Grassland
Ken’s latest grass wedge on 10th August shows a farm cover of 436 kg DM/ha which is behind the target of 500 kg DM/ha for the time of year. However grass growth has reduced to 11 kg DM/ha/day and stock demand is currently at 20 kg DM/ha/day. The earlier sale of finished cattle has helped to reduce demand this summer, and the in calf cows were kept on barer paddocks in the lead up to calving to manage demand.
Ken fully expects grass growth to increase when the rain arrives and doesn’t plan to cut any more paddocks for silage. With all his land included in the grass wedge, this provides him with 23 days of grass ahead which will provide a good buffer and is close to the target of 25 days for mid-August.
Figure 1: Grass wedge on 10th August 2026
In comparison to 2025, Ken has grown 0.76 t DM/ha less across the whole farm up until 10th August due to the warm summer (5.8 t DM/ha in 2026 vs. 6.56 t DM/ha in 2025). However utilisation has been excellent and Ken has less cattle this year so demand was lower, allowing him to replenish his winter feed reserves.
Water supply has been a challenge this summer and Ken plans to invest in a new 3000 gallon water tank that will be gravity fed and available to the furthest fields on the farm, as water pressure was dropping there over the summer.
Animal Nutrition
Ken’s fodder budget was updated for the coming winter. He has a pit of grass silage along with 158 pea/barley bales and 191 bales of red clover silage. A further 261 bales are required for a 6 month winter on the farm, with more red clover silage still to be cut.
Figure 2: Re-growth on red clover crop 4 weeks after cutting
4ha of rape will be sown as a winter crop when the oats are harvested in mid to late August. Any cows that slipped embryos since scanning will also be sold before housing to reduce winter demand. Organic ration will be bought for the calves pre and post weaning so this will provide a feed buffer over winter.
Performance
The first batch of finishing cattle were sold from the farm on 10th July. Nine heifers were finished at 22.4 months of age, averaging 315kg carcass weight and grading R-4=. One steer was also sold in the same batch at 22.3 months and he was 323 kg carcass weight at R-4-.
Five heifers were sold in the second batch on 14th August. They averaged 305kg at 23 months and graded R=3+. 15 steers were sold with this group, and they averaged 364kg at 23.5 months, grading R=3+.
Figure 3: Steer #1739 that finished at 23.6 months, 373 kg carcass weight, grading R+3+. Sired by LM4351
Figure 4: Heifer #1778 that finished at 22.6 months, 302 kg carcass weight, grading R+3+. Sired by AA4087
One final batch of 20 cattle are booked in for 16th September, but Ken is very happy with the finishing performance to date with all cattle over a fat score of 2+, and one group sold 1 month earlier than last year.