/Ha grown in the last seven days. Average farm cover has also improved, with farm cover now sitting at 753kg/DM/Ha.

This is still behind where it needs to be but has improved over the past three weeks. Interestingly, for the last four weeks the farm has grown more grass than 2017.

There are currently 54 days grazing ahead of stock and daily demand is running at 14kg/DM/Ha/day.

Currently 59% of the farm closed off, which is right at the target of 60% by 1 November. The next target will be to have 100% of the farm closed by 1 December.

All male weanlings have been vaccinated, housed and clipped in the last few weeks. Average weight is 360kg. These calves were being fed 2kg/day of concentrates outside and will go up to 3kg indoors along with silage.

Silage

First cut silage results came back at 73 DMD, 26% dry matter and 12% protein. This will be earmarked for feeding to weanlings and finishing cattle. Heifer calves continue to graze off paddocks on the outfarm and will commence grazing the redstart crop in the next two weeks.

Cows are currently finishing off some paddocks and are being fed round bales on a roadway. After closing off apddocks, one bag of muriate of potash/acre was spread across all paddocks that were Index 1 and 2 for K at last soil sampling. Any remaining slurry and dirty water was spread last week on a number of silage paddocks.