Torrential rain on Sunday, Monday and again on Wednesday really put a dampener on grazing this week. It finished it on some farms, particularly on heavier land along the west and north, with many herds housed.
This housing was driven by weather rather than grass supply, so the hope is that many will be able to go back out again in a few weeks. However, the game is up for finishing cattle, stores and heavy suckler cows.
It’s a different story on most dairy farms where there is three to four weeks of grass left for grazing this autumn.
Pick and choose where to go during this wet spell and for some, the best place could be the shed but in the knowledge that cows will go back out again when conditions improve.
In fact, the shed could be the best place for farms that are running low on grass, because rather than supplementing a bit of silage every day the cows could be getting a lot of silage for a small number of days instead.
Feeding bulky feeds like silage or zero grazed grass when the weather is wet is very hard to manage. Cows will prefer to be inside eating easy-to-access silage rather than outside eating wet grass.
If they’re not getting it in the shed they won’t know any better, but where they are getting it in the shed they would rather be there than working hard outdoors.
As this is the last round of grazing, achieving a low residual is important, but let’s face it; when there is 30-40mm of rain falling overhead residuals are a secondary concern.
According to PastureBase, average farm cover is 840kg/ha, with a growth rate of 36kg per day and a demand of 39kg/day. Based on these figures the average farm cover will stay relatively consistent.
However, with a reduction in air and soil temperatures and widespread heavy rain we can expect to see a big reduction in grass growth over the coming days and weeks.
The predicted grass growth rate for the coming week is 20-30kg per day.
Very heavy rain has meant that some herds, particularly those in the west and north have had to be housed, either temporarily or permanently. With more rain forecast for the week ahead farmers will need to use all the tricks to keep cows out grazing, such as back fencing, 12 hour breaks, on/off grazing, grazing in square blocks, etc. Feeding high levels of supplement or bulky feeds such as silage will make it harder to achieve a good clean-out at grass because cows will be more inclined to come in and eat rather than graze out well, particularly in wet weather. Grass growth rates are predicted to fall sharply this week.Michael & Tom Dunne – Kilworth, Co Cork
We’re grazing day and night still on 12-hour strips. We’ll hopefully continue this up until the first week of November and graze by day for a number of weeks after.
Our cut off point is a farm cover of 600kg DM/ha and we’ll house cows full time when we come to this, with a target of 900kg DM/ha on the 1st December with an opening cover of 1,100 kg next spring.
We’ve only about 15% of the block closed so far. We’re a good bit later closing ground this year with how the drought played out and the strong growth in the last few weeks. Some of the empty cows have been sold to reduce stocking rate.
Stocking Rate (cows/ha) 3.12
Growth Rate (kg/day) 40
Average Farm Cover (kg/ha) 800
Yield (l/cow) 16
Fat % 4.64
Protein% 4.29
Milk Solids (kg/cow) 1.47
Supplement fed (kg/cow/day) 4.5
Eoin McGrath – Teagasc Curtins, Co Cork
Grazing conditions have become more difficult due to heavy rain. We will still push for a 4cm residual if ground conditions do not deteriorate. Cows are on grass full time and are being fed 4kg concentrate.
We are allocating 12-hour blocks to utilise heavy covers efficiently and avoid bloat. Bloat oil is being dispensed into water troughs for these cows on grass/clover paddocks.
Farm cover has risen to 956kg, although our growth has decreased to 29kgDM/ha/day in the past fortnight due to lower night time temperatures.
Cows are entering covers at roughly 1,650kgDM/ha. Rotation length is now at 40 days.
Stocking Rate (cows/ha) 2.89
Growth Rate (kg/day) 29
Average Farm Cover (kg/ha) 956
Yield (l/cow) 16
Fat % 6.19
Protein% 4.55
Milk Solids (kg/cow) 1.77
Supplement fed (kg/cow/day) 4
Noel O’Toole – Ballinasloe, Co Galway
Cows are on 7kg of grass and 7kg of silage daily. Silage is being fed at milking times, with cows held back a little after each milking.
We’re on 12-hour breaks, with cows grazing paddocks away from the yard during the day and close to the parlour at night. We’ve been a week later to start closing paddocks this year with strong growth.
So far, we’ve 50% of the block closed, although I’ll review this based on farm cover come 1 November and I may regraze some of these paddocks.
Ground conditions are good despite the rainfall we’ve received. However, it wouldn’t take long for grazing conditions to deteriorate.
Stocking Rate (cows/ha) 4.1
Growth Rate (kg/day) 32
Average Farm Cover (kg/ha) 816
Yield (l/cow) 15
Fat % 6.3
Protein% 4.3
Milk Solids (kg/cow) 1.63
Supplement fed (kg/cow/day) 4
Donall Fahy & Ronan Grealis – Grange, Co Meath
Farm cover is 1,150kgDM/ha, so there are roughly 38 days ahead of weanlings. Grazed paddocks are closed to ensure sufficient grass next spring.
