Slurry is causing major headaches for many farms, but particularly in what we would associate as the drier counties along the east and southeast coast.

These farmers would ordinarily have no issue in getting slurry out, and in many cases would have a portion of cattle turned out. It’s been a case of treading lightly and sneaking out with a few loads of slurry wherever possible.

On the flip side, ground conditions have been more favourable in the west and northwest, with ground conditions relatively OK for the time of year.

ADVERTISEMENT

For both farms, fertiliser should be on their mind. While growth is low at the moment, we should see this triple in the next three weeks. Be mindful when making purchased about your P allowance.

Farmers

Shaun Diver – Tullamore Farm, Co Offaly

Higher than average rainfall in January and more forecast for this week makes it unlikely any cows/calves will be turned out to grass soon.

This will put extra pressure on housing space, and close attention will have to be put on keeping clean beds under young calves. However, straw and fodder supplies are plentiful.

In an effort to make more room for our ewe flock, our straw store has been emptied and the bales wrapped and stored outdoors.

Slurry stores are also starting to fill up, so a spell of dry weather will most certainly be welcome to reduce pressure. Five acres of dry ground was spread last week to relieve pressure on storage.

No fertiliser has been spread to date. Five tonnes of protected urea has been purchased at the price of €580/tonne and will be spread at the rate of 30kg/acre as soon as conditions allow.

System Suckler to beef

Soil Type Variable

Farm cover (kg/DM/ha) NA

Growth (kg/DM/ha/day) NA

Demand (kg/DM/ha/day) NA

Niall O’Meara – Killimor, Co Galway

Four paddocks that were grazed by the autumn-born calves across the winter received 2,000 gallons slurry/acre using a trike with flotation tyres.

Between these wide tyres and dry ground conditions we got away with no damage, but have had some rain since.

The slurry has definitely helped green these paddocks up, especially those that had been closed up the earliest.

I had been out at grass this time last year, so I am hoping to get some cows and calves out over the next few days, even if it is just for three or four hours.

The aim at this time of the year is not to boost cow milk yield, but for the benefit of the calf.

Breeding is finished over six weeks now, with all breeding down in an eight-week window. I will scan cows and heifers in the coming weeks, but I am hopeful that 30/33 have held in-calf.

System Suckler to weanling

Soil Type Variable

Farm cover (kg/DM/ha) 661

Growth (kg/DM/ha/day) 3

Demand (kg/DM/ha/day) 4

William Treacy – Hackballscross, Co Louth

We’ve had rain non-stop over the last while. The last two weeks hasn’t been heavy but it has been consistent.

We got some slurry out to relieve pressure over two weeks ago, but we are back up full now again and will have to start picking and choosing paddocks to try and get tanks down.

What has been spread has greened up nicely, and overall farm cover is looking good.

No fertiliser has been purchased yet, but we will likely look at getting some in the yard shortly. Calving in the spring herd is progressing nicely, with 23 cows calved OK, though we have no cows out as of yet.

I’m also preparing one of our sheds for dairy beef calves which will arrive shortly, with an automatic calf feeder installed yesterday.

I plan to rear roughly 50 head, purchasing off just two herds if possible to reduce bio security risks.

System Suckler to beef

Soil Type Variable

Farm cover (kg/DM/ha) NA

Growth (kg/DM/ha/day) NA

Demand (kg/DM/ha/day) NA