Average growth rate this week is 25 kg per day, which is up by nearly 10kg per day on this time last year.
Predicted growth for the next week is lower, averaging 18kg per day. Most cows this time last year were all housed, so we are fortunate to have perfect conditions to continue to be out grazing.
The most limiting factor now is the average farm cover. If you want to get a good start to the 2025 grazing season it’s important to walk the farm and make sure you’re not dropping the farm cover too low. There’s no point shooting yourself in the foot just to get a few extra days of grazing this side of 2025.
On the weather front, no real rain is forecast for the coming week. Spain must be receiving our share of it.
Temperatures are still ahead for the time of year, with soil temperatures ranging from 11-13°c, which is nearly 3°c higher than normal.
It would be important to keep a close eye on your clover paddocks, as recovery on recently grazed paddocks is strong.
Clover paddocks with high covers might need to be cleaned off again to help light penetrate down to the surface, with either cows or weanlings used for this.
Soil sampling
Now is a great time to plan soil sampling for your 2025 nutrient management plan. Effective sampling is essential to pinpoint nutrient needs. It’s recommended to take 20 cores per area, no larger than 4 hectares, mixing them into a single representative sample.
Collect cores in a “W” pattern at a depth of 10 cm for accurate results. Avoid sampling near gates, feeders, or other high-traffic spots, and wait between 3–6 months after applying phosphorus or potassium.
With this being the last grass page of the year, we would like to thank all farmers who contributed to the page for the last nine months.
Keeping cows out is reducing workload, so long may it last. Try get a relief milker in to give yourself a break while the weather remains good.Farms with an AFC below 500kg DM/ha should wrap up grazing to protect next year’s grass supply. If grass is getting tight, consider housing by day or by night. Liam Budds – Kilsalebeg, Co Waterford
We had to feed silage in mid-August and continued until the end of September. In October, we removed silage from the diet to meet our target of having 70% grazed by 1 November, and we’ve reached 75% grazed so far.
Our goal is to keep cows out until 20 November, aiming to close the farm at 750 kg DM/ha by 1 December.
Paddocks grazed at the start of the last rotation are already at 900kg DM/ha. This weekend, we’ll start drying off first-lactation animals, while in-calf heifers will be housed.
Weanlings are still grazing silage ground and should have at least another 10 days outside.
Stocking Rate (cow/ha) 2.88
Growth Rate (kg/day) 38
Average Farm Cover (kg/cow) 248
Yield (l/cow) 13.7
Fat% 5.54
Protein% 4.49
Milk Solids (kg/cow) 1.42
Concentrates 4
Charles Crosse – Kilfeacle, Co Tipperary
Currently, 78% of the farm is grazed, with cows out both day and night on heavy covers of 2,000 kg DM/ha.
We’ll monitor the average farm cover closely in the coming week to ensure we hit our target closing cover of 800kg DM/ha by 1 December.
Until last week, cows were fed zero-grazed grass, and they’re currently receiving 3kg of silage.
After a 12-week breeding period, our empty rate stands at 9%.
We’ll start drying off some heifers next week, and a few cows that need an extra week or two. The entire herd should be fully dry by 20 December.
Stocking Rate (cow/ha) 2.89
Growth Rate (kg/day) -30
Average Farm Cover (kg/cow) 283
Yield (l/cow) 13
Fat% 5.86
Protein% 4.51
Milk Solids (kg/cow) 1.39
Concentrates 3
Jack Kearney – Rathcormac, Co Cork
To date, we’ve achieved 12.1 tonnes DM/ha growth. Cows are housed at night, but we’ll finish the 2024 grazing season at the end of this week to stay on target for 1 December.
Cows are milking well, up 27% this October compared to the same time in 2023. Regrowth is also good, with paddocks grazed in early October now at 1,000 kg DM/ha.
We’ll begin drying off heifers next week, with 15% of the herd planned for selective dry cow (SDC) treatment.
In-calf heifers have another two to three weeks of grazing on silage ground cut at the end of August.
Stocking Rate (cow/ha) 3.5
Growth Rate (kg/day) 25
Average Farm Cover (kg/cow) 195
Yield (l/cow) 15
Fat% 5.51
Protein% 4.31
Milk Solids (kg/cow) 1.52
Concentrates 4
Average growth rate this week is 25 kg per day, which is up by nearly 10kg per day on this time last year.