Angus, Aubrac and Holstein Friesian sired weanlings weigh 215kg, 219kg and 245kg, respectively, each having an ADG of 0.7kg since arrival. These calves are currently receiving 1 kg of concentrate.
No finishing steers are grazing. 65% of Angus sired animals have been slaughtered to date aged 19-20 months, while no Holstein Friesian steers have been drafted for slaughter yet.
Finishing steers are on high quality first cut silage (75 DMD) and 5kg of concentrate, with cattle handled and drafted for slaughter every two weeks.
System Dairy calf-to-beef
Soil type Variable
Farm cover (kg DM/ha) 1,150
Growth (kg DM/ha/day) 32
Demand (kg DM/ha/day) 16
James Strain – Burnfoot, Co Donegal
We started housing cows two weeks ago and the last went in at the weekend. Two cows have calved already but it will be into November before most calve down.
I sold nine bull weanlings this week and the rest remain at grass. I think I will winter the rest of them, I usually sell the heifers in February and I have sufficient silage to see us through the winter period.
There is still plenty of grass on the farm but ground conditions are starting to deteriorate. I have bought in some store lambs and will likely add to this in the coming weeks to clean off the ground over winter.
It was a difficult grazing year here up until the end of June, but from then on it has been a lot more favourable.
System Suckler-to-beef
Soil type Heavy
Farm cover (kg DM/ha) 920
Growth (kg DM/ha/day) -
Demand (kg DM/ha/day) 14
Declan Marren – THRIVE Farm, Co Tipperary
Just over 35% of the farm is closed. This is behind target due to the low grass growth in the last month, combined with lower demand due to the finishing cattle being housed.
This year’s calves were weighed last week. The heifers averaged 218kg and the bullocks at 226kg. This is on target for October but careful management at grass is needed to maintain performance.
With heavy covers of leafy grass on the farm and dry matter diminishing, straw bales have been reintroduced to regulate dietary fibre. Calves continue to get 1kg/day concentrate at grass.
We are closing paddocks closest to the yard to have them available for grazing in spring with some light stock where we will look at on/off grazing opportunities.
System Dairy calf-to-beef
Soil type Mostly dry
Farm cover (kg DM/ha) 1,231
Growth (kg DM/ha/day) 34
Demand (kg DM/ha/day) 19
Torrential rain on Sunday, Monday and again on Wednesday really put a dampener on grazing this week. It finished it on some farms, particularly on heavier land along the west and north, with many herds housed.
This housing was driven by weather rather than grass supply, so the hope is that many will be able to go back out again in a few weeks. However, the game is up for finishing cattle, stores and heavy suckler cows.
It’s a different story on most dairy farms where there is three to four weeks of grass left for grazing this autumn.
Pick and choose where to go during this wet spell and for some, the best place could be the shed but in the knowledge that cows will go back out again when conditions improve.
In fact, the shed could be the best place for farms that are running low on grass, because rather than supplementing a bit of silage every day the cows could be getting a lot of silage for a small number of days instead.
Feeding bulky feeds like silage or zero grazed grass when the weather is wet is very hard to manage. Cows will prefer to be inside eating easy-to-access silage rather than outside eating wet grass.
If they’re not getting it in the shed they won’t know any better, but where they are getting it in the shed they would rather be there than working hard outdoors.
As this is the last round of grazing, achieving a low residual is important, but let’s face it; when there is 30-40mm of rain falling overhead residuals are a secondary concern.
According to PastureBase, average farm cover is 840kg/ha, with a growth rate of 36kg per day and a demand of 39kg/day. Based on these figures the average farm cover will stay relatively consistent.
However, with a reduction in air and soil temperatures and widespread heavy rain we can expect to see a big reduction in grass growth over the coming days and weeks.
The predicted grass growth rate for the coming week is 20-30kg per day.
Very heavy rain has meant that some herds, particularly those in the west and north have had to be housed, either temporarily or permanently. With more rain forecast for the week ahead farmers will need to use all the tricks to keep cows out grazing, such as back fencing, 12 hour breaks, on/off grazing, grazing in square blocks, etc. Feeding high levels of supplement or bulky feeds such as silage will make it harder to achieve a good clean-out at grass because cows will be more inclined to come in and eat rather than graze out well, particularly in wet weather. Grass growth rates are predicted to fall sharply this week.Michael & Tom Dunne – Kilworth, Co Cork
We’re grazing day and night still on 12-hour strips. We’ll hopefully continue this up until the first week of November and graze by day for a number of weeks after.
Our cut off point is a farm cover of 600kg DM/ha and we’ll house cows full time when we come to this, with a target of 900kg DM/ha on the 1st December with an opening cover of 1,100 kg next spring.
