Preparing for the grazing season

Planning is critical to getting stock out to grass. Organic Advisor in Teagasc Castlerea, Enda O’Hart shares some tips on preparing for grazing.

It’s the time of the year again and farmers will start to think about the grazing year ahead and getting stock out to grass. Most farmers are aware of the value of early spring grass and being able to get stock out grazing as soon as possible. Getting stock out early will increase animal performance and improve profit - if you are able to take advantage of it.

Some of the key steps in achieving this will mean having a plan in place. Weather obviously plays a huge role in this and farmers need to be able to react quickly depending on ground conditions.

Grazing plan

Ideally the farm should be split in three, aiming to graze the first third by early March, the second third by St Patrick’s Day and the last third by mid-April. Wetter farms should aim to delay these targets by two weeks.

Plan to graze with the lightest stock possible so as to avoid damage. Use strip wires to move cattle daily and a back fence to minimise damage. If grazing conditions are bad then stock should be rehoused to avoid damaging the ground. Silage ground should also be grazed prior to closing as this will lead to better quality silage.

Applying nutrients

Another key area to be aware of when farmers apply fertilisers or animal manures to the soil is the importance of adhering to best practice when applying them. Check the weather forecast and don’t spread fertilisers or slurry if rain is forecast and temperatures are cold. Soil temperatures need to be above 6 degrees Celsius for grass to grow. Check soil trafficability before spreading to avoid damage.

Target recently reseeded and drier fields, as these will respond better to fertilisers and slurry. Use low emissions slurry spreading (LESS) equipment to spread slurry, as it is now required for all farmers stocked above 100kg organic N/ha to use this equipment. It is also really important to adhere to the required buffer zones when spreading fertilisers and animal manures. Do not spread any chemical fertilisers within 2m of any surface water. The buffer zone for organic manures, i.e. slurry and FYM, ranges from 5m to 200m depending on the waterbody involved.

More from Teagasc Daily: Slurry is a valuable nutrient - use it correctly