Close the milking platform in autumn to protect spring grass
Reminding dairy farmers that the grass you grow in October is the grass you graze in the spring, Teagasc Dairy Specialist, Stuart Childs shares tips on autumn closing and managing grass over the coming weeks.
We have had a phenomenal recovery in grass growth in the last month. Farms could even have too much grass at the moment. This should be rectified if weather allows, as too much grass can be as hard to manage as too little.
In addition, growth is predicted to remain strong for the coming week, resulting in heavy covers becoming excessively heavy. This could see grass being wasted. Cutting surplus, while not the norm at this time of year, is the right thing to do and the silage is wanted in many cases so don’t waste a blade!
Closing up the farm for the spring
That aside, while we want to make use of grass in October and into November for as long as possible, it is important that people have closing up the farm for the spring in the next few weeks in the back of their minds.
The grass grown in October will be the grass you graze in February.
Every year, farmers give into the temptation to continue grazing in the autumn at the expense of spring grass. It’s hard to blame people, especially if conditions are good but it is a costly mistake no matter what way you twist it.
Early spring grass is an excellent feed for early lactation cows. It provides energy and protein greater than any product that can be bought. However, if it’s not carried over from before Christmas, it just will not be there.
Selecting a closing date
There is often debate about the right closing date. The reality is that it will vary depending on the year. For me, I think it is wise to start closing early as this gives you options. You can go back and graze a paddock again if you find you have sufficient grass supply, but you can’t grow it if it’s gone.
Enough grass for next spring
The objective of all farmers this autumn must be to close the farm with the right amount of grass to have enough next spring.
Stocking rate will dictate closing cover required on December 1st (official industry closing cover date), ranging from 550-600kg DM/ha for 2.5LU/ha to 700-750kg DM/ha for stocking rates of 3.5LU/ha.
Monitoring farm cover throughout October and early November will help you know when to stop. This can be at a cover that is lower than the figures above, but you need to allow sufficient time for the cover to grow back to the December 1st targets.
Don’t underestimate the impact of an additional day or two of grazing in autumn on spring grass availability. One of my colleagues always tells his groups that two days in the autumn is worth seven days in the spring. Think of 7 days of cows out at grass in Spring – the relief it provides to both the cows and the farmer. It is also more financially rewarding in the spring, and it all adds up.
The key message is that grass you grow in October is the grass you graze in spring. You need to plan to make sure that it is there to graze but you also need to plan that it is where you can graze it. Talk to your advisor about planning your autumn grazing to maximise the return from both autumn and spring grazing on your farm.
Visit here for more tips and advice on autumn grazing management.