Grass growth was recorded at 77kg per day for the last five days on the Greenfield dairy farm in Kilkenny. This was the average for the five days from Monday to Friday. Previous to this, the average was 110kg per day. The area measured excludes the first-cut silage ground.

Essentially, these high growth rates mean there is and will be surplus grass on the grazing platform that will be have to be cut and taken out as round baled silage in next few days. So while many farmers further south still have stock indoors eating silage, the high grass growth rates have seen a complete transformation on this farm.

Breeding is in full swing. Since Tuesday (2 May) 18 cows have been served each day on average. The maiden heifers are also being served on the contract-rearing farm.

All the cows were originally tail-painted over three weeks ago (9 April). On Monday morning this week (1 May), any cows that hadn’t any signs of paint removed or marks from bulling were noted down. Over 20 cows that displayed signs of heat on Monday were drafted out from herd on the Tuesday morning (day one of breeding). The plan is to wait another three weeks before working with the cows that haven’t been seen bulling.

Milk solids produced continues to increase and the latest collection docket shows the milk solids at 1.7kg milk solids/cow (21 litres at 4.26% fat and 3.71% protein). The diet is grazed grass only with mins and vits through the water.

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Scoring in advance of breeding