Average growth rates over the past week have been 42kg per day, which is less than half of the 10-year average for the same week. However, it has been a week of two halves, with cold harsh weather right up to last Sunday, but milder more growth-like weather since. The west coast was hit with heavy rain over the weekend which made grazing difficult.

The forecast for the next five days is for higher air temperatures with some scattered showers. This return to more seasonal temperatures should see growth rates rise. It is important to capture this growth potential, especially if you are behind in the area to be closed for silage. Getting nitrogen out now is crucial, particularly if you are behind on spreading to date and are short of grass too. Blanket-spreading the whole farm now will maximise growth rate across the farm over the next two weeks, as opposed to waiting for paddocks to graze before spreading. If under pressure for time, get a contractor in to spread it for you, or ask your contractor to provide someone to spread the fertiliser with your own machinery.

Rotation lengths should be set at 21 days from now on. The strip wires should be taken down and cows given access to as much grass as they will eat. This doesn’t mean you don’t make them clean out the paddocks. Target post-grazing height should be 3.5cm to 4cm – this will ensure quality in the next and subsequent rounds. It’s like putting away some money in a high interest rate deposit account – while you might lose out on some yield now, you will get more milk and better quality milk in the next few months because grass quality will be better as a result of tighter grazing now. Ideally, cows should get three grazings per paddock, unless you are really good at allocating grass in 12- or 24-hour breaks. Cow flow at milking will be better on shorter grazing intervals though.

  • Growth rates well behind normal levels.
  • Forecast is good for grass growth – warm and showery.
  • Blanket spread nitrogen if you’re short of grass.
  • Continue to clean out paddocks well.

    • Steven Fitzgerald

    Teagasc Curtins Farm

    Stocking rate (cows/ha) 3.74

    Growth rate (kg/day) 42

    Average farm cover (kg/ha) 675

    Yield (l/cow/day) 22.89

    Fat % 4.46

    Protein % 3.51

    Milk solids (kg/cow) 1.88

    Supplement fed (kg/cow/day) 0.2

    Although growth rate is below demand for the last week, regrowth rate over the weekend has been good and we expect growth and demand to be in balance for the week ahead. There has been a noticeable improvement in temperatures and growth so we are not taking any action this week.

    Cover per cow is 180kg. Just over 26% of the farm is closed for silage and this has been topped up with 70 units of nitrogen per acre. We started following the cows with 27 units of sulfaCAN since 1 May. We started AI on 27 April and 46% of the herd has been submitted in six days. Total meal fed to date is 180kg/cow.

    Aidan Lawless

    Teagasc Johnstown Castle

    Stocking rate (cows/ha) 3.91

    Growth rate (kg/day) 26

    Average farm cover (kg/ha) 717

    Yield (l/cow/day) 24.8

    Fat % 4.14

    Protein % 3.7

    Milk solids (kg/cow) 1.99

    Supplement fed (kg/cow/day) 2

    Growth has started to pick up but is still poor for the time of year. Rainfall for the past week was below average with 9.6mm, and soil temperatures were recorded at 9.3°C. With the improved forecast for the coming week and reasonable covers, we are reducing concentrate on the autumn calvers with the plan to be off concentrate by next week. We plan to spread 30kg N/ha on all grazing ground this week.

    We have provisionally closed some more silage ground; there is about 30% of the farm closed now. Depending on growth rates, we may close more. The plan is to cut this area for bales and keep the stocking rate at about 4.2 cows/ha for the summer.

    Cathal McAleer

    Omagh, Co Tyrone

    Stocking rate (cows/ha) 3.9

    Growth rate (kg/day) 38

    Average farm cover (kg/ha) 720

    Yield (l/cow/day) 27

    Fat % 4.05

    Protein % 3.3

    Milk solids (kg/cow) 2.04

    Supplement fed (kg/cow/day) 2

    Growth rate has been pretty steady over the past two weeks at around 40kg per day, which is lower than demand, with no supplement in at 66kg per day. We are feeding just 2kg per day now. We had been on 4kg but because the farm cover is comfortable at 185kg/cow I think we can afford to let it drop off a bit. The forecast is looking better anyway so I think growth rate will improve. We are spreading 30 units of nitrogen per acre. Breeding season started last Monday and is progressing well. I’m happy with condition score. I think the average is about 2.9. Late-calving cows and any problem cows are on once-a-day milking.

    Danny Bermingham

    Doonbeg, Co Clare

    Stocking rate (cows/ha) 2.99

    Growth rate (kg/day) 55

    Average farm cover (kg/ha) 654

    Yield (l/cow/day) 30

    Fat % 3.44

    Protein % 3.45

    Milk solids (kg/cow) 2.12

    Supplement fed (kg/cow/day) 4.5

    I got a good growth rate this week, well above demand, so I expect to be taking out more paddocks for silage next week. In the past, I would have cut these as soon as conditions allowed but this year I’m going to leave them bulk up a bit and get a heavier crop of bales in mid-May.

    Most of the silage comes from the out-farm but I normally make about 300 bales from the milking platform. I’m feeding a good bit of meal. I think I’m getting a return from it but at worse it is breakeven. I’ll pull it back as soon as cows go off-peak. I started AI on the cows on Tuesday and will start the heifers today.