What was a very good start to grazing 2025 has been set back by some heavy rainfall over the last few days, and the hope would be that we don’t have a repeat of last year.

As such, it seems the south seems to be the worst hit, with Cork Airport recording 89.5mm, Valentia recording 67.7mm and Johnstown Castle recording 61.4mm in the space of seven days.

Some farmers that have received this level of rainfall have decided to rehouse, and it’s probably a wise decision. While there is an acceptable level of damage when it comes to spring grazing, ploughing-up paddocks for the sake of some extra silage is not wise.

What should be done is that paddocks are regularly walked to assess trafficability, and when the ground is deemed to be fit for grazing, cows should go out.

Slurry

Those who haven’t spread slurry before now will be feeling nervous as tank contents begin to creep close to the top. While there may be little options regarding where to go with a tanker of slurry (based on ground conditions), it should still be in the back of your mind to try target low index paddocks. Unless ground is exceptionally dry, it will be impossible for many to get slurry out on paddocks that have already been grazed. A better option would be to target covers below 1,000kg DM/ha with low-emission slurry spreading equipment as the grass will help keep the tractor and tanker up and limit damage.

Soil temperatures

Soil temperatures are still 5-7°C for many parts of the country, and where they are higher is generally where the most rain has fallen, so fertiliser is a non-runner for the time being.

However, an article by Irish Farmers Journal by news reporter Rachel Donovan this week highlights potential scarcities in the supply of fertiliser, along with an increase in price. In this case, ordering and having fertiliser in the yard is not a bad idea.