Dairy Newsletter - August 2022

In this month's Dairy newsletter get details of Setting grazing up for the Autumn, Teagasc fodder survey, Lame cows - the next 6 weeks are crucial, Preparing for clean and comfortable cows next winter and Health & Safety - Take care with machinery

View Dairy Newsletter - August 2022 (PDF) 

In this month's edition:

Setting grazing up for the Autumn

PastureBase Ireland data over the last few years has shown that many dairy farms end up with a lower supply of grass than targeted entering into autumn. August is the crucial month when management priority now shifts from controlling pre-grazing covers to building grass supply.

• It is important that a rotation length of 28-30 days is reached by September. 
• On many farms silage area comes back into grazing in August, thereby lengthening the rotation.
• Baling out surplus grass covers ceases.

Teagasc fodder survey

Teagasc conducted a survey of silage stocks on over 500 farms nationally in July. Results showed that on average, there is a 15-20% surplus of silage on farms, relative to normal winter demand. This is a very positive position considering the serious issues with fertiliser costs this year.

Lame cows - the next 6 weeks are crucial

As we move toward the latter part of the grazing season, what can we do to reduce the number of lame dairy cows we see on the farm? We can identify and hoof-pare any cows that exhibit signs of lameness as early as possible

Preparing for clean and comfortable cows next winter

As workload eases at this time of year, it is a good opportunity to review your cow housing for the winter period and to carry out any necessary repairs, and maybe plan for longerterm solutions

Health & Safety - Take care with machinery

August is harvest month with a lot of machinery movement on farms and on public roads, including trailers, balers and silage gear. Machinery movement brings danger, particularly to bystanders including children and older farmers.