Grass10 Newsletter - 15th February 2022
In this week's newsletter the Grass10 team introduce another farmer in The Clover Reporter section as well as this week's Grass10 featured farmer. View some Grass10 weekly tips, a research update from Athenry, grass growth figures and watch a video mapping your farm using PastureBase Ireland.
183rd Edition - 15th February 2022
Grass10 Weekly Tips
After favourable weather conditions during January, the weather has become more unsettled with heavy rain over the weekend in many areas & forecasted rainfall of between 40 mm (South & East) & 65mm (North & West) over the next week.
When grazing animals during unsettled conditions, your priorities should be in this order:
1) Feed the animal
2) Avoid damage
3) Hit residuals
Every 3 Kg DM of grass that a cow eats produces 1 extra litre of milk per day & increases weight gain for cattle and sheep in the correct conditions on drystock farms.
The image below is a sample guide for a dairy farmer during unsettled weather to get grass in the diet twice per day.
Note: The PM paddock must be closer to the yard & simple to get to in order to streamline the return of animals to the yard in the evening.
Identify the drier areas of your farm to graze during the coming week. Select paddocks with grass covers of between 800-1100 Kg DM/Ha, with good grazing infrastructure and good access.
Click below to view Paudie O'Brien (heavy soils, Co. Kerry) on how he maximises grass in the diet at the shoulders of the year using the "On-Off Grazing" technique in tandem with excellent grazing infrastructure. Remember every day grazing earns a dairy farmer €2.70 per cow and earns a drystock farmer €2 per LU.
Grass10 Featured Farmer
The Clover Reporter
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