Summer grazing round-up on Dairylink farms

Good grass growth has been recorded on all Dairylink project farms so far this year. Two of the project farmers in Co Cavan – Charles Clarke and David Brady – have described the grazing conditions recently as ideal. Both farms are ahead of last year in terms of grass growth, partly related to weather conditions and partly to soil fertility and reseeded paddocks.

The continued focus is on soil fertility on both farms, with compound fertiliser used to target low fertility paddocks.

Charles is following cows with 18:6:12 and is getting slurry on to silage ground. His farm is currently stocked at 3.7cow/ha, with 90 bales taken off the platform at this stage. This is less bales than last year, but stocking rate is high for the farm, with good conditions allowing him to continue.

Herd fertility is looking good, with low return rates. Forty-five heifers are due to calve down next February. While he is keen to take all heifers on board to improve overall herd genetics, he will have to cull and sell cows to make space for the replacements – herd expansion is not an option for Charles at the moment.

Cows are going into 1,500kg DM pre-grazing and the grazing block is well set up for the next four weeks.

The farm cover per cow has been moving between 150kg and 170kg/cow, with the current stocking rate at 3.7 cows/ha. The herd demand is 52kg DM/cow.

Co Tyrone

Similar to Cavan, there has been sufficient moisture to maintain steady grass growth in Tyrone.

On Monday of last week, Kevin McGrade’s farm walk had a growth rate of 60kg/ha. The good conditions this week will increase this.

Twenty-eight percent of the herd has been dried off and calving will start in the first week of September. Heifers are due to return from the contract rearer to calve down in September.

Kevin has 60 acres reseeded this year, with some additional land rented allowing an expansion of the herd.

Some milking stock has been purchased recently, with an additional 57 heifers (0-1 year) in the system due to calve in 2018.

Production is well ahead on both farms (Robin Clements being the other) from last year, due partly to herd expansion and better grass utilisation.

Soil fertility has been a focus, with new reseeds receiving lime and compound fertiliser to address P and K deficiencies. Both farms have also used 25:5:5 or 18:6:12 on the grazing block in conjunction with CAN.

The reseeded area on both farms is really doing well. High-sugar late-heading grass varieties have been used, with conventional reseeding of pre-spray with glyphosate, plough and sow and follow with post-spray at four to six weeks after reseed.

Weed control with this system is very good, with very clean swards on both farms.

Co Down

Both farms in Co Down this year have improved access to paddocks on farm. The key driver for this is improving milk produced from grazed grass. Multiple access to paddocks and no longer than 36 hours grazing blocks will help improve grass utilisation. Nigel Corbett has a new lane (600m) in place linking both sides of the grazing block, with multiple access points on both sides of this lane.

He is currently working on improving water access in paddocks with new drinkers and water supply.

An earlier turnout for the herd, better utilisation during the grazing season and extended grazing in the autumn results in more grass in the cows’ diet.

Nigel has started to dry off cows due in September, with the heifers due to calve down also in September and October.

Two silage cuts have been taken, with a smaller third cut due in mid-August. Cows are moving into second-cut regrowth, which will allow some of the grazing block to be reseeded. Ten acres has been earmarked to be sprayed and reseeded this month. Lime will be applied to this area.

Soil fertility has improved on the farm. Straight P and K fertiliser was applied in the spring and 25:5:5 has been used along with CAN in the grazing rotation.

Bill Brown is also drying off cows this week, with antibiotic and teat sealer used on all cows. Milk recording information has highlighted some high SCC cows that will get a longer dry period, similar to cows with low body condition. The first 30 dry this week will get an eight-week dry period.

Grass is still ahead of the herd, with 10 acres skipped last week and due to be cut and baled this week. Grass quality is good, with no stem in the sward and cows going into 1,600kg pre-grazing cover. Bill has another 15 acres for reseeding in August, which will take the total area reseeded in 2017 to 35 acres.