ground conditions

Farmer Writes: I'd rather house the cows than run short of grass in spring

Both the in-calf heifers and the bulls should have enough grass ahead of them to keep them outside until close to Christmas, writes Padraig Callanan.

FARMER WRITES 11 November 2026

Farmer Writes: I'd rather house the cows than run short of grass in spring

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The final curtain for the 2026 grazing season

The final curtain for the 2026 grazing season

GRASS & FEEDING 11 November 2026

Sticking to grass budget critical as growth drops off

Sticking to grass budget critical as growth drops off

MANAGEMENT 9 November 2026

Weather supporting bounce in store lamb prices

Weather supporting bounce in store lamb prices

Weather supporting bounce in store lamb prices

NEWS 4 November 2026

Dry conditions allowing for extended grazing

Dry conditions allowing for extended grazing

Dry conditions allowing for extended grazing

GRASS & FEEDING 4 November 2026

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Grass+ Beef: ground conditions improve for those still at grass

Grass+ Beef: ground conditions improve for those still at grass

A relatively dry few days with more to follow has made getting decent graze outs more achievable for those still at grass.

GRASS & FEEDING 4 November 2026

Grass+ Beef: every day a bonus from now

Grass+ Beef: every day a bonus from now

For many farmers having cattle still out in November is a bonus, but caution has to be exercised over grass covers.

GRASS & FEEDING 28 October 2026

Grass+ Beef: closing paddocks as growth drops

Grass+ Beef: closing paddocks as growth drops

Many suckler herds are in the last third of their last round of grazing for 2026, with farmers in lighter ground getting away for a few weeks extra.

GRASS & FEEDING 21 October 2026

Making the most of autumn grass in wet conditions

Making the most of autumn grass in wet conditions

Sticking to autumn targets from now to 1 December will extend the grazing season this autumn while providing enough grass for next spring writes Brendan Horan.

GRASS & FEEDING 21 October 2026

Grass+ Beef: growth consistent but ground conditions less so

Grass+ Beef: growth consistent but ground conditions less so

Ground is starting to get sticky along the west, but farmers east of the Shannon are coping well despite cattle flying through covers of grass.

GRASS & FEEDING 7 October 2026

The Grass Week: heavy rain hampers intakes

The Grass Week: heavy rain hampers intakes

Heavy rain on Friday and earlier in the week has caused grass dry matter to fall even further and is making good graze out a challenge.

GRASS & FEEDING 3 October 2026

Dairy Management: wintering options, fertiliser and slurry deadlines

Dairy Management: wintering options, fertiliser and slurry deadlines

Brendan Horan writes about management options to reduce winter feed deficits.

MANAGEMENT 23 September 2026

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National Dairy Conference: how can Irish dairy farming be made more resilient?

This year has presented numerous challenges to dairy farming including reduced milk prices, summer drought conditions in many areas, and ongoing pressures of production costs and labour availability.

National Dairy Conference: how can Irish dairy farming be made more resilient?

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