This is a subscriber-only article
Wet conditions over the past seven days has delayed silage cutting on Tullamore Farm.
Some 47ac has been ready to cut for the past week to 10 days, however weather conditions have prevented any work from being completed.
While very high DMD silage isn’t needed for dry suckler cows, no farmer wants a pit of wet silage. At this stage it looks like the weekend may provide an opportunity to get it cut.
Grass growth
Wet weather has also hampered grazing conditions a little, with cows becoming unsettled before moving on. Even when grass is in plentiful supply in paddocks, cows are still looking for a move.
Stem has started to come into some paddocks as a result of not grazing tight in wet conditions.
These paddocks will either be topped or earmarked for silage in the next rotation.
Grazed paddocks are currently getting 20 units of CAN/ac after each grazing. Average farm cover is 760kg/DM/ha with average cover per L.U at 180kgs.
Growth was 72kg over the past seven days which is still above demand at 62kg/day. Days ahead is currently running at 12 days. Stocking rate is 4.22 L.U/Ha, with 19.08ha currently out for reseeding and kale.
Weather has interrupted the reseeding progress as well, with 18ac ready to sow with grass and 11ac ready to sow with kale.
Seedling docks have started to appear in some of the reseeds and these will be sprayed at the earliest opportunity with Legumex DB, a clover-safe herbicide.
Faecal samples
Meanwhile, the four groups of calves were faecal sampled on Monday and all samples returned clear.
Five calves were sampled from each group and then pooled for analysis.
Our vet has advised to monitor this on a fortnightly basis. Breeding is continuing with a low level of repeats observed so far.
Sheds have been power-washed and disinfected with Kenocox over the past two weeks.
SHARING OPTIONS: