Average grass growth this week was 64kg per day. But with the heat experienced over the last few days grass growth will have increased. Managing grass quality is still the biggest challenge on farms. Stocking rates on the milking platform have dropped with silage ground coming back in to the rotation. Meaning the demand is lower on most farms and they will build grass very quickly. Again our target is a cover per cow of close to 180kg/DM and a pre grazing yield of 1,500kg. With stocking rates low for some farmers they are finding themselves with a cover per cow over 200 but still only grazing 1,100 and 1,200. With demand low on these farms it should correct itself in a week or two. In which case it is okay to sit tight with a high cover per cow until pre grazing yields increase.

A lot of farmers are now grazing silage fields or what we call after grass. As it is all new fresh leaf and highly digestible cows will eat more of it. As every farmer knows cows generally fly through after grass and this is down to an increase in intake. With intakes up and grass quality at its highest we should see it in the tank but watch the butterfat as this may drop due to a lack of fibre in the diet.

We are nearly half way through the year and it’s no harm to look at soil fertility again and refocus the mind. It is an ideal time to get lime out with a lot of low covers on farms at the moment. Getting lime out will increase grass growth for the rest of the year rising the pH and releasing any P and K that is locked up in the soil.

It will also give you an increased response to any N, P and K spread from now on. Target a soil pH of 6.3 in each field. Spreading 2.5 tonnes/acre of ground limestone.