Current Grassland Management
Current Dry Matter Levels (%)
Grange
23%
Moorepark
28%
Oakpark
25%+
Grass Growth Predictions
MoSt Grass Growth Predictions for each country for 7 days (from 21st August 2026)
Current Grass growth
Current measured on-farm grass growth rates are between 4 and 74 kg of dry matter per hectare (kg DM/ha) across the country. The average grass growth across the country is 37 kg DM/ha. Grass growth is 20% above average for the counties of Donegal, Sligo Mayo and Kerry. For most other counties growth is from 10 to 92% lower than average for this time of year.
Predicted Grass Growth
For the coming week, grass growth rates are predicted to stay in average similar between 10 and 63 kg DM/ha with an average of 40 kg DM/ha across the country.
Management notes
Soil moisture deficit is still limiting or stopping growth across the country, with the exception of the west and northwest. With the possible return of rain, grass growth should start to recover. Where swards have already greened up, recovery should be relatively quick once sufficient moisture returns. However, where grass remains yellow or stressed, recovery will take longer, as the sward will need to green up before growth rates begin to increase.
Ensure your livestock allocations of grass, meal and fodder are correct when putting in a grass cover on PastureBase
Prolonged soil moisture deficit
- Soil moisture deficits persist in the south, east and midlands
- Some farms are no longer able to keep grass in the diet and need to consider feeding options – at least half of the diet should be made up of forage
- Monitor feed area for hygiene and watch SCC
- High DM diets need to ensure adequate water availability
- Some farms have been feeding fodder continuously since early July
- Fodder needs to be assessed on farm – do a fodder available budget on PastureBase!
- Measures silage reserves vs winter feed requirements of herd
Fertiliser
- Every farm and paddock in the country is experiencing different soil moisture deficit levels, rainfall levels and subsequently, growth rates
- Assess each individual paddock by walking your farm
- The requirement to grow up to 35 kg DM/ha/day is 1 kg N/ha and this is available from soil mineralisation in the current conditions. No extra N is required
- Where rain has fallen
- Allow for mineralised N to be utilised
- When growth goes above 35 kg DM/ha/day in a paddock and the base of the sward is green fertiliser can be spread
- Where little to no rain has fallen
- Fertiliser should not be spread when growth is below 35 kg DM/ha and where a large soil moisture deficit persists
- Do not pre-spread fertiliser
- Apply watery slurry to grazed paddocks if it’s available on farm
- There is an opportunity to spread lime on paddocks with low covers
- Lime will be washed in when rain falls and paddocks are recovering
Assess fodder available on farm
- It is important for farmers to establish how much fodder is available in the yard
- Assess quantity and quality of fodder and input into PastureBase
- How many days of feed are available to match your current livestock numbers?
- In some parts of the country high quality fodder will be required until soil moisture has recovered
- There might not be an opportunity to harvest any more fodder in 2026
- After you have assessed fodder available, use figures to decide on action
- On farms with less than 5 months forage available for their current stock numbers action needs to be taken to either build reserves or reduce demand, some farms will have to do both depending on silage reserves
- Plan livestock being carried over winter carefully
- Sell surplus stock
- Make a plan for animals not in calf – do you need to carry over winter?
- Introduce creep feeding to weanlings
- If you need to buy in fodder, earlier action is advised
- Plan what fodder is needed for what stock over winter (dry cow/milking cows/finishers, weanlings all require different feed quality)
- Consider all options i.e. straw/hay to stretch silage
- If you have any concerns around your fodder availability on farm please contact your local advisor!
Normal Autumn build up
- Farms growing at normal levels should focus building AFC
- Target 30 day rotation by Sept 1st and cover/LU of 300 kg DM/LU
- Demand needs to be lower than grass growth to build AFC
- If AFC 680 kg DM/ha today and target 900 kg DM/ha on Sept 1st (SR of 3 LU/ha) you must build farm cover up 220 kg DM/ha in 12 days
- Therefore set demand 20 kg DM/ha/day below the farm growth rate for example above
- Review fertiliser N allowance and apply about 20-25 kg N/ha
- If possible a 3rd cut of good quality silage should be considered on land off the main grazing platform
- Do a fodder available budget to assess silage stocks for over winter – some heavier farms were later turning out in spring 2026
- 5.5 – 6 months is the requirement on heavier farms with a later turnout
Reseed management
- More recent reseeds (June, July) should be assessed for weed burden
- Where reseeds have achieved a reasonable level of establishment application of a herbicide should be considered (preferably in the evening)
- Many weeds can establish quickly during dry conditions (fat hen, redshank, docks)
Give reseeds time to reach the 3 leaf stage in order to apply herbicide
- Some reseeds are struggling to establish deep roots especially after recent rainfall, roots have turned upwards for moisture and therefore are failing the pull test
- Wait to get better root anchoring and a higher cover before considering grazing