We’ve only about 15% of the block closed so far. We’re a good bit later closing ground this year with how the drought played out and the strong growth in the last few weeks. Some of the empty cows have been sold to reduce stocking rate.
Stocking Rate (cows/ha) 3.12
Growth Rate (kg/day) 40
Average Farm Cover (kg/ha) 800
Yield (l/cow) 16
Fat % 4.64
Protein% 4.29
Milk Solids (kg/cow) 1.47
Supplement fed (kg/cow/day) 4.5
Eoin McGrath – Teagasc Curtins, Co Cork
Grazing conditions have become more difficult due to heavy rain. We will still push for a 4cm residual if ground conditions do not deteriorate. Cows are on grass full time and are being fed 4kg concentrate.
We are allocating 12-hour blocks to utilise heavy covers efficiently and avoid bloat. Bloat oil is being dispensed into water troughs for these cows on grass/clover paddocks.
Farm cover has risen to 956kg, although our growth has decreased to 29kgDM/ha/day in the past fortnight due to lower night time temperatures.
Cows are entering covers at roughly 1,650kgDM/ha. Rotation length is now at 40 days.
Stocking Rate (cows/ha) 2.89
Growth Rate (kg/day) 29
Average Farm Cover (kg/ha) 956
Yield (l/cow) 16
Fat % 6.19
Protein% 4.55
Milk Solids (kg/cow) 1.77
Supplement fed (kg/cow/day) 4
Noel O’Toole – Ballinasloe, Co Galway
Cows are on 7kg of grass and 7kg of silage daily. Silage is being fed at milking times, with cows held back a little after each milking.
We’re on 12-hour breaks, with cows grazing paddocks away from the yard during the day and close to the parlour at night. We’ve been a week later to start closing paddocks this year with strong growth.
So far, we’ve 50% of the block closed, although I’ll review this based on farm cover come 1 November and I may regraze some of these paddocks.
Ground conditions are good despite the rainfall we’ve received. However, it wouldn’t take long for grazing conditions to deteriorate.
Stocking Rate (cows/ha) 4.1
Growth Rate (kg/day) 32
Average Farm Cover (kg/ha) 816
Yield (l/cow) 15
Fat % 6.3
Protein% 4.3
Milk Solids (kg/cow) 1.63
Supplement fed (kg/cow/day) 4
Donall Fahy & Ronan Grealis – Grange, Co Meath
Farm cover is 1,150kgDM/ha, so there are roughly 38 days ahead of weanlings. Grazed paddocks are closed to ensure sufficient grass next spring.
Angus, Aubrac and Holstein Friesian sired weanlings weigh 215kg, 219kg and 245kg, respectively, each having an ADG of 0.7kg since arrival. These calves are currently receiving 1 kg of concentrate.
No finishing steers are grazing. 65% of Angus sired animals have been slaughtered to date aged 19-20 months, while no Holstein Friesian steers have been drafted for slaughter yet.
Finishing steers are on high quality first cut silage (75 DMD) and 5kg of concentrate, with cattle handled and drafted for slaughter every two weeks.
System Dairy calf-to-beef
Soil type Variable
Farm cover (kg DM/ha) 1,150
Growth (kg DM/ha/day) 32
Demand (kg DM/ha/day) 16
James Strain – Burnfoot, Co Donegal
We started housing cows two weeks ago and the last went in at the weekend. Two cows have calved already but it will be into November before most calve down.
I sold nine bull weanlings this week and the rest remain at grass. I think I will winter the rest of them, I usually sell the heifers in February and I have sufficient silage to see us through the winter period.
There is still plenty of grass on the farm but ground conditions are starting to deteriorate. I have bought in some store lambs and will likely add to this in the coming weeks to clean off the ground over winter.
It was a difficult grazing year here up until the end of June, but from then on it has been a lot more favourable.
System Suckler-to-beef
Soil type Heavy
Farm cover (kg DM/ha) 920
Growth (kg DM/ha/day) -
Demand (kg DM/ha/day) 14
Declan Marren – THRIVE Farm, Co Tipperary
Just over 35% of the farm is closed. This is behind target due to the low grass growth in the last month, combined with lower demand due to the finishing cattle being housed.
This year’s calves were weighed last week. The heifers averaged 218kg and the bullocks at 226kg. This is on target for October but careful management at grass is needed to maintain performance.
With heavy covers of leafy grass on the farm and dry matter diminishing, straw bales have been reintroduced to regulate dietary fibre. Calves continue to get 1kg/day concentrate at grass.
We are closing paddocks closest to the yard to have them available for grazing in spring with some light stock where we will look at on/off grazing opportunities.
System Dairy calf-to-beef
Soil type Mostly dry
Farm cover (kg DM/ha) 1,231
Growth (kg DM/ha/day) 34
Demand (kg DM/ha/day) 19
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