The early part of this week saw widespread and heavy rain across the country. While many farms were glad to get it, heavier farms particularly in the north and west could have done without as much.
The response to the rain in terms of grass growth will depend largely on soil type. I would expect the rain will give a big boost to growth on dry farms while those on heavy farms should expect a drop in growth rate and farm cover, as utilisation will drop meaning cows will go through area faster.
That is the opposite of what we want to achieve now. Average farm cover should be increasing as we try to build up covers for the autumn. Theoretically, it should be easy to build up covers in August as, for the most part, growth exceeds demand. The average growth rate this week is 69kg/ha/day on our Grass+ farms, but there is a fair variation across these farms.
The key thing to stress is that every farm should have a target for where they need to be grass-wise in autumn. It all depends on stocking rate and, to greater or lesser degree, soil type.
Heavy farms will be reluctant to build up too much cover, but heavy farms shouldn’t be highly stocked so they shouldn’t have to have a high cover.
Average cover
At this stage, most farmers should target an average farm cover of around 250kg/cow. Multiply the cover per cow by the stocking rate to get the target per hectare. All the farm should be open for grazing now.
If farm cover is much higher than 250kg/cow, then cut out surplus grass as soon as possible to reduce demand. Consider moving replacements off the milking block if alternative land is available.
A lot of rain in the past week and a mixed forecast may reduce growth rates on heavy farms.Average farm cover should be around 250kg/cow now, but lower if stocking rate is lower.Average growth rates are good, well above demand so most farms should be building covers.
Teagasc Curtins Farm
Stocking rate (cows/ha) 2.96
Growth rate (kg/day) 55
Average farm cover (kg/cow) 250
Yield (l/cow/day) 18.4
Fat % 5.03
Protein % 3.90
Milk Solids (kg/cow) 1.69
Supplement fed (kg/cow/day) 0.2
We had a reasonably good week for growth and average farm cover is where we would like it to be, but demand is at 50kg/day so I’m not sure we will build much cover this week. We haven’t been spreading much nitrogen of late and some paddocks on the farm look hungry and a bit washed out. I think we will have to go in with more feed next week.
We are spreading 20 units/acre of nitrogen after grazing. We will probably blanket-spread with 20 units/acre in early September to give it a kick. We are scanning cows this week.
Teagasc Ballyhaise
Stocking rate (cows/ha) 3.23
Growth rate (kg/day) 89
Average farm cover (kg/cow) 246
Yield (l/cow/day) 16.7
Fat % 4.59
Protein % 3.74
Milk solids (kg/cow) 1.43
Supplement fed (kg/cow/day) 1
We got plenty of rain over the past week. It’s not affecting us too much yet but we wouldn’t need much more. The forecast isn’t great so we need to be careful. We are ahead of target in terms of average farm cover so we cautiously skipped over two paddocks but haven’t decided to cut them yet. We will decide next week. By then, there should still be less than 2,000kg on them so should still be OK for grazing. We have fed 250kg of meal to date. We weighed heifer calves and they are 146kg on average, so slightly behind target. Mean birth date is 5 March.
Shinagh Farm Bandon
Stocking rate (cows/ha) 3.08
Growth rate (kg/day) 102
Average farm cover (kg/cow) 295
Yield (l/cow/day) 15.31
Fat % 4.41
Protein % 4.01
Milk solids (kg/cow) 1.33
Supplement fed (kg/cow/day) 0
It’s been a great year for grass and we are up 1t/ha compared to the same period last year, with 12t/ha grown to date. We grew 15.2t/ha last year so we should do more than 16t/ha this year.
Farm cover is higher than we’d like but I’m slow to take out paddocks just yet, in case we will be short in a few weeks’ time. We will walk again on Friday and make a decision then. Cows are grazing covers of 1,700kg and getting three grazings per paddock. We are spreading 20 units/acre of CAN after grazing.
Dunmore East
Stocking rate (cows/ha) 3.24
Growth rate (kg/day) 55
Average farm cover (kg/cow) 241
Yield (l/cow/day) 19.97
Fat % 4.51
Protein % 3.87
Milk solids (kg/cow) 1.72
Supplement Fed (kg/cow/day) 2
The weather has been great all summer. We normally get a drought in early August but it lashed rain here all day Monday so growth rate should be good heading into the autumn. We had three paddocks of surplus from about two weeks ago that we decided to leave and we’re grazing them now. It’s helping to slow down the rotation length and build up average farm cover. We are grazing covers of about 1,600kg and quality is good but we will top the odd paddock if clean-out isn’t good. As a Galway man farming in Waterford, I’ll be happy with whoever wins the All-Ireland.
