Farmer Writes: exceptional grazing conditions

Grass and grazing conditions are still exceptional here in Abbeyleix for this time of year. Our average farm cover last week was 1,000kg DM/ha, with a growth rate of 50kg DM/ha. This growth rate is double what we had for the same period in the last two years.

We had 13mm of rain two weeks ago and that did make grazing a bit messier for a day or two, as they were on a heavier paddock too. But since then grazing conditions have been fantastic, with the cows grazing the paddocks out 100%. We had 117mm of rain in September and October this year, compared to 277mm last year and 341mm in 2022, but I think we deserve it after those two backends.

We got two wetter paddocks grazed at the end of last week and they barely left a mark on them, which would be very unusual for this time of year, but great to get them grazed so cleanly and set up well for next spring.

We dried off the first batch of cows last week and will be drying off another 24 tomorrow. Sixty per cent of the cows will be getting a teat sealer this year. The cows get dosed with Zerofen and given a pour-on for lice and flies after drying-off, and go into the cubicles with hay for one week, to dry them up well.

With cow numbers reducing every week now, we are able stay at the 3kg of nuts and two bales per day. The bales are still being fed in the field after each milking with the bale un-winder, with zero damage and no silage wasted, a massive bonus for November.

It looks like we will have eight grazings left, but it will depend on average farm cover. I want to close at around 850-900kg DM/ha on the 1 December to open near 1,100kg DM/ha on the 1 February, as we have a high demand in the spring and can get out grazing straight away. I haven’t decided whether I will stay out full-time and graze it off or go in at night and stretch it out a bit longer, this will probably depend on the weather more than anything.

The cows are currently averaging 14l at 5.40% fat and 4.35% protein, with the SCC hovering around 100,000.

The heifers are still out on the outblock, with it being so mild and dry and have been getting one bale of silage per day for the last two weeks. They will be coming home this weekend, as it looks like rain is coming next week and it would be terrible to damage the ground now, after getting on so well.

We got our shed erected last week and it is now ready for sheeting, which will hopefully happen next week. We also got the walls at the back of the milking parlour cut out and removed this week, to have that job done and out of the way for when we start digging out for the new collecting yard tank.

The time for doing this has come around very quickly, the last few months seem to have flown. The good weather probably kept us busy and allowed us to enjoy the work a bit more.