Food and Fodder Security for Drystock Farmers
Grazed grass is still the cheapest and best feed
Grassland Management | Fertiliser | Fodder Budget | Fertliser for silage | Other actions | Grass Silage Stock Checker
Download information as a pdf Grazed grass is still the cheapest and best feed for cattle
Grassland Management
- Grazed grass is still the cheapest and best feed for cattle at 10c per kg DM
- Get stock out as early as possible – save the silage already in the pit/bale. It will be much more expensive to make this year
- Complete a spring rotation planner
- Put in paddocks to grow more grass – you need to utilise every blade of grass grown
- Cattle should not be in the same paddock for more than three days to protect regrowth’s and maximise growth rates, “grow in three weeks and graze in three days”
- Reels and pigtails will be key
- 70-75% of all grass is grown by the end of June so we need to act now
Fertiliser
- Secure your silage fertiliser and your first two rounds of fertiliser now
- Apply fertiliser as soon as possible at 25 -35 units of Nitrogen (N) per acre depending on demand
- Follow three weeks later with another round.
- Check soil samples, if you have low index P& K soils apply at least 1.5 bags of 18-6-12 per acre by the end of April. If you have index 3 or 4, you may be able to skip P & K for this year.
- Apply lime, where required to grazing ground, it will release P from the soil and a possible 64 units of N per acre. Avoid lime on silage ground before harvest
Fodder Budget
- Silage is still much cheaper than meal at 20c versus 44c per kg DM
- Complete a fodder budget – what silage do you require for next winter, how much is left in the pits, how much do you have to grow
- Ensure to build in a 3-4 week buffer
- Plan for top quality silage 72 DMD + for younger stock and finishing cattle to reduce the meal requirement.
- Fertilise early and cut before the 20th of May
- Sucker cow silage can be cut later, up to the end of June
- 75% of fodder requirements for next winter should be in place by the end of June
- Only grow what you need
- Graze the rest to reduce fertiliser requirement
Fertliser for silage
- Keep slurry for silage ground
- First cut silage requires 80 – 100 units of Nitrogen (N) and Potassium (K) per acre. It requires 16 units of Phosphorous (P) per acre
- With Slurry: Apply 3,000 gallons of slurry, 60 units Chemical Nitrogen and 15 units of sulphur per acre. Aim for 80 units of N per acre
- No Slurry: Apply 3 bags of 13-6-20 plus 41 units of chemical Nitrogen and 15 units of sulphur per acre. Aim for 80 units of N per acre
- 75% of all silage required should be cut by end of June
- Surplus Bales, Don’t forget, if you reduce the amount of fertiliser applied to grazing ground you won’t get as many surplus bales
Other actions
- Cull all unproductive stock – cows not in calf, cows that lost calves etc
- Plan the years fertiliser, can you afford it, if not, what are your choices
- Do a cash flow budget
- Talk to your advisor – there are always options
Grass Silage Stock Checker
Use our online stock checker here to calculate:
- Grass Silage Required for Next Winter
- Grass Silage Available for Next Winter