Despite the good growth seen, average farm covers are running slightly behind target at 858kg DM/ha, and I have a sneaking suspicion that mowers made their appearance on a lot of grazing blocks in the last week.
While this farm cover is fine for lower stocked farms or heavier farms who do not wish to build cover as high, the target for dry farms with stocking rates of 3lu/ha or higher should be closer to 1,000-1,100kg DM/ha.
With growth as good as it is, there is still a chance to make up this deficit, but don’t be fooled into thinking that growth will continue strong heading through September.
If there is ample silage in the yard, 2-3kg of silage could be fed now to reduce demand, with high levels of meal feeding less desirable due to the cost.
This time of the year always raises the argument with building high covers and the challenges of grazing them as opposed to maintaining a pre-grazing yield below 1,700-1,800kg DM/ha and feeding a small amount of silage from late-September on.
Cheaper option
Building and utilising grass will always be the cheaper option, but where there are challenges with grazing conditions, be it through heavy ground or poor grazing infrastructure, the above might be a better fit.
The response to N at the minute is excellent, so any remaining fertiliser to go out should be spread this week at a rate of 15-20 units/acre, with 8-10 units appropriate for clover swards.
Dairy washings or watery slurry can be spread on any ground that is grazed between 14 and 30 September, but be cautious in holding large volumes of this as the weather and ground conditions may deteriorate rapidly.
Farm cover is running behind where it should be for most farms, so caution should be taken not to bank on good growth to correct it.Small amounts of silage can be introduced now to help lower demand.Spread any remaining N now while response is good and ground is trafficable.Limit the amount of dairy washings/slurry held over for after 14 September.Robert O’Dea – Kilteely, Co Limerick
We are building cover nicely at this stage, and are where we would like to be regarding farm cover, with it just sitting below 1,000kg DM/ha. Grazing conditions are very good, though they had been tricky up until a week ago on some lower ground.
The fine weather has improved growth and conditions on this now.
We blanket spread fertiliser in early August and will go again before mid-September. We are looking at spreading 20 units/acre in grass-only swards and half this rate in clover paddocks, but may adjust according to growth rates.
Dairy washings are targeted at clover paddocks, with 109kg of chemical N/ha spread so far this year.
Stocking Rate (cows/ha) 2.7
Growth Rate (kg/day) 58
Average Farm Cover (kg/ha) 991
Yield (l/cow) 17
Fat % 5.04
Protein% 4.06
Milk Solids (kg/cow) 1.59
Concentrates 1.3
Charles Clarke – Bailieborough, Co Cavan
Farm cover is running high at the minute, but we will not be mowing out any paddocks due to the high stocking rate on the platform.
We fed some bales in August to help build covers as we need a large volume of grass going in to the second last round. Our rotation length is currently 32 days.
Pre-grazing yield is running around 2,200kg DM/ha, with good graze outs being seen with the dry weather. We spread 20 units/acre of protected urea on some ground last week, with more ground to receive 15-16 units next week.
We will continue spreading slurry with the dribble bar up until the closed period.
Stocking Rate (cows/ha) 3.86
Growth Rate (kg/day) 62
Average Farm Cover (kg/ha) 1,289
Yield (l/cow) 18.5
Fat % 4.97
Protein% 3.99
Milk Solids (kg/cow) 1.7
Concentrates 3
Aidan McCarthy – Schull, Co Cork
We are currently spreading 1 bag/acre of 25-2.5-10 + 4S, with the nitrogen being protected urea. It’s nice to finally get protected urea in a compound with P and K.
We mowed all our silage ground in third cut this year, so we have ample silage in the yard. We usually start feeding some silage from mid-September on as cows get lazy heading to the parlour, but may begin feeding a little earlier on the home block to increase covers.
Ground had been looking very washed out two weeks ago with the heavy rain in July and August, but has greened up well since and growth and ground conditions are excellent.
Stocking Rate (cows/ha) 3.46
Growth Rate (kg/day) 75
Average Farm Cover (kg/ha) 901
Yield (l/cow) 16
Fat % 4.74
Protein% 3.92
Milk Solids (kg/cow) 1.42
Concentrates 3
Despite the good growth seen, average farm covers are running slightly behind target at 858kg DM/ha, and I have a sneaking suspicion that mowers made their appearance on a lot of grazing blocks in the last week.
