Average grass growth continues to decrease week-on-week. It now stands at 21kg DM/ha/day on our measuring farms, still twice the 10-year average.
While the last few weeks’ weather was close to perfect for late-season grazing, Tuesday saw heavy downpours across much of the country and ground conditions were quick to deteriorate.
Those on heavier ground should be nearing completion of their final grazing rotation at this point. Indeed, Tuesday’s rain may have brought a premature end to their grazing season.
Before making the decision to go back out and complete the rotation, take a couple of things into account. Tomorrow (Friday) is set to be a wet one and ground conditions may become a big issue.
Also, look at your farm’s grass cover. Is it on target? In spring-calving herds, particularly those with a tight calving pattern, a low opening farm cover could leave us chasing our tails: we suddenly go from zero, to a rapidly growing demand for grass. Re-housing young calves, as we’re all aware, isn’t ideal. Sure, a good March will provide instant relief, but can we rely on that?
If you’re not hitting your targets, is it worthwhile carrying over some of these un-grazed paddocks? Think of location and ease of access next year. Feeding value will be sub-optimal, but they may provide relief in a slow spring where opening cover is low.
Many avoid carrying big covers of grass over the winter for fear of frost losses.
At a recent farm walk, Teagasc grassland specialist Mike Egan pointed out that it has been six years since our last exceptionally cold winter period and the losses would be, at worst, 20% in such a scenario.
“Eighty percent of something is better than 0% of nothing,” he warned.
Key points
Growth rate 21kg DM/ha/day.Heavier farms nearing end of final rotation.In extremely cold winter, potential grass losses max. 20%.James Kenneally
Co Cork
Land type - dry
We had a full day of persistent rain on Tuesday. It did little to affect ground conditions, though, after three fantastic weeks. Grazing is coming to an end here. As of today, around 70% of my grazing ground is shut for the winter. Weanling bulls and heifers will be in by the weekend, and I hope to get another fortnight outside with dry cows.
I’m heading into the winter with a healthy bank of grass. If ground allows, I’ll be looking to get yearlings to grass in mid-February. If things turn out wet, I’ll re-house. It might seem like hardship, but I’ve a good grazing infrastructure and every day outside leaves more in my pocket. My first calf will be hitting the ground at the end of January.
Paddocks around the yard were closed up first, so as to have grass there for turning out.
Weanlings will get a final 2016 worm dose two weeks post-housing. I’m not planning any fluke treatments – my factory reports and faecal samples show no signs, nor is there any evidence of ill thrive on the animal end.
Tom Halpin
Co Meath
Land type - dry
We began closing up the farm on 10 October and have more than 80% shut up as of today. At this point, weanling spring-born bulls and store heifers are still outdoors. They’ll be in within the next 10 days. The weather has facilitated good, tight grazings since we began to close. As a result, what’s coming behind cattle is good and fresh.
I’ll admit that I’m tempted to begin another rotation, given the conditions, but my experience in the BETTER farm programme has opened my eyes to the benefits of spring grazing. I’ll get young stock out around Valentine’s Day. Calving begins on 10 February, and I hope to be able to turn out as they come.
The first of my 2015 summer-born bulls were slaughtered under-16-months this week. Carcasses graded U and weighed around 410kg. All were priced on the grid and quality assured. Breeding season has just finished for my summer cow herd, with bulls taken out on Saturday. I’ve noticed one heifer in heat since Saturday. I’ll scan them in a month’s time.
Des Beirne
Co Longford
Land type - heavy
Growth this week is down, at 14kg DM/ha/day. Our farm cover is under 500kg DM/ha, which is slightly back on our target. Last year I closed up at 720kg DM/ha. Cattle are in their last paddock at present and after Tuesday’s rain there is some damage being done to the sod.
Our home block grew just under 16 tonnes of grass dry matter per hectare this year, which is slightly back on 2015. I put this down to the weather: our wetter ground became completely waterlogged for periods. Paddocks in these spots were down three to four tonnes for the year.
In the spring, I’ll graze my heaviest covers first and get 2,000 gallons to 2,500 gallons of slurry out on the lighter ones. I’ll follow grazings with slurry too.
We had issues with fluke in heifers on a wet outfarm recently. Their thrive was bad and you could see it in their hair. Although nothing showed up on faecal samples – which often miss immature fluke – they’ve responded extremely well to treatments. Daily growth rates have quadrupled to 0.9kg.
Matthew Murphy
Newford Herd, Co Galway
Land type - mixed
As of Wednesday, 99% of the farm is closed for the winter. However, average farm cover is 560kg DM/ha, which is a bit back on where we need to be. With such a tight calving pattern, we will have a sudden jump in demand for grass as cows turn out next spring.
All cows have now been weaned. Average weaning date was 18 October. Male calves weighed in at 308kg (ADG 1.26kg from birth), with females weighing 298kg (ADG 1.19kg from birth). Housing weights on 28 October were 332kg and 316kg for males and females respectively. Calves received 2kg of concentrates at grass up to housing.
Elsewhere, eight steers were slaughtered last week at 19 months of age. They averaged a 354kg carcase, killing out at 52%. There were seven R grades and one U grade.
Seventeen heifers were also slaughtered at a similar age, averaging a 303kg carcase and a kill out of 51%. There were 14 R, two U and one O grade (a dairy cross heifer that did not go in-calf) in the batch.
