Farmers could soon be able to predict grass growth.

Harnessing research from Tegasc and Cork Institute of Technology (CIT) could help us to predict the growth of grass, the production volumes of milk and increase margins in tillage according to the Agricultural Meteorological seminar today, 23 June, in the National Botanic Gardens.

It is only a matter of time before we will be able to predict the future - of grass growth, according to research officer in Teagasc Moorepark Deirdre Hennessy. A considerable amount of work has been done by Teagasc Moorepark over the last 30 years in collecting meteorlogical and grass growth data. Running this information side by side Dr Hennessy is working on creating a model whereby we will be able to predict grass growth depending on the weather forecasted.

Michael Murphy, lecturer in CIT, presented his research in the area of milk production forecasting. While processors currently use an averaging system to predict their milk supply this has the potential to be a lot more accurate and will allow processors to make more informed decisions when signing supply contracts with international customers, preventing a fall in share price.

Research officer from Teagasc Oakpark, Steven Kildea, highlighted Ireland's position at top of the world leaderboard in terms of yield per acre of barley and wheat. But he sees the potential to use weather in aiding decisions relating to disease control actions which could ultimately increase margins for tillage farmers.

Farming is heavily influenced by weather and the Agricultural Meteorological group recognise this. As it is, Met Eireann has an agricultural section on their website to assist farmers with weather related decisions. These include weather radar, weather summaries, a fire weather index and the Ollerenshaw index which predicts liver fluke severity depending on expected weather conditions.