Grassland

The Value of Soil Sampling
Eddie Webb, Teagasc Soils & Environment Advisor, gives his guide to soil sampling and fertility management.
14 February 2024

When should you apply early nitrogen?
A lack of nitrogen (N) supply in the soil can limit spring grass growth. The timing and rate of fertiliser N and slurry application are key decisions for every livestock farmer in early spring.
12 February 2024

Listen: Early February grazing tips from Grass10
The Teagasc Grass10 team has introduced a new, weekly Grass10 update via podcast format. For this week’s grazing management update, Joseph Dunphy discusses PastureBase data, dry matter percentages, predicted grass growth, and rainfall and soil temperatures.
09 February 2024

Assess the quantities of grass on your farm now
The average farm cover on your farm is a vital piece of information required to plan your spring feed budget, writes Teagasc Dairy Specialist, Mark Treacy.
05 February 2024

Does the spring rotation planner actually work for all dairy farm soil types?
Many dairy farmers with a large percentage of heavy soil types question the relevance of the spring rotation planner. Martina Gormley, Teagasc Dairy Specialist, writes on how different targets are required on farms with a heavier soil type.
30 January 2024

Early grazing key to stretching fodder reserves
The National Fodder and Food Security Committee reconvened on Wednesday, January 24th, to assess the situation on farms in terms of fodder supplies and to quantify the challenges facing tillage growers this spring.
26 January 2024

How much fertiliser can I buy?
‘How much fertiliser can I buy?’ is a frequently asked question by farmers recently, writes Sean Mannion, B&T Advisor, Teagasc Galway/Clare, who tells us more on the National Fertiliser Database, the importance of calculating your stocking rate and soil sampling requirements.
25 January 2024

Farmers encouraged to carefully manage their winter-feed requirements
An online meeting of the National Fodder and Food Security Committee (NFFSC) took place Wednesday, 24th January to update members on the livestock fodder and feed situation on farms. Challenges around the availability of straw was also a strong recurring message.
25 January 2024

Action needed to avoid ‘uphill battle’ on future nitrates derogations
The future of Ireland’s nitrates derogation is dependent on farmers making the right choices and implementing measures to improve water quality, according to Eoghan O’Brien, Teagasc Sustainability Advisor.
25 January 2024

Save slurry for your silage ground
Although slurry spreading is now permitted in Zones A and B, farmers have been reminded to plan carefully and to apply slurry in the areas where it gives the best response.
24 January 2024

Transitioning to LESS
With the recent changes to nitrates regulations there are a large number of farmers who will be moving from the traditional splash plate to using Low Emission Slurry Spreading (LESS) for the first time. Francis Quigley, Farm Machinery & Milking Machine Specialist, tells us more.
17 January 2024

Slurry spreading advice for farmers and slurry contractors
As the slurry spreading season opens across the country over the coming week, Noel Meehan, ASSAP Manager, outlines why it is very important that farmers and agricultural contractors apply slurry very carefully so as to prevent nutrient losses to water.
15 January 2024

Time to appreciate the value of your cattle slurry
Joining Teagasc Dairy Edge host Dr Emma-Louise Coffey on a recent episode of the weekly podcast, Dr William Burchill, FBD Lecturer in Sustainable Agriculture at UCC, said that a rethink on the way slurry is managed on some farms is required.
13 January 2024

Key change to slurry spreading rules comes into play
With the prohibited period for slurry applications coming to a close in the not too distant future, farmers need to be aware of a key change to the rules regarding the method by which slurry can be applied on some farms.
12 January 2024

Time to act on your paddock system
If you are thinking of putting a paddock system in place or even modifying your existing paddocks, now is the time to take action, Fergal Maguire, DairyBeef 500 Advisor, tells us more.
20 December 2023

Irish farmers achieve key 2030 nitrogen fertiliser reduction target
Recently published figures from the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM) have highlighted the progress Irish farmers have made in terms of reducing their nitrogen fertiliser usage - a key step in achieving agriculture’s emission reduction targets.
12 December 2023

Reflecting on 2023 with PastureBase Ireland
2023 has been a difficult year for grassland managers and the Teagasc Grass10 and PastureBase Ireland teams reflected on some of the key learnings from this grazing year on a recent webinar.
10 December 2023

'Where are the women?'
During the opening and closing of her address to the recent conference on Irish Agriculture and the EU 50 years on, a journey through 50 years of Ireland’s EU membership, EU Commissioner Mairead McGuinness posed the question 'where are the women?'
12 November 2023

Make soil sampling a priority this winter
Donal McCabe, Drystock Advisor in Teagasc Longford, explains why you should be making plans as to how you are going to get the most out of your grass swards for 2024 and how soil sampling can help.
03 November 2023

‘Smash and grab’ grazing and managing silage in the diet
The term ‘smash and grab’ when it comes to grazing has been a common saying among many farmers when discussing grazing management over recent days. As part of its weekly newsletter, the Teagasc Grass10 team look at the options available to maximise the use of grass in difficult conditions.
02 November 2023

Teagasc Fodder Survey Update October 2023
National situation stable, but 10% to 15% of farms require corrective action.
25 October 2023

Pick your paddocks now for next spring’s grazing
All farms should have started closing paddocks, the Teagasc Grass10 team has reminded farmers in its most recent weekly newsletter. Remember, every week delay in closing reduces spring grass supply by 100kg DM/ha.
13 October 2023

Closed period for slurry spreading around the corner
After being extended on two occasions over the last number of weeks, the closed period for the application of slurry will now commence on October 15th 2023.
13 October 2023

Annual meadow grass showing more resistance to herbicides
Leaving annual meadow-grass or grass-weed control until the spring is the least effective strategy, which may run the risk of resistance onset, writes Vijaya Bhaskar
02 October 2023

Multi-species grassland swards enhance soil biology
New research from the Teagasc Environment Research Centre, Johnstown Castle shows that higher plant diversity of intensively managed multi-species swards enhances belowground soil biodiversity and health.
26 September 2023

Seven-day extension to slurry spreading period
A one-week extension for the application of slurry has been granted, with the closed period for slurry spreading now commencing on October 8 rather than September 30, 2023.
22 September 2023

Sharpening the sward
At Teagasc Athenry, researchers have been investigating the use of mixed swards in pasture-based sheep production systems. The results suggest increased diversity may be beneficial for animal performance.
19 September 2023

Planning now for early Spring grass
Where does time go? As we enter the final third of the year and the final few weeks of the grazing season, now is the ideal time to put a plan in place to have high quality grass available for your stock next spring.
18 September 2023

Are you on track to hit mid-September grazing targets?
The requirement to build grass from August starts to become clear this week, the Grass10 team explain as part of its weekly newsletter.
15 September 2023

Minister Heydon launches farm Vehicle Safety and Blind Spots Video
Minister of State at the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine with special responsibility for Farm Safety, Mr Martin Heydon TD, launched a video ‘Farm Vehicle Safety and Blind Spots’ in Teagasc, Athenry yesterday.
15 September 2023