Grass continues on its upward curve with a 13% increase on our measuring farms to a countrywide average growth rate of 85kg DM/ha/day for the week to Wednesday. The range across the country, however, is vast – from as low as 50kg to 140kg DM/ha.
For most, thoughts are turned towards or have been turned towards silage and slurry in recent days and weeks. While many gathered silage stress-free last week in the basking sun, the weekend and beginning of this week proved slightly more tricky with pockets of torrential rain falling sporadically across the country. Those who may have gotten caught with material on the ground and rain need not panic. Take a sample to your advisor or consultant and they will advise you. High nitrates (>600ppm) coupled with medium (2-3%) or low (<2%) sugars should be ensiled with an additive when material is being picked up wet. For example, molasses could be added at a rate of 20 litres per tonne to help the process. Ted and wilt prior to lifting where possible – the drier the material the less of a negative effect nitrates will have on the ensiling process.
Listen to "Silage cutting in Monaghan" on Spreaker.
With all the attention on silage, this is a period where grass can get away on us quite easily. It’s important to make good silage, but it’s equally as important to keep grass quality high under our stock. It would almost be ironic to let grass get stemmy and for clean outs to suffer as we all rush to make top-quality May silage.
Aim to have around 12 days of grass on the farm at this point. Many will go the whole hog when they have someone in taking paddocks out in high growth periods and cut out more than advised in the knowledge that big growth rates will bring them back on track quickly. Before doing so, do a quick sum and don’t dip below 10 days of grass. Growth is likely close to its peak and less ‘growthy’ conditions are promised for the coming days. However, don’t keep big volumes of grass on the farm either – absolutely not more than 14 days’ worth.
Derrypatrick Herd
System suckler to beef
Soil type mixed
Average farm cover (kg DM/ha) 770
Grass growth (kg DM/ha/day) 75
The good weather that arrived last week provided perfect conditions to commence our first cut silage and the decision was made to mow the area (20ha) that hadn’t been grazed this spring. This area was originally planned for cow silage. However, we couldn’t let the ideal weather pass without making any silage. Our decision to only mow the area that hadn’t been grazed this spring was made on the basis that the remaining area for first cut (18ha) was not fit although, this area has since made a burst and is ready to mow when the weather conditions allow.
While the broken weather arriving and forecast for the remainder of the week isn’t ideal for silage harvesting, the rainfall has enabled us to begin incorporating clover into our swards as part of our upcoming clover trial. Clover is being sown using an Einbock Pneumaticstar-MD Seeder that scratches the soil surface through the attached spring tines and distributes the seed via the pneumatic fan system.
Co Carlow
System suckler to store
Soil type free draining
Average farm cover (kg DM/ha) 460
Grass growth (kg DM/ha/day) 67
It has only been the last week or so that I have noticed grass really starting to kick on. Before this, I found grass was slow enough. Last week, growth rates of over 70kg DM/ha were recorded on some paddocks. With this increase in growth rates I have a few paddocks identified where surplus bales will be taken off in the coming weeks. Twenty-four acres of silage were cut last week and it returned quite well. It has since got 1,500 gallons of watery slurry and a bag of CAN per acre. Breeding is under way on the farm. I synchronised a group of heifers in April and inseminated them, I used the Limousin bull EBY and I also used a few SA2189 straws. Both bulls have very low calving difficulty figures. I started breeding cows at the beginning of May. AI was used for 3 weeks and then the Charolais stock bull was let out. All stock are doing well at grass but in the last few weeks with the changeable weather conditions I have had a few case of pneumonia in younger calves.
Co Clare
System suckler to store
Soil type variable
Average farm cover (kg DM/ha) 1360
Grass growth (kg DM/ha/day) 96
The showery weather is bringing good growth and grass seems to have finally taken off. On the other hand I could do with a few days of settled weather as I hope to gather my first cut silage early next week. I tested the grass on Monday morning as I was hesitant as to whether the nitrogen had gone from the crop. The nitrate levels as I suspected were too high and the sugar content was modest at 2.5%. It’s still only late May and the fact I grazed everything tight prior to closing means the quality is definitely going to be there for another 10 days or so as the crop is beginning to bulk up considerably too.
I weighed my autumn-born bulls recently and they’ve done 1.4kg/day at grass since March. I hope to get as much cheap weight on before they’re housed in Aug/Sept and I’m prioritising them at the minute putting them in on lighter leafier paddocks around 1,150-1,200kg DM/ha or paddocks that were taken out for surplus bales and are coming back into the rotation again.
Co Kerry
System suckler to weanling
Soil type variable
Average farm cover (kg DM/ha) 880
Grass growth (kg DM/ha/day) 74
I have been getting my first cut harvested over the past few weeks as time allows. I make all baled silage and have my own equipment so I can be flexible with getting work done.
While silage on the home farm should be good quality, on the out farm silage will be of a lower quality due to existence of older grasses. I am in the process of reseeding these older paddocks on the out farm now as silage is taken off.
I ploughed some of the ground before giving it a run of a disc harrow and seeding while more of the ground was power-harrowed by a contractor before being disced and seeded. I will spread three bags of 10-10-20/acre on the reseeded ground before the next spell of rain. It received 3t of lime/acre as the ground is extremely deficient.
I plan to increase my stocking rate on the farm as part of my farm plan over the next few years so growing more high-quality grass will be a priority to keep meal costs down.
