Each extra tonne of grass used on beef farms has a positive impact on the profitability of the business, according to Teagasc Cattle Specialist James Keane.

Keane said that increasing the amount of grass used by one tonne results in a net margin increase of €100/ha on beef farms.

“No matter what feed you bring into the shed there is no feed as good or as cheap as grass,” he said.

The Teagasc cattle specialist said that young bulls have the potential to achieve average daily live weight gains of 1.4kg from spring grazing, which will have a positive impact on the profitability of these systems.

He also presented data at a recent farm walk in Teagasc Grange which shows that spring grass is the cheapest feed available for replacement or weanling heifers.

Grass is a much cheaper feed. It costs 0.60c to gain 1kg of live weight at grass, while it costs €1.66/kg indoors to achieve this weight gain.

Spring grass requires a plan

However, he said that it is important that every farm has a plan in place which allow them to use spring grass effectively.

“Most beef farmers turnout stock when growth outstrips demand. This is going against the whole concept of spring grazing,” he said.

It is important that beef farmers use a rotation planner and they should aim to have 60% of their farm grazed by the end of March, he said.

Farmers have to use a common sense approach when it comes to grazing. Every farm is going to different, but there is dry land on every farm where light stock or weanlings can be grazed.

Keane also said have the correct grazing infrastructure, such as roadways, paddocks and water troughs are important.

“Putting up a strand of electric fence wire is one of the cheapest jobs on farm. It costs about €1/m. But it can allow farmers to get out and graze in the spring,” he said.