Heavy and consistent rainfall throughout the week has really put a halt to what had been excellent grazing conditions up to that point.

Luckily ground had been very dry and if it gets a few days again things will soak and conditions will improve in most cases, but if the weather remains broken those on heavier ground will be moving stock to sheds in the next week.

When ground conditions deteriorate and weather is poor there is little point keeping stock out as performance will be hit and there is a greater risk of pneumonia, especially in young stock.

Where cattle are to be housed this weekend, Saturday looks to be dry so it is a good opportunity to do so.

Farmers

Dereck O’Donoghue – Salesian College Pallaskenry

Growth has been better in the last month. We had both the bullocks (currently 507kg) and heifers (495kg) housed due to grass shortages but they are now back out grazing.

The bullocks had been in for six weeks on silage with meal introduced for the last three weeks, while the heifers were in for four weeks on silage and had just one week of meal feeding.

Such was the level of growth they had to go back to grass for a month or so.

The only other stock on farm is the ewes, remaining lambs and calves, so the demand for grass wasn’t sufficient enough.

There are 55 lambs left and there will be a significant draft from this next week. They are receiving 400g/head concentrate at grass.

System Dairy calf-to-beef & sheep

Soil type Free draining

Farm cover (kg DM/ha) 901

Growth (kg DM/ha/day) 52

Demand (kg DM/ha/day) 23

Niall O’Meara – Killimor, Co Galway

The weather is poor but I cannot complain – we have had a great run. I have enough grass for the cows to graze another month.

With the paddock system I can move cows on to the next paddock if there has been heavy rainfall and come back to graze out the first one once it soaks in.

I sold 16 of last year’s bull calves at just under a year old. They averaged 520kg and came into €1,326/head which I was happy with. I have eight cows left to calve and I am picking AI bulls for the breeding season.

I plan to use more Charolais this year to boost the power in the cows. I have been using high milk figure bulls in recent years so I have had to forfeit some carcase to do so.

System Suckler to weanling

Soil type Variable

Farm cover (kg DM/ha) 995

Growth (kg DM/ha/day) 45

Demand (kg DM/ha/day) 32

Declan Marren – THRIVE Farm, Cashel

With the finishing cattle housed the demand for grass is greatly reduced. There is sufficient grass to keep calves out until mid-November weather permitting.

Calves have received their first pneumonia vaccination and their booster shot is due next week ahead of housing.

As they will be going through the race, we will weigh them at the same time to measure performance over the last number of weeks. Calves continue to get 1kg/day concentrate at grass.

Of 145 finishing stock at 19 months, 31 have been drafted for slaughter, mostly heifers. There will be another draft of heifers and bullocks in the next 10 days.

Bullocks are on 5kg/day concentrate while heifers have stayed on 4kg/day alongside first cut silage, which is 72% DMD.

System Dairy calf-to-beef

Soil type Mostly dry

Farm cover (kg DM/ha) 845

Growth (kg DM/ha/day) 26

Demand (kg DM/ha/day) 18