Grassland

Watch: Selection, establishment and nutrient management of clover swards

To help promote and establish more clover on farms, the Teagasc Grass10 Campaign and Clover 150 Programme held a series of farm walks over the month of April.
13 May 2023

Taking the opportunity to reseed on Teagasc/Tirlán Future farms

Sandra Hayes, co-ordinator of the Teagasc/Tirlán Future Farm Programme, outlines the progress farmers are making with grazing and reseeding in the most recent Teagasc/Tirlan Future Farm Update.
09 May 2023

Agriculture’s role in biomethane production

Biomethane is a carbon neutral renewable gas made from farm and food waste, which is produced through anaerobic digestion (AD).
06 May 2023

Setting the sights on milking quality silage in Co. Mayo

Donal Ronayne is in his third year of milk production, milking a herd of 194 spring-calving cows in south Mayo.
06 May 2023

Have you set your grazing targets for the next 100 days?

Grassland farmers are reminded to stick to the mid-season grazing targets to optimise profit from grass; the main grazing goal for the next 100 days is to graze covers of 1,300-1,400kg DM/ha.
03 May 2023

Watch: Reaping the benefits of red clover with Future Beef farmer Ken Gill

Farming full-time in Clonbullogue, Co. Offaly, Ken Gill operates an organically-certified beef and tillage enterprise, along with 22ha of forestry.
03 May 2023

Why you must use less bagged nitrogen

Farmers are being tasked with reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, but what steps can be taken at farm level to achieve this?
30 April 2023

Establishment of multispecies swards

Many farmers may be establishing multispecies swards for the first time in 2023. These swards – which contain a mixture of grasses, herbs and legumes – offer a range of benefits, including: improved soil health; enhanced biodiversity; and increased livestock productivity.
30 April 2023

Planning your silage strategy – tips for making quality bales of silage

Although grazing conditions were excellent on many farms during the month of February, with many taking the opportunity to get stock out to grass early, unsettled conditions in March and April did delay grazing plans for many.
28 April 2023

No time like the present for white clover incorporation

Apart from the benefits associated with lower levels of artificial nitrogen use, the inclusion of white clover into grassland swards has also been shown to improve animal performance.
27 April 2023

Planning your silage strategy - factors affecting silage quality

As part of a three-part series on planning your silage strategy, Teagasc Beef Specialist Martina Harrington discusses the factors that affect silage quality on your farm.
27 April 2023

Grass10: Watch grazing targets as growth rates increase

As growth rates increase, the Teagasc Grass10 team advise to keep an eye on the grazing targets which have been established to work for all farms to keep a balance between grass supply and grass quality. The targets outlined below work very well when monitored weekly and acted on.
26 April 2023

Planning your silage strategy – more to consider than just fertiliser

The old adage of ‘fail to plan, plan to fail’ always jumps to mind around silage time. Often, however, the only planning is around fertiliser and how much to apply.
26 April 2023

Oversowing white clover in sheep swards

White clover has the potential to reduce the amount of chemical nitrogen fertiliser required for grass production and also has been shown to improve lamb performance when included in grazing swards.
25 April 2023

Summer decisions affect winter performance on organic farms

Although the differences between organic and conventional farming are numerous, one key aspect is central to both – the importance of silage quality.
23 April 2023

Increasing sward and animal performance with red clover

High artificial nitrogen costs have sparked a renewed interest in red clover silage. When grown in conjunction with a companion grass, these crops have the potential to provide a winter feed to livestock production systems from zero chemical nitrogen input.
22 April 2023

Maintaining grass quality as we approach May

Every year, farmers get caught moving from spring to summer grazing management. This week as part of their weekly newsletter, the Teagasc Grass10 team ask are you ready for the change?
19 April 2023

Grass margins in grass fields

Grass margins provide corridors of movement and networks for nature through the countryside, as well as habitats of high biodiversity value. Good structure is as important as species present. Lumpy and bumpy is good for associated invertebrates.
17 April 2023

Tips on establishing white clover in grassland swards

The benefit of clover in grassland has previously been reported through increased animal performance, increased herbage production and potential saving in chemical nitrogen (N) fertiliser, as well improved N use efficiency and N farm gate surplus.
15 April 2023

Let's Talk Organics - Growing red clover silage to finish beef cattle

Elaine Leavy and Joe Kelleher, Teagasc Organic Specialists hosted a Let's Talk Organics webinar on Wednesday, 5th April which focused on growing red clover silage to finish beef cattle.
15 April 2023

Don’t delay! Fertilise silage swards today

Weather conditions over the last number of weeks have resulted in delayed applications of fertiliser to silage fields. In addition, livestock have been housed for longer than normal, eating into farm silage stocks.
14 April 2023

Rebuilding of fodder stocks a priority

A challenging March has caused issues for dairy, drystock and tillage farmers, attendees heard at yesterday’s meeting of the Fertiliser Sub-group of the National Food and Fodder Security Committee in Teagasc Oak Park, Co. Carlow.
14 April 2023

Grass10: Heavy rainfall making grazing conditions difficult

Most farms, particularly those on the western seaboard and in the border, midlands and west region, have received significant rainfall volumes over the past weekend, the latest Grass10 newsletter explains, while also offering advice for the week ahead.
13 April 2023

Red clover silage and multispecies sward measures open

Measures to promote the uptake of red clover silage and multispecies swards at farm level were today announced by the Minister of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Charlie McConalogue.
12 April 2023

Watch: April assessment of clover content

Assessing the clover content of your swards now will enable you to tailor nitrogen fertiliser applications, while also allowing the identification of paddocks which may require reseeding or over sowing to increase clover content.
12 April 2023

Reseeding checklist: spring or autumn?

Regular reseeding of pasture allows farmers to grow increased yields of higher quality grass. Despite this, reseeding levels in Ireland are low with less than 2% of our national grassland area reseeded annually.
08 April 2023

Harvesting the benefits of clover swards

Patrick O’Neill farms in partnership with his father Tom, 5km north of Edgeworthstown, Co. Longford. They milk approximately 115 cows, supply Lakeland Dairies, and rear their own replacements.
07 April 2023

Watch: The multiple benefits of multispecies swards

High nitrogen fertiliser prices, combined with a drive to farm in a more environmentally sustainable way, has seen the interest in multispecies swards peak at farm level.
05 April 2023

Grass 10 weekly checklist: Transitioning from the first to the second rotation

With huge variability in the percentage grazed and regrowth across farms, it is important to calculate what area is remaining to graze in the first rotation.
05 April 2023

Correct fertiliser application rates and cutting dates for first-cut silage

What happens on farm over the next few weeks will have a significant impact to silage stocks on dairy farms for next winter. James Dunne, Teagasc Dairy Specialist, offers key advice on fertiliser application rates in this article.
03 April 2023