The average growth rate this week is 41 kg DM/day. Cold weather and shorter daylight hours have started to affect growth. Many farmers have seen demand surpass growth in the last week. This will result in the average farm cover (AFC) falling over the coming week.

As October begins, farms on heavier soils are entering the last grazing rotation, while drier farms should aim to close paddocks from 8 October. The key focus during this period is ensuring high-quality grass is available next spring.

The 70:30 planner is a valuable tool for extending grazing in the autumn while also preserving grass for the spring. The goal is to have 70% of the farm grazed and closed by 1 November, with the remaining 30% grazed throughout November.

Remember, the first paddocks closed this autumn will have the heaviest covers next spring. Therefore, these paddocks should be furthest from the yard, dry, easily accessible and should be grazed from 1 March to St Patrick’s day.

The next paddocks should be closed from the 20 October to 1 November. These will be the first paddocks grazed next spring closest to the yard, dry and good access.

The final 30% to be grazed should be awkward paddocks furthest from the yard, that will be grazed at the end of the first rotation, usually slower growing paddocks and where access isn’t as good.

Clover paddocks, in particular, need attention before winter. Clover requires light at the base to survive the cold months, so leaving heavy covers can smother it out.

Ideally, these paddocks should be grazed during the final days of the rotation, but if late-November proves as wet as last year, aim to graze them tightly by the last week of October or early November, avoiding poaching where possible.

Swardwatch

  • Final date of slurry application has passed, and only soiled water from a stand-alone soiled water tanks can be spread up until 1 December.
  • Winter/liquid milk producers can spread soiled water up until 10 December.
  • Reintroduce the strip wire to improve utilisation and hit target residuals.
  • Complete an autumn 70:30 planner on PastureBase Ireland and start closing paddocks from early October on heavy soil farms and from 8 October on dry farms.

    • Farmers

    Sean Kelly – Kilruane, Co Tipperary

    Grass is tight, so we have introduced palm kernel. Initially, the cows were slow to take to it, but they’re gradually developing a taste. With the AFC low and a target opening cover of 1,100kg DM/ha for 2025, we’ll begin housing the cows at night from Sunday, while continuing to graze during the day.

    To date, cows have produced 433kg of milk solids and are still milking well, though we are slightly behind last year’s numbers. This was our first year using SenseHub collars, and our empty rate was 6%. Heifers on the FTAI sexed programme had a 71% conception rate. We have grown 13 tonnes of grass to-date.

    Stocking Rate (cow/ha) 3.48

    Growth Rate (kg/day) 46

    Average Farm Cover (kg/cow) 186

    Yield (l/cow) 19

    Fat% 5.25

    Protein% 4.23

    Milk Solids (kg/cow) 1.86

    Concentrates 6

    John Joe Collins – Teagasc Ballyhaise, Co Cavan

    We are slightly behind target for average farm cover but we plan to graze hard until around 20 October, after which we’ll house cows at night and graze them by day.

    Currently, cows are grazing the wettest paddocks while ground conditions allow. We have grown 11 tonnes of grass so far. Pre-grazing yields are between 1,700-1,800 kg DM/ha.

    Since mid-August, we’ve introduced bloat oil to the cows in the clover trial, and straw is available in a round feeder after milking, as they return to the paddock. The cows were vaccinated for salmonella last week, and the heifers will receive their booster shot next week.

    Stocking Rate (cow/ha) 2.72

    Growth Rate (kg/day) 35

    Average Farm Cover (kg/cow) 300

    Yield (l/cow) 17.6

    Fat% 5.10

    Protein% 4.21

    Milk Solids (kg/cow) 1.65

    Concentrates 4.5

    Shane Fitzgerald – Conna, Co Cork

    Since 1 September we have been milking on the 10-in-7 milking frequency. Initially, there was a two litre drop per cow in the first 10 days, but the cows have settled well in the past two weeks, with significant improvements in protein and fat.

    To date, we’ve grown 12.5 tonnes of grass, which is 1.2 tonnes less than this time last year. Cows are grazing covers of 1,600kg DM/ha, and we’ve targeted the wettest 20% of the farm for grazing over the next week.

    Our scanning showed 5% empty after a nine week breeding period, and we had a 62% conception rate using sexed semen on some of our in-calf heifers.

    Stocking Rate (cow/ha) 3.08

    Growth Rate (kg/day) 49

    Average Farm Cover (kg/cow) 309

    Yield (l/cow) 15

    Fat% 5.76

    Protein% 4.6

    Milk Solids (kg/cow) 1.6

    Concentrates 3