While this farm cover is fine for lower stocked farms or heavier farms who do not wish to build cover as high, the target for dry farms with stocking rates of 3lu/ha or higher should be closer to 1,000-1,100kg DM/ha.
With growth as good as it is, there is still a chance to make up this deficit, but don’t be fooled into thinking that growth will continue strong heading through September.
If there is ample silage in the yard, 2-3kg of silage could be fed now to reduce demand, with high levels of meal feeding less desirable due to the cost.
This time of the year always raises the argument with building high covers and the challenges of grazing them as opposed to maintaining a pre-grazing yield below 1,700-1,800kg DM/ha and feeding a small amount of silage from late-September on.
Cheaper option
Building and utilising grass will always be the cheaper option, but where there are challenges with grazing conditions, be it through heavy ground or poor grazing infrastructure, the above might be a better fit.
The response to N at the minute is excellent, so any remaining fertiliser to go out should be spread this week at a rate of 15-20 units/acre, with 8-10 units appropriate for clover swards.
Dairy washings or watery slurry can be spread on any ground that is grazed between 14 and 30 September, but be cautious in holding large volumes of this as the weather and ground conditions may deteriorate rapidly.
Farm cover is running behind where it should be for most farms, so caution should be taken not to bank on good growth to correct it.Small amounts of silage can be introduced now to help lower demand.Spread any remaining N now while response is good and ground is trafficable.Limit the amount of dairy washings/slurry held over for after 14 September.Robert O’Dea – Kilteely, Co Limerick
We are building cover nicely at this stage, and are where we would like to be regarding farm cover, with it just sitting below 1,000kg DM/ha. Grazing conditions are very good, though they had been tricky up until a week ago on some lower ground.
The fine weather has improved growth and conditions on this now.
We blanket spread fertiliser in early August and will go again before mid-September. We are looking at spreading 20 units/acre in grass-only swards and half this rate in clover paddocks, but may adjust according to growth rates.
Dairy washings are targeted at clover paddocks, with 109kg of chemical N/ha spread so far this year.
Stocking Rate (cows/ha) 2.7
Growth Rate (kg/day) 58
Average Farm Cover (kg/ha) 991
Yield (l/cow) 17
Fat % 5.04
Protein% 4.06
Milk Solids (kg/cow) 1.59
Concentrates 1.3
Charles Clarke – Bailieborough, Co Cavan
Farm cover is running high at the minute, but we will not be mowing out any paddocks due to the high stocking rate on the platform.
We fed some bales in August to help build covers as we need a large volume of grass going in to the second last round. Our rotation length is currently 32 days.
Pre-grazing yield is running around 2,200kg DM/ha, with good graze outs being seen with the dry weather. We spread 20 units/acre of protected urea on some ground last week, with more ground to receive 15-16 units next week.
We will continue spreading slurry with the dribble bar up until the closed period.
Stocking Rate (cows/ha) 3.86
Growth Rate (kg/day) 62
Average Farm Cover (kg/ha) 1,289
Yield (l/cow) 18.5
Fat % 4.97
Protein% 3.99
Milk Solids (kg/cow) 1.7
Concentrates 3
Aidan McCarthy – Schull, Co Cork
We are currently spreading 1 bag/acre of 25-2.5-10 + 4S, with the nitrogen being protected urea. It’s nice to finally get protected urea in a compound with P and K.
We mowed all our silage ground in third cut this year, so we have ample silage in the yard. We usually start feeding some silage from mid-September on as cows get lazy heading to the parlour, but may begin feeding a little earlier on the home block to increase covers.
Ground had been looking very washed out two weeks ago with the heavy rain in July and August, but has greened up well since and growth and ground conditions are excellent.
Stocking Rate (cows/ha) 3.46
Growth Rate (kg/day) 75
Average Farm Cover (kg/ha) 901
Yield (l/cow) 16
Fat % 4.74
Protein% 3.92
Milk Solids (kg/cow) 1.42
Concentrates 3
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