Mid-year Dairylink Ireland update: drainage in Co Cavan

More grass, more milk and more profit describes the model of production David Brady is working towards on his farm outside Stradone, Co Cavan.

Milk output is up 300 litres per day for the same period last year. Meal feeding level has remained similar to last year and grass growth has increased by 0.3t/ha.

In monetary terms, total farm output has been pushed up with higher output and a better milk price received. On the cost side, more chemical fertiliser has been purchased and David has invested cash reserves and some borrowed money into land improvement which ultimately has increased the cost base for the business.

The improved land will allow David to carry more stock and subsequently increase farm output, which will help cover the cost of the farm improvement.

This Cavan farm has a grazing block of 28ha, which is the most critical resource on the farm, maximising performance in terms of grass growth, and stocking rate ultimately determines profitability on this farm.

The cow type on the farm is black and white Holstein Friesian, with the breeding policy focused on holding herd milk output, while at the same time increasing milk solids and improving the fertility performance of the herd.

High-EBI sires have been selected for the herd. The sire FJM (sexed female) has been used on maiden heifers, with FR2032 and FR2005 the two sires mainly used on the milking herd.

Stocking rate on the platform is currently 2.9 cows/ha, with an out-block used for replacement heifers and silage. With the improvement work and reseeding, David hopes to push this to around 3.2 cows/ha next year.

Based on projected milk solids, this will take total solids to 1,370kg/ha for the farm. Maximising growth on this farm is key. Yes, weather conditions play a major role in grass growth, but soil fertility must be correct (or at the very least the farmer should be attempting to correct it) in order to capitalise on the grass growth.

Soil analysis in 2015 revealed significant shortfalls for key nutrients on the farm. The primary problem area on the farm is soil phosphorus (P), with 80% of the farm highlighted low for P.

Based on 2017 soil analysis, fertility has improved. However, P deficiency is still holding the farm back. Last year, this platform had an average growth of 9.5 tonnes DM/ha.

The area I reseeded at the end of May is now at the same stage as the paddocks reseeded three weeks earlier. Unusually dry conditions have held back the early reseeds. However, I am confident the grass will now push on and I plan to be grazing in the first week of July if ground conditions allow.

I topped up fertiliser on the early reseed paddocks with 18:6:12 last week and plan to spray for weeds within the next fortnight. Heavy downpours of rain in this area have made ground conditions sticky and drainage work in the reseeded paddocks has had to start earlier than expected.

I have six acres on the grazing block which has been fully drained with gravel tunnels and collector drains, adding approximately €1,500 /acre of cost to the improvement job. This area has been reseeded and fenced. Grass varieties used are 30% tetraploid and 70% diploid, with Abergain, Aberchoice and Abermagic used.

So far this year, grass growth has been level, with no real peak in growth. The highest growth recorded so far has been an average 85kg/day. I have 85 bales made from the grazing platform, even with the area out for reseeding.

Nitrogen (N) use has been increased this year and it has improved grass quality with less stem in the sward. Last year, I reduced N to control growth, whereas this year I have pushed on with N and baled surplus grass from the platform to keep better quality. The 6.5ha reseeded will come into the grazing rotation in July and should provide at least seven days’ grazing for the herd. This will provide another window to skip paddocks and bale the surplus.

Breeding started this year on 5 May for the cows and heifers. This year, I have 23 replacement heifers. I used sexed semen on the replacements for the first service and then a cleanup stock bull. In the main milking herd, we submitted 82% of the herd to AI in the first four weeks and then an Angus bull was let run with the herd.