Dairy Newsletter - August 2023
Type Newsletter
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Included in this month's edition
Top five tips for August
- Last chance to correct grass quality before building farm cover
- Don’t let somatic cell count creep in the second half of lactation
- Weigh replacement heifer calves now
- Get lime spread before it’s too late
- Ensure you take some time off
Read more about these top tips in the newsletter.
Building grass in August
August is the month to start building grass for the autumn. The growth of grass during the next six weeks is crucial as the rate of grass growth (supply) will be less than what is eaten (demand) by mid September. On many farms, silage area comes back into grazing in August and thereby lengthens the rotation.
Costs on dairy farms in 2023
As we move through the year we can now make a good estimate to establish where the likely costs of production will be compared to 2022. We all know that we had a record year for profits in 2022 but we also recorded a record high in the cost of the production milk of over €2,000 per cow.
Farmyard development – plan carefully
This time of year is often where plans are put into place for farmyard development. The upcoming winter and following spring are coming back into mind. Whether it is a new cubicle shed, parlour, calf housing, extra slurry storage or silage pits, they all require time to get the physical and financial planning right.