Grazing
Darren Carty on 16 Apr 2021
Traditional hay meadows should now be closed
Grazing is prohibited on GLAS traditional hay meadows from 15 April until after the meadow is mown annually, which must be after 1 July.
Kieran Mailey on 14 Apr 2021
NI Sheep Programme: mid-season lambing round-up
With mid-season lambing in full swing, Kieran Mailey gives an update from some of the upland and hill flocks in the programme.
Kieran Mailey on 14 Apr 2021
A beginner’s guide to paddock grazing
It takes time to get to grips with setting up paddocks and starting to rotationally graze cattle. Kieran Mailey outlines 10 tips for beginners to follow.
Aidan Brennan on 14 Apr 2021
Top tips for a successful breeding season on dairy farms
With the main dairy breeding season only a few weeks away, Aidan Brennan has some top tips in order to get the best results.
Adam Woods on 14 Apr 2021
Beef management: getting ready for breeding, dosing and silage budgeting
Adam Woods takes a look at managing tight grass supplies, silage budgeting, dosing grazing animals and getting ready for breeding.
Peter McCann on 14 Apr 2021
Scientist questions stocking rate method
The livestock unit system does not consider factors such as the duration of grazing and the type of livestock used
on 14 Apr 2021
Grass+: slow growth and falling average farm covers
John Crowe and Declan Marren discuss the effects the cold weather is having on grass growth
David Wright on 14 Apr 2021
Poots questions support for lowland sucklers
Future incentives for producers to keep sucklers might be targeted at hill areas in NI.
Declan Marren on 14 Apr 2021
Watch: grazing update from Thrive demo farm
Declan Marren outlines the grazing plan on the demo farm for the next few weeks as yearling cattle graze heavier grass covers at the end of the first rotation.
Declan Marren on 13 Apr 2021
Watch: Thrive dairy calf to beef special
Declan Marren outlines the 20-page Thrive special, available free inside this week’s Irish Farmers Journal.
Declan Marren on 10 Apr 2021
Thrive: hitting growth targets with yearlings at grass
Performance at grass for the first six to eight weeks post turnout is often the greatest of the year. It is important to have good grass ahead of stock at all times to maximise this thrive.
Kieran Mailey on 10 Apr 2021
Five cattle management jobs to complete at turnout
As more cattle start filtering back to grass, Kieran Mailey outlines some management tasks to complete as cattle leave the shed.
on 10 Apr 2021
The Grass Week: temperatures are on the rise for early next week
John Crowe discusses the importance of a weekly grass walk to assess grass availability as many look to start the second rotation.
Kieran Mailey on 07 Apr 2021
Five tips for a successful breeding season
With breeding due to start in May for spring calving herds, Kieran Mailey outlines five tips for getting cows back in-calf.
on 07 Apr 2021
Grass+Dairy: growth rates to slow as cold weather persists
John Crowe and Declan Marren discuss starting the second rotation and keeping quality grass in the diet
Declan Marren on 07 Apr 2021
Thrive: focus on 4cm post-grazing sward height in first grazing
With grazing conditions improving and the number of cattle at grass increasing over the coming days, the focus must now turn to achieving a good graze-out on pasture ground.
Kieran Mailey on 03 Apr 2021
Five tips for reducing the risk of tetany in suckler cows
Spring is a period when weather can be extremely variable, putting suckler cows sucking a calf at a higher risk of grass tetany. Following the outlined tips can reduce this risk.
Niall Hurson on 02 Apr 2021
Agri jobs: dairy farm operatives required
We take a look at the latest jobs available in the agri sector. This week, there is a selection of jobs available to dairy farm workers.
Adam Woods on 01 Apr 2021
Tetany issues on beef farms as weather takes a turn
Beef editor Adam Woods has some advice for farmers on tetany.
Kieran Mailey on 31 Mar 2021
NI Sheep Programme: lambing well advanced on lowland farms
Three of the programme farms operate early lambing flocks and apart from weather challenges, the farms have experienced few problems this spring.