All of the 140 yearling stock are now at grass on the Farmers Journal Thrive demo farm outside Cashel, Co. Tipperary. The heifers started going out on Thursday last in small batches as ground conditions had improved over the last week. The 65 heifers are in four batches on silage ground that needs grazing prior to closing up in early April.
Heifers grazing silage ground averaged 335kg at turnout.
A dry weekend meant that the 75 bullocks were soon to follow on Monday. Ground has dried out remarkably well in the past five to seven days. The bullocks are on the grazing ground in three batches, grazing some of the driest paddocks on the farm.
Bullocks averaged 350kg at turnout on Monday.
As ground conditions improve in the coming weeks the plan is to reduce the number of groups to two groups of heifers and two groups of bullocks, giving an average group size of around 35 animals.
There is plenty of grass on the farm with the average farm cover at over 900kgDM/ha last week. Over the last three weeks all the grazing ground has received 35 units of urea to help kick-start grass growth.
Ground conditions have improved significantly over the last week.
Turnout weight
All cattle were weighed prior the week prior to turnout with bullocks averaging just shy of 350kg having achieved a daily live weight gain of 1.17kg/d over the winter period. The heifers managed in excess of 1kg/d daily live weight gain and head to grass at an average weight of just over 335kg.
Concentrates had been fed at a rate of 2kg/hd over the winter period fed alongside 76DMD first cut grass silage. Meal feeding ceased about a month prior to turnout to ease the transition from the indoor, to grass diet.
All of the 140 yearling stock are now at grass on the Farmers Journal Thrive demo farm outside Cashel, Co. Tipperary. The heifers started going out on Thursday last in small batches as ground conditions had improved over the last week. The 65 heifers are in four batches on silage ground that needs grazing prior to closing up in early April.
Heifers grazing silage ground averaged 335kg at turnout.
A dry weekend meant that the 75 bullocks were soon to follow on Monday. Ground has dried out remarkably well in the past five to seven days. The bullocks are on the grazing ground in three batches, grazing some of the driest paddocks on the farm.
Bullocks averaged 350kg at turnout on Monday.
As ground conditions improve in the coming weeks the plan is to reduce the number of groups to two groups of heifers and two groups of bullocks, giving an average group size of around 35 animals.
There is plenty of grass on the farm with the average farm cover at over 900kgDM/ha last week. Over the last three weeks all the grazing ground has received 35 units of urea to help kick-start grass growth.
Ground conditions have improved significantly over the last week.
Turnout weight
All cattle were weighed prior the week prior to turnout with bullocks averaging just shy of 350kg having achieved a daily live weight gain of 1.17kg/d over the winter period. The heifers managed in excess of 1kg/d daily live weight gain and head to grass at an average weight of just over 335kg.
Concentrates had been fed at a rate of 2kg/hd over the winter period fed alongside 76DMD first cut grass silage. Meal feeding ceased about a month prior to turnout to ease the transition from the indoor, to grass diet.
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