Another week of very good grass-growing weather in the south and east especially has driven growth to very high levels for the time of the year. Very heavy rain in other parts of the country has limited grazing on some days and forced cows indoors. Unusually high temperatures and a forecast for even higher temperatures means there is no shortage of grass on any farms.
Another week of very good grass-growing weather in the south and east especially has driven growth to very high levels for the time of the year.
Very heavy rain in other parts of the country has limited grazing on some days and forced cows indoors. Unusually high temperatures and a forecast for even higher temperatures means there is no shortage of grass on any farms.
A surplus of grass has already materialised on many farms in the south and east, and a reduction in milk yield and quality due to such high growth rates would look a foregone conclusion for April and May.
For now it’s all about managing what grass you have. Many down south have stepped over a few paddocks and started into the second round.
Most will wait until this weekend – do another cover and make decisions on what to do with those surplus paddocks.
Ideally, you want to keep these paddocks in the mix for grazing. Filling them up with nitrogen for a heavier cut of silage will be an option for those with a lower stocking rate. Taking them out immediately for bales will be the decision for those stocked more heavily. The big message – given the weather forecast and the fact most have nitrogen out – is that a farm can completely change in a week, so walking the farm every couple of days is essential.
Also setting stocking rate high enough to keep quality right will be very important. You need a consistent growth rate of 60kg per day to feed four cows/hectare. Many are getting this now, and past results would suggest you’ll get it for April on well-fertilised farms.
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In short
A lot of grass on some farms and some have rightly decided to skip into the second round, leaving the last of the first round for bales or first-cut silage.Need to walk every four days and make decisions, as high growth rates are changing the farm cover dramatically.Little advantage of feed, given such high growth rates, but ensure you keep tetany prevention top of the agenda.
Curtins
Stocking rate 2.9 cows/ha
Growth rate 47
Average farm cover 764
Yield 22.4
Fat 5.01
Protein 3.39
Milk solids 1.94
Supplement 0.5 kg
We skipped over a few paddocks in the first round and started the second round on Monday of this week. We are planning to walk again at the weekend and will decide what to do with those skipped paddocks then. The choice will be fill them up with nitrogen and close for silage at the end of May, or take them out next week and keep them in the grazing mix. Tetany prevention is through the water.
Kerry
Stocking rate 3 cows/ha
Growth rate 34
Average farm cover 764
Yield 24
Fat 5.0
Protein 3.47
Milk solids 2.1
Supplement 4 kg
We have 73 units out, so growth is even higher this week than last week. We have slurry spread with a band spreader on those paddocks that need them. The plan is to start the second round this weekend. We don’t have an even wedge, but with good growth I think we will be alright. There is 1,300kg at least on first paddocks grazed. My own measurements for this farm suggest growth rates doubled between 4 and 11 April. If the 34kg per day doubles we will have lots of grass.
Greenfield Kilkenny
Stocking rate 2.9 cows/ha
Growth rate 29
Average farm cover 817
Yield 21
Fat 4.50
Protein 3.42
Milk solids 1.7
Supplement 1 kg
While growth is back a bit, we measured 39kg/day the week previously. The plan is to go with three quarters of a bag of ASN in the next number of days. We aim to finish the first round of grazing in the next six or seven days, but again we will watch this carefully towards end of the week. If we have to push a paddock into second round it’s not a big deal. There are only covers of 1,000kg on the first paddocks and we have over 90% grazed, allocating about 1.5 hectares per day.
Mayo
Stocking rate 3 cows/ha
Growth rate 34
Average farm cover n/a
Yield 5
Fat 4.45
Protein 3.50
Milk solids 2.04
Supplement 2kg
We had a lot of rain last Friday and Saturday, but grazing conditions improved since then. As things stand, we won’t finish our first round until 11 April. There is a cover of 1,200kg on the first paddocks grazed. We are watching this very closely at the moment, and Joseph and Michael are making sure all is right on that front. We could start the second round, but I’m conscious of going into very low covers. We have some paddocks at a cover of 900kg in second round and I’d prefer to see these with a cover of 1,100kg plus before grazing.
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