Read more
Heavy rain fails to dampen growth, for now
The early part of this week saw widespread and heavy rain across the country. While many farms were glad to get it, heavier farms particularly in the north and west could have done without as much.
The response to the rain in terms of grass growth will depend largely on soil type. I would expect the rain will give a big boost to growth on dry farms while those on heavy farms should expect a drop in growth rate and farm cover, as utilisation will drop meaning cows will go through area faster.
That is the opposite of what we want to achieve now. Average farm cover should be increasing as we try to build up covers for the autumn. Theoretically, it should be easy to build up covers in August as, for the most part, growth exceeds demand. The average growth rate this week is 69kg/ha/day on our Grass+ farms, but there is a fair variation across these farms.
The key thing to stress is that every farm should have a target for where they need to be grass-wise in autumn. It all depends on stocking rate and, to greater or lesser degree, soil type.
Heavy farms will be reluctant to build up too much cover, but heavy farms shouldn’t be highly stocked so they shouldn’t have to have a high cover.
Average cover
At this stage, most farmers should target an average farm cover of around 250kg/cow. Multiply the cover per cow by the stocking rate to get the target per hectare. All the farm should be open for grazing now.
If farm cover is much higher than 250kg/cow, then cut out surplus grass as soon as possible to reduce demand. Consider moving replacements off the milking block if alternative land is available.
A lot of rain in the past week and a mixed forecast may reduce growth rates on heavy farms.Average farm cover should be around 250kg/cow now, but lower if stocking rate is lower.Average growth rates are good, well above demand so most farms should be building covers.
Teagasc Curtins Farm
Stocking rate (cows/ha) 2.96
Growth rate (kg/day) 55
Average farm cover (kg/cow) 250
Yield (l/cow/day) 18.4
Fat % 5.03
Protein % 3.90
Milk Solids (kg/cow) 1.69
Supplement fed (kg/cow/day) 0.2
We had a reasonably good week for growth and average farm cover is where we would like it to be, but demand is at 50kg/day so I’m not sure we will build much cover this week. We haven’t been spreading much nitrogen of late and some paddocks on the farm look hungry and a bit washed out. I think we will have to go in with more feed next week.
We are spreading 20 units/acre of nitrogen after grazing. We will probably blanket-spread with 20 units/acre in early September to give it a kick. We are scanning cows this week.
Teagasc Ballyhaise
Stocking rate (cows/ha) 3.23
Growth rate (kg/day) 89
Average farm cover (kg/cow) 246
Yield (l/cow/day) 16.7
Fat % 4.59
Protein % 3.74
Milk solids (kg/cow) 1.43
Supplement fed (kg/cow/day) 1
We got plenty of rain over the past week. It’s not affecting us too much yet but we wouldn’t need much more. The forecast isn’t great so we need to be careful. We are ahead of target in terms of average farm cover so we cautiously skipped over two paddocks but haven’t decided to cut them yet. We will decide next week. By then, there should still be less than 2,000kg on them so should still be OK for grazing. We have fed 250kg of meal to date. We weighed heifer calves and they are 146kg on average, so slightly behind target. Mean birth date is 5 March.
Shinagh Farm Bandon
Stocking rate (cows/ha) 3.08
Growth rate (kg/day) 102
Average farm cover (kg/cow) 295
Yield (l/cow/day) 15.31
Fat % 4.41
Protein % 4.01
Milk solids (kg/cow) 1.33
Supplement fed (kg/cow/day) 0
It’s been a great year for grass and we are up 1t/ha compared to the same period last year, with 12t/ha grown to date. We grew 15.2t/ha last year so we should do more than 16t/ha this year.
Farm cover is higher than we’d like but I’m slow to take out paddocks just yet, in case we will be short in a few weeks’ time. We will walk again on Friday and make a decision then. Cows are grazing covers of 1,700kg and getting three grazings per paddock. We are spreading 20 units/acre of CAN after grazing.
Dunmore East
Stocking rate (cows/ha) 3.24
Growth rate (kg/day) 55
Average farm cover (kg/cow) 241
Yield (l/cow/day) 19.97
Fat % 4.51
Protein % 3.87
Milk solids (kg/cow) 1.72
Supplement Fed (kg/cow/day) 2
The weather has been great all summer. We normally get a drought in early August but it lashed rain here all day Monday so growth rate should be good heading into the autumn. We had three paddocks of surplus from about two weeks ago that we decided to leave and we’re grazing them now. It’s helping to slow down the rotation length and build up average farm cover. We are grazing covers of about 1,600kg and quality is good but we will top the odd paddock if clean-out isn’t good. As a Galway man farming in Waterford, I’ll be happy with whoever wins the All-Ireland.
Read more
Heavy rain fails to dampen growth, for now
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