Storm Jorge brought with it another rough weekend, but since Monday, there have been more positive signs weather-wise. Looking ahead to the weekend, Met Éireann is forecasting breezy weather but with a lot less rain compared to what we have been experiencing. Temperatures will still be on the low side but that forecast means there should be a lot more drying than wetting. The national average growth rate is 10kg DM/ha/day and soil temperatures are ranging from 4°C to 7°C.

Management

Most dairy farms have been getting cows to grass at least once per day since the weekend and this is likely to continue with more and more farmers joining in on the act. Grazing is still minimal on drystock farms but, as sheds and tanks fill and silage slabs empty, all farms should be walked this weekend to identify fields capable of carrying stock.

On suckler farms, prioritise getting cows and calves out to grass to take the pressure off housing and reduce disease risk. Turn them out in small, manageable groups, ensuring calves have shelter and a dry place to lie.

In all sectors, there is no doubt that the majority of farmers won’t have achieved the 30% target by 1 March. However, the game isn’t up. The focus should still be to graze 30% of ground as soon as possible. Target the lower covers on the drier parts of your farm, thus getting a high percentage of ground grazed in a shorter period. This means grass will be growing back for the second round before you start to try and graze the heavy covers which are inevitably going to slow cattle down and have slower regrowths due to dead grass at the butt.