Poor growing conditions in 2024 has lead to a big reduction in grass growth on Irish farms according to new data from Teagasc.

The average grass growth in 2024 is down over 1t DM/ha in 2024 compared to the five year average but it is down 1.4t DM/ha compared to the 10 year average.

The data shows the implications of the poor growing conditions on the amount of feed produced on Irish livestock farms.

The main impact on growth took place in early spring when growth in 2024 was lagging two to four weeks behind the five and ten year averages.

For example, average grass growth rates hit 50kg/ha/day on week 14, corresponding to about 1 April inn both the five and ten year average.

However, that growth rate wasn’t achieved in 2024 until week 17, corresponding to the week of 22 April.

Growth rates went to be 50kg/ha/day at the end of May 2024, whereas they don’t hit that until early September in both the five and ten year average grass growth curves.

Interestingly, the difference of 0.4t DM/ha reduction in grass growth between the five and ten year averages all takes place during the mid-season, which indicates that on average, farms are growing less in the mid-season than before and that is certainly reflected in 2024 also.

If this trend is to continue, it means there will be less scope for farmers to carry higher stocking rates in the mid-season and still make the same level of silage.

The only season where 2024 grass growth rates outperformed the longer term averages was in the autumn, when growth rates surpassed both the five and ten year averages.

However, this was not enough to make up for the poor growth during the rest of the year.

With increased volatility in grass growth, the importance of making and preserving high quality silage cannot be overstated.

Essentially, farmers not only need silage for the winter period, they now also need silage to be on hand in the event of an emergency at any other time of the year for six or eight weeks.

As this will be fed to milking cows, the quality of this silage is more important than if it was just for dry cows.