Read more
Grass+ dairy: grazing year coming to an end for 2016
Average grass growth continues to decrease week-on-week. It now stands at 21kg DM/ha/day on our measuring farms, still twice the 10-year average.
While the last few weeks’ weather was close to perfect for late-season grazing, Tuesday saw heavy downpours across much of the country and ground conditions were quick to deteriorate.
Those on heavier ground should be nearing completion of their final grazing rotation at this point. Indeed, Tuesday’s rain may have brought a premature end to their grazing season.
Before making the decision to go back out and complete the rotation, take a couple of things into account. Tomorrow (Friday) is set to be a wet one and ground conditions may become a big issue.
Also, look at your farm’s grass cover. Is it on target? In spring-calving herds, particularly those with a tight calving pattern, a low opening farm cover could leave us chasing our tails: we suddenly go from zero, to a rapidly growing demand for grass. Re-housing young calves, as we’re all aware, isn’t ideal. Sure, a good March will provide instant relief, but can we rely on that?
If you’re not hitting your targets, is it worthwhile carrying over some of these un-grazed paddocks? Think of location and ease of access next year. Feeding value will be sub-optimal, but they may provide relief in a slow spring where opening cover is low.
Many avoid carrying big covers of grass over the winter for fear of frost losses.
At a recent farm walk, Teagasc grassland specialist Mike Egan pointed out that it has been six years since our last exceptionally cold winter period and the losses would be, at worst, 20% in such a scenario.
“Eighty percent of something is better than 0% of nothing,” he warned.
Key points
Growth rate 21kg DM/ha/day.Heavier farms nearing end of final rotation.In extremely cold winter, potential grass losses max. 20%.James Kenneally
Co Cork
Land type - dry
We had a full day of persistent rain on Tuesday. It did little to affect ground conditions, though, after three fantastic weeks. Grazing is coming to an end here. As of today, around 70% of my grazing ground is shut for the winter. Weanling bulls and heifers will be in by the weekend, and I hope to get another fortnight outside with dry cows.
I’m heading into the winter with a healthy bank of grass. If ground allows, I’ll be looking to get yearlings to grass in mid-February. If things turn out wet, I’ll re-house. It might seem like hardship, but I’ve a good grazing infrastructure and every day outside leaves more in my pocket. My first calf will be hitting the ground at the end of January.
Paddocks around the yard were closed up first, so as to have grass there for turning out.
Weanlings will get a final 2016 worm dose two weeks post-housing. I’m not planning any fluke treatments – my factory reports and faecal samples show no signs, nor is there any evidence of ill thrive on the animal end.
Tom Halpin
Co Meath
Land type - dry
We began closing up the farm on 10 October and have more than 80% shut up as of today. At this point, weanling spring-born bulls and store heifers are still outdoors. They’ll be in within the next 10 days. The weather has facilitated good, tight grazings since we began to close. As a result, what’s coming behind cattle is good and fresh.
I’ll admit that I’m tempted to begin another rotation, given the conditions, but my experience in the BETTER farm programme has opened my eyes to the benefits of spring grazing. I’ll get young stock out around Valentine’s Day. Calving begins on 10 February, and I hope to be able to turn out as they come.
The first of my 2015 summer-born bulls were slaughtered under-16-months this week. Carcasses graded U and weighed around 410kg. All were priced on the grid and quality assured. Breeding season has just finished for my summer cow herd, with bulls taken out on Saturday. I’ve noticed one heifer in heat since Saturday. I’ll scan them in a month’s time.
Des Beirne
Co Longford
Land type - heavy
Growth this week is down, at 14kg DM/ha/day. Our farm cover is under 500kg DM/ha, which is slightly back on our target. Last year I closed up at 720kg DM/ha. Cattle are in their last paddock at present and after Tuesday’s rain there is some damage being done to the sod.
Our home block grew just under 16 tonnes of grass dry matter per hectare this year, which is slightly back on 2015. I put this down to the weather: our wetter ground became completely waterlogged for periods. Paddocks in these spots were down three to four tonnes for the year.
In the spring, I’ll graze my heaviest covers first and get 2,000 gallons to 2,500 gallons of slurry out on the lighter ones. I’ll follow grazings with slurry too.
We had issues with fluke in heifers on a wet outfarm recently. Their thrive was bad and you could see it in their hair. Although nothing showed up on faecal samples – which often miss immature fluke – they’ve responded extremely well to treatments. Daily growth rates have quadrupled to 0.9kg.
Matthew Murphy
Newford Herd, Co Galway
Land type - mixed
As of Wednesday, 99% of the farm is closed for the winter. However, average farm cover is 560kg DM/ha, which is a bit back on where we need to be. With such a tight calving pattern, we will have a sudden jump in demand for grass as cows turn out next spring.
All cows have now been weaned. Average weaning date was 18 October. Male calves weighed in at 308kg (ADG 1.26kg from birth), with females weighing 298kg (ADG 1.19kg from birth). Housing weights on 28 October were 332kg and 316kg for males and females respectively. Calves received 2kg of concentrates at grass up to housing.
Elsewhere, eight steers were slaughtered last week at 19 months of age. They averaged a 354kg carcase, killing out at 52%. There were seven R grades and one U grade.
Seventeen heifers were also slaughtered at a similar age, averaging a 303kg carcase and a kill out of 51%. There were 14 R, two U and one O grade (a dairy cross heifer that did not go in-calf) in the batch.
Read more
Grass+ dairy: grazing year coming to an end for 2016
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