We are now late into August and farms have started to build average farm cover (AFC) for the autumn months.
This ensures that there is sufficient grass available to extend the autumn grazing season.
Grazing has been a challenge this year for the majority of farmers, and as we move closer to September farms should check that they are on track to meet their targets.
Autumn grazing
Over the month of August farmers will be looking to build AFC and extend the length of the grazing rotation from around 20 days to 30 days.
From experience, most farmers are aware of the cover that is required for their farm system to ensure a supply of grass.
Date Cover/cow
(kg DM/ha)Average farm cover
(kg DM/ha)Rotation length Stocking rate of 2.5LU/ha
August 1
Mid-August
September 1
180
200
300
450
500
700
20 days
25 days
30 daysStocking rate of 3.0LU/ha
August 1
Mid-August
September 1
180
250
330
550
750
990
20 days
25 days
30 daysStocking rate of 3.5LU/ha
August 1
Mid-August
September 1
190
220
280
665
770
980
20 days
25 days
30 days
Farmers can adjust these targets based on their own system, but what is important is that AFC has risen over the last month.
AFC
If AFC has not risen to the level required farmers need to look at options that will allow it to.
This could include increasing the area of land that the milking herd has access to or removing surplus cows from the system.
Whichever method is chosen needs to be implemented soon in order to ensure that grass supplies are sufficient moving into the final grazing months of the year.
Grazing
2023 has been a wet year, which has created a number of challenges for farmers throughout.
Although keeping cows at grass is important it also needs to be balanced with ensuring that land does not become damaged.
During the coming months, farmers will likely need to use practices such as spur roadways and on/off grazing to keep cows at grass.
With this in mind, farmers should ensure they have plenty of reels and temporary posts that will allow farmers to be flexible with their grazing plans.