Predicted growth for the next week is lower, averaging 18kg per day. Most cows this time last year were all housed, so we are fortunate to have perfect conditions to continue to be out grazing.
The most limiting factor now is the average farm cover. If you want to get a good start to the 2025 grazing season it’s important to walk the farm and make sure you’re not dropping the farm cover too low. There’s no point shooting yourself in the foot just to get a few extra days of grazing this side of 2025.
On the weather front, no real rain is forecast for the coming week. Spain must be receiving our share of it.
Temperatures are still ahead for the time of year, with soil temperatures ranging from 11-13°c, which is nearly 3°c higher than normal.
It would be important to keep a close eye on your clover paddocks, as recovery on recently grazed paddocks is strong.
Clover paddocks with high covers might need to be cleaned off again to help light penetrate down to the surface, with either cows or weanlings used for this.
Soil sampling
Now is a great time to plan soil sampling for your 2025 nutrient management plan. Effective sampling is essential to pinpoint nutrient needs. It’s recommended to take 20 cores per area, no larger than 4 hectares, mixing them into a single representative sample.
Collect cores in a “W” pattern at a depth of 10 cm for accurate results. Avoid sampling near gates, feeders, or other high-traffic spots, and wait between 3–6 months after applying phosphorus or potassium.
With this being the last grass page of the year, we would like to thank all farmers who contributed to the page for the last nine months.
Keeping cows out is reducing workload, so long may it last. Try get a relief milker in to give yourself a break while the weather remains good.Farms with an AFC below 500kg DM/ha should wrap up grazing to protect next year’s grass supply. If grass is getting tight, consider housing by day or by night. Liam Budds – Kilsalebeg, Co Waterford
We had to feed silage in mid-August and continued until the end of September. In October, we removed silage from the diet to meet our target of having 70% grazed by 1 November, and we’ve reached 75% grazed so far.
Our goal is to keep cows out until 20 November, aiming to close the farm at 750 kg DM/ha by 1 December.
Paddocks grazed at the start of the last rotation are already at 900kg DM/ha. This weekend, we’ll start drying off first-lactation animals, while in-calf heifers will be housed.
Weanlings are still grazing silage ground and should have at least another 10 days outside.
Stocking Rate (cow/ha) 2.88
Growth Rate (kg/day) 38
Average Farm Cover (kg/cow) 248
Yield (l/cow) 13.7
Fat% 5.54
Protein% 4.49
Milk Solids (kg/cow) 1.42
Concentrates 4
Charles Crosse – Kilfeacle, Co Tipperary
Currently, 78% of the farm is grazed, with cows out both day and night on heavy covers of 2,000 kg DM/ha.
We’ll monitor the average farm cover closely in the coming week to ensure we hit our target closing cover of 800kg DM/ha by 1 December.
Until last week, cows were fed zero-grazed grass, and they’re currently receiving 3kg of silage.
After a 12-week breeding period, our empty rate stands at 9%.
We’ll start drying off some heifers next week, and a few cows that need an extra week or two. The entire herd should be fully dry by 20 December.
Stocking Rate (cow/ha) 2.89
Growth Rate (kg/day) -30
Average Farm Cover (kg/cow) 283
Yield (l/cow) 13
Fat% 5.86
Protein% 4.51
Milk Solids (kg/cow) 1.39
Concentrates 3
Jack Kearney – Rathcormac, Co Cork
To date, we’ve achieved 12.1 tonnes DM/ha growth. Cows are housed at night, but we’ll finish the 2024 grazing season at the end of this week to stay on target for 1 December.
Cows are milking well, up 27% this October compared to the same time in 2023. Regrowth is also good, with paddocks grazed in early October now at 1,000 kg DM/ha.
We’ll begin drying off heifers next week, with 15% of the herd planned for selective dry cow (SDC) treatment.
In-calf heifers have another two to three weeks of grazing on silage ground cut at the end of August.
Stocking Rate (cow/ha) 3.5
Growth Rate (kg/day) 25
Average Farm Cover (kg/cow) 195
Yield (l/cow) 15
Fat% 5.51
Protein% 4.31
Milk Solids (kg/cow) 1.52
Concentrates 4
This is a subscriber-only article
SHARING OPTIONS: