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The Greenfield herd in Co Kilkenny continue to be fed grass only for the moment.
Growth rates have remained well above normal for the time of the year, similar to most other parts of the country.
The grass measurement had growth rate at 70kg per day when closer to 50kg might have been expected at this time of the year. Farm cover was about 1,100kg DM/ha. The last of the bag nitrogen went out Thursday. It went out at 20 units per acre on the area cut for bales and 15 units on the rest.
Potassium boost
There is still another round of potash to go on paddocks that need a potassium boost.
There were 330 bales in the last 50 acres of surplus grass (just over six bales to the acre) so there are now over 1,000 bales in the yard and the pit of first cut.
The farm will be walked Monday and a decision will be taken then whether supplement will be required to hold cover for another week or two.
Going topless
The construction work on the topless cubicles continues – that job is expected to cost in the region of €450 to €500 per cubicle for 260 cubicles.
Remember, the cost is being split 60:40 with the landowners as the business is just finishing year seven of a 15-year lease have started in early 2010.
The last milk test came in at 4.93% fat and 4.01% protein and yield is between 16 litres and 17 litres per day.
The lactose is holding up well at 4.85% and the most recent cell count was 167,000 cells/ml.
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