It could take a few days before grass cover data hits the pasture database from Clare farmers this week. It’s been a long time since Clare has been on top, and it feels just as long since grass growth has been back on track.

The moist and muggy conditions over the last five to six days are just what the grass needs. Additionally, farmers in derogation now have 5% more nitrogen fertiliser to spread than previously planned. It’s crucial to use it now, as regrowth is high. Growth rate the last week, and for the coming week, should peak demand.

Second-cut silage has only been plodding along for the last few weeks, but this will change quickly in these conditions. Get out and walk it, to see if it’s fit to cut. This will give you the opportunity for a third cut if required, or else a chance to zero-graze it back to the dairy cows, helping to build covers as well as helping to reduce meal feeding.

Many farmers still have quite a few paddocks that are stemmy in nature, an opportunity to mow these out for bales or pre-mow for the cows might be feasible in this rotation. Time is ticking, so get some of these paddocks corrected before we will have to start building covers for the autumn.

If you opt to top these paddocks post-grazing, make sure you have the mower low enough to cut the sward at the base. Having the mower too high will make the paddock look good, but you haven’t actually corrected the stemmy butt. Also, it should be done as soon as the cows exit the paddock, to prevent slowing down regrowths.

Sward watch

Brian Hogan, Horse and Jockey, Co Tipperary

We managed to keep growth slightly ahead of demand over the last few weeks. But it was a struggle. We went from a 16-17-day rotation to 21 days, to llow paddocks a chance to reach pre-grazing covers of 1,400-1,450kg DM/ha. Growth this week is 11kg DM/ha ahead of demand. We’ve corrected a good few paddocks over the last few rotations, so quality is generally very good, with only a handful needing attention. Although, milk yield is back on this time last year. I’m planning on getting my second cut mowed down at the end of the week. Re-growths on it were slow, but it seems to be coming along nicely now.

Stocking Rate (cow/ha): 3.15

Growth Rate (kg/day): 69

Average Farm Cover (kg/cow): 200

Yield (l/cow): 21

Fat%: 4.25

Protein%: 3.69

Milk Solids (kg/cow): 1.72

Concentrates: 0.5

Peter Mongey, Slane, Co Meath

There has been a big jump in growth the last week, with the farm just starting to take off. Cows are grazing covers of 1,350-1,400kg DM/ha, with a lot of paddocks around the 1,000kg DM/ha, so the farm is in a good place. Every paddock has had some mechanical intervention, so grass quality is super.

Cows are milking very well. We off-loaded 20 cows last week, with a few more to go in the next few weeks. This will help reduce the demand further, allowing us to build covers more easily for the autumn.

Second-cut silage is mowed down and should be pitted this Wednesday.

Stocking Rate (cow/ha): 3.5

Growth Rate (kg/day): 69

Average Farm Cover (kg/cow): 180

Yield (l/cow): 24

Fat%: 4.34

Protein%: 3.77

Milk Solids (kg/cow): 2

Concentrates: 3

Tom and Micheal Dunne, Kilworth, Co Cork

Growth has been very slow. It’s only this week that we’re seeing an improvement. We’ve been managing by reducing our stocking rate and feeding palm kernel. We never went above 3.4 LU/ha on the milking platform and we intend to reduce this further by selling culls early, to help build up covers.

Second-cut silage will be cut next week to allow paddocks to recover enough for our heifers to graze it in the autumn.

A fodder budget was done recently and once the second cut comes in, we will have enough for a four-month winter. Bur if surpluses arise on the platform, we will bale this too.

Stocking Rate (cow/ha): 3.3

Growth Rate (kg/day): 65

Average Farm Cover (kg/cow): 186

Yield (l/cow): 20.1

Fat%: 4.09

Protein%: 3.64

Milk Solids (kg/cow): 1.6

Concentrates: 3