Hitting Grazing Targets in 2021 with PastureBase Ireland Webinar
Type Event Proceeding
Are you looking to make better grazing decisions on your farm in April? On this webinar which took place on Wednesday, 7th April, John Douglas & Joseph Dunphy, Teagasc Grass10 and Micheal O'Leary, PastureBase Ireland go through how you can use PastureBase Ireland to plan your spring grazing.
The Grass10 and PastureBase team gave an update on Spring grass supply & grazing from PastureBase Ireland, as well as tips and advice on managing the 2nd rotation during April. They gave an overview of the terms used on PastureBase Ireland such as Average Farm Cover, Cover per Livestock Unit, Demand and Days Ahead so you can make better grazing decisions. The panel also outlined how to set your farm up with quality grass as we transition from low to high growth rates.
Special guests, dairy farmer Noel Hurley, Kildorrey, Co. Cork & Sheep Farmer Peter McGuinness, Trim, Co. Meath also joined the webinar to discuss April grassland management on their farms and how PastureBase Ireland helps them achieve targets.
With the progression into April, Irish farmers should transition their focus from spring grazing to mid-season grazing management. This means moving focus from getting area grazed by certain dates, to using grazing targets which ensure farmers do not run out of grass, and importantly but less widely known, ensures farmers are grazing the correct grass.
Grazing the correct grass is when the ryegrass plant has the most amount of leaf in the sward before stem development (1200-1400 kg DM/ha or 9-10cm). More leaf means more digestibility. More digestibility means more energy. More energy means equals higher animal performance. This is how farmers get the best production from the best value feed on their farms, which underpins farm profitability.