15 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.
Predicted growth rates (ranging from 48 to 66kg DM/ha/day) will match or drop below demand on some farms (average demand of 48kg DM/ha/day). This indicates that some farms will not build their average farm cover (AFC) this week without making a decision to reduce demand. This is particularly the case for higher stocked farms.
Farmers are urged to compare their average farm cover and rotation length with this week’s target (see table 1 below). Most farms should push out to a 35-day rotation. For example, a 35ha milking platform should be grazing 1ha/day.
If the daily grass allowance based on this rotation length is not enough to meet demand, consider reducing stocking rate or introducing supplement. A minimum 30-day rotation needs to be maintained to grow and utilise more grass. Remember, every day at grass is worth about €2/LU per day.
With rain after arriving and pre-grazing yields high, the Grass10 team also recommend the use of a strip wire to ensure grazing to 4cm is achieved.
Table 1: Autumn grazing targets
| Date | Cover/cow (kg DM) | Average Farm Cover (kg DM/ha) | Rotation length |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stocking rate of 2.5LU/ha | |||
| September 1 | 300 | 750 | 30 days |
| Mid-September | 400-450 | 1,000-1,100 | 35 days |
| October 1 | 400 | 1,000 | 40 days |
| November 1 | 60%+ of grazing platform should be closed for spring | ||
| Fully housed | 600 | ||
| Stocking rate of 3.0+LU/ha | |||
| September 1 | 330 | ||
| Mid-September | 370 | ||
| October 1 | 380 | ||
| November 1 | 65%+ of grazing platform should be closed for spring | ||
| Fully housed | 650 | ||
The autumn grazing targets presented in the table above gives farmers a target depending on their stocking rate. For heavier soils, it is important that peak average farm cover should be no more than 900-950kg DM/Ha and peak grazing covers of 1800kg DM/Ha.
The ‘4,3,2,1’ of measuring your farm this autumn
As we build grass this autumn, it is essential that we keep track of AFC, rotation length and pre-grazing yield. The ‘4,3,2,1’ is a guide to the number of measurements to complete over the next few months:
- 4 measurements in September
- 3 measurements in October
- 2 measurements in November
- 1 measurement in December
This article first appeared in this week’s Grass10 newsletter. For more information on the campaign and to sign up to future newsletters, click here.