Grass growth rates dropping but still higher than normal

Average grass growth this week was 41kg/day and while it is down on last week’s growth rate, it is still very good for the time of year, being almost twice the 10 year average.

However, average farm covers have dropped a good bit faster than expected – a consequence of the poor weather over the last month which reduced utilisation.

At this stage, farmers should be racing through area to get ground closed up early for next spring. The target is to have 60 to 70% of the farm grazed and closed by the end of October, but the more grazed earlier in the month the better. To achieve this, you must be grazing lighter covers. Post-grazing residuals should not suffer. Target as good a cleanout as possible. With longer rotation lengths now dungpads are becoming more palatable and should be cleaned out well before closing.

The paddocks grazed over the next two weeks will likely be the first paddocks to be grazed next spring.

While targeting early turnout on dry fields is important, having good roadway access with plenty of gaps into the field is as important for reducing poaching.

The last day to spread slurry is Saturday. If using a splash plate, spread slurry in fields that are recently grazed and definitely closed for the winter. You could spread on fields that will be grazed again this year, but you should give at least six weeks between spreading the slurry and grazing again. There are more options to spread on higher covers and fields that are ahead of the cows if using trailing shoe or injector-type spreaders. There will be a decent response in terms of grass growth to slurry and soiled water so if ground conditions allow get as much out now as possible.

Teagasc Curtins Farm

Stocking rate (cows/ha) 2.76

Growth rate (kg/day) 43

Average farm cover (kg/ha) 1,036

Yield (l/cow/day) 15.5

Fat % 5.73

Protein % 4.37

Milk solids (kg/cow) 1.61

Supplement fed (kg/cow/day) 2

Average farm cover is improving but we are still below target of 1,147kg/ha for this week so we are still supplementing with 2kg of concentrate. Pre-grazing covers are 1,700kg DM/ha. Current weather conditions here are allowing good grass utilisation and we are back allocating on a 24-hour basis. Rotation length is set at 37 days. To date, we have just under 20% of the farm closed. We will aim to close 60-65 % of the farm by 1 November. We spread the last of the slurry and dirty water last weekend. Body condition of the herd is good with an average score of 2.96.

Teagasc Ballyhaise

Stocking rate (cows/ha) 3.06

Growth rate (kg/day) 29

Average farm cover (kg/ha) 1,175

Yield (l/cow/day) 13.6

Fat % 5.08

Protein % 4.03

Milk solids (kg/cow) 1.27

Supplement fed (kg/cow/day) 3

Ground conditions had improved but heavy rain on Tuesday night and Wednesday morning scuppered us again. Cows were out day and night up to then and we were working away OK.

Growth is well back on where it was but average farm cover is still good. We had been grazing heavy covers on wetter areas so this slowed us down on getting area grazed but I think we had to graze it when it was dry enough to do so.

We will now skip into lighter covers to catch up on area to be closed. SCC is 160,000.

Greenfield Farm

Stocking rate (cows/ha) 2.86

Growth rate (kg/day) 26

Average farm cover (kg/ha) 1,075

Yield (l/cow/day) 15

Fat % 5.34

Protein % 4.37

Milk solids (kg/cow) 1.5

Supplement fed (kg/cow/day) 4

Growth rate dropped a lot over the past week so we are feeding 4kg of meal as a result. While we are on target for average farm cover, our demand is higher than planned as we are now locked up with a suspect TB case so we can’t sell empty cows for a while.

We should be feeding some silage too but the feed pad won’t be available for another week or so because we’re building cubicles next to it. Cows are grazing 12-hour breaks on covers of 2,000kg and clean-out is good. Will start drying off first-lactation cows in three weeks’ time.

Buttevant, Co Cork

Stocking rate (cows/ha) 2.83

Growth rate (kg/day) 26

Average farm cover (kg/ha) 872

Yield (l/cow/day) 12.3

Fat % 5.37

Protein % 4.23

Milk solids (kg/cow) 1.21

Supplement fed (kg/cow/day) 3

Ground conditions recovered well and clean-out is good. Cows are on 12 hour breaks the whole time. The big problem is getting them in for milking as they are walking very slowly on the roadways. We’ve all the slurry spread and have started closing paddocks since 4 October, although we won’t know for sure if they are closed or not until the end as it will be dependent on average farm cover. My target is to close at 750kg/ha in late November, but going on past experience I rarely hit this. I think you have to be disciplined not to graze too late in the back end.