Silage and meal continues to be fed on Tullamore Farm. This will be the fourth consecutive week that supplementation has been going in to feed cattle in the current drought conditions. Bales are dwindling in supply and two loads of hay were purchased last week at €35/bale delivered into the yard. The hay looks good quality and will act as an insurance policy for sheep for the winter feeding period. Some 120 bales of straw were purchased last week as well, again as an insurance policy at €30/bale delivered into the yard. While straw is economically not worth this, we need a certain amount to bed cows around calving time and also bed ewes at lambing time. Peat will be purchased to bed some of the sheds this week on Tullamore Farm.
Grass
Grass growth remains well below target at 24kg/DM/ha/day for the last seven days. Average farm cover went up a little to 422kg/DM/ha, but this is just as a result of cows and calves and store cattle being stood off in paddocks and fed silage and meal. It has been six weeks since fertiliser was spread and with rain forecast for the end of this week, the decision has been taken to spread a bag/acre of 18:6:12 across 120 acres of the farm later in the week. This is costing €350/t and €55/hour to spread it. Fertiliser is spread using GPS technology. Hopefully, this will kickstart grass once more rain arrives. We have two reseeded paddocks, both reseeded in May of this year.
The grass wedge remains under pressure with very little covers suitable for grazing on the farm.
Second-cut silage will be taken out early next week to see if a third cut is possible.
One paddock has been grazed and grass has struck very well, while the other is struggling. The decision with both of them is to graze out as soon as possible with lambs, top any weeds present after grazing and then spray if conditions allow. The last of the remaining 2017-born bulls will be slaughtered next week.
Silage and meal continues to be fed on Tullamore Farm. This will be the fourth consecutive week that supplementation has been going in to feed cattle in the current drought conditions. Bales are dwindling in supply and two loads of hay were purchased last week at €35/bale delivered into the yard. The hay looks good quality and will act as an insurance policy for sheep for the winter feeding period. Some 120 bales of straw were purchased last week as well, again as an insurance policy at €30/bale delivered into the yard. While straw is economically not worth this, we need a certain amount to bed cows around calving time and also bed ewes at lambing time. Peat will be purchased to bed some of the sheds this week on Tullamore Farm.
Grass
Grass growth remains well below target at 24kg/DM/ha/day for the last seven days. Average farm cover went up a little to 422kg/DM/ha, but this is just as a result of cows and calves and store cattle being stood off in paddocks and fed silage and meal. It has been six weeks since fertiliser was spread and with rain forecast for the end of this week, the decision has been taken to spread a bag/acre of 18:6:12 across 120 acres of the farm later in the week. This is costing €350/t and €55/hour to spread it. Fertiliser is spread using GPS technology. Hopefully, this will kickstart grass once more rain arrives. We have two reseeded paddocks, both reseeded in May of this year.
The grass wedge remains under pressure with very little covers suitable for grazing on the farm.
Second-cut silage will be taken out early next week to see if a third cut is possible.
One paddock has been grazed and grass has struck very well, while the other is struggling. The decision with both of them is to graze out as soon as possible with lambs, top any weeds present after grazing and then spray if conditions allow. The last of the remaining 2017-born bulls will be slaughtered next week.
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