All farmers should be assessing their own feed plans in order to establish whether cows are maximising grass utilisation, if parlours are allocating the correct level of concentrate, and most importantly, whether cow body condition is on target. Given the financial pressure on all dairy farms, we cannot afford to miss the cost saving advantage grazed grass provides. Project farmers are constantly striving to cut cost. However, grass quality must be on target to maximise this advantage.

Grass quality

Low-quality grass not managed correctly from the start of the grazing season cannot be expected to produce any significant quantity of milk. Getting grass management correct is paramount at this time of the year, and where necessary paddocks that have gone too far for grazing should be removed from the rotation for silage as bales, or clamped if it coincides with silage-making on the farm. Mowing this grass will remove the hard stem and allow higher-quality re-growth to emerge. It will also create a short-term increase in stocking density on the block, which will allow the cows themselves to maintain grass quality on the remaining area. Numerous grass samples have been taken from the grazing block on all project farms, with similar results returned, high energy and very digestible grass at 12.2 M.E and 78 D- Value.

Over the past fortnight, project farmers have been targeting slightly lower pre-grazing covers of 1,300-1,400 kg DM/ha available. This is simply to maintain grass quality and ensure grass does not go to stem.

Bill Brown in Co Down has started pre mowing grass in paddocks which have re-grown very quickly over the past fortnight with some stem now in the sward. Targeting a post-grazing cover of 1,600-1,650kg/ha (100-150kg/ha available) residual cover is a challenge. However, this guarantees cows are grazing top-quality material for the next rotation.

For farmers not measuring grass, a simple welly boot guide can be used to help target this.

Stocking rate is all important at this time of year. With maximum grass growth, grazing blocks can sustain 4 cows/ha and still have residual grass. Project farmer Kevin McGrade removed 150 silage bales from the grazing block last week. Yes, yield was low at three to four bales per acre, but quality was high and this area is now growing again and will be pulled back into the grazing block.

Re-growth quality will be high, allowing Kevin to produce all milk from grazed grass for the next two months (refer to Dairylink weekly table – no concentrate being fed).

Farmer Focus: Nigel and Richard Corbett, Dromara, Co Down

Nigel and Richard have improved the grass management on their farm over the past 12 months. Using more grass and cutting out costly concentrate has been the focus for this farm since grazing started this year.

Weekly measurement has highlighted many issues on the grazing block like under-performing grass swards, infrastructure improvements required, and areas of drainage needed. However, the key advantage of the weekly walk is the monitoring of growth on the grazing area, and making decisions based on this information to ensure grass quality and daily allocation is on target for the herd.

Currently cows are consuming 17kg DM/day of good- quality grass 12.2M.E and 21.8% protein and a D-Value of 78. Based on Nigel’s allocation to the herd and residual grass left in the paddocks cows are utilising 17kg DM/ha/day which is sufficient energy to sustain 26 litres of milk and also provide cow maintenance for the Holstein herd. The herd this week are producing an average output of 28.8 litres/cow/day with butterfat at 3.87%, and 3.35% protein.

Similar to most dairy farmers, Nigel is concerned about the poor return from the business due to a combination of inflated costs and the poor milk price currently received on the farm. However, Nigel comments: “ Based on the same 30-day period last year, we have fed 7t less concentrate. That’s a saving of £1,500. Getting the herd out earlier this year has allowed us to stay on top of grass quality and push milk produced from forage.”