Teagasc is advising that fertiliser spread at the beginning of August represents excellent value for money, despite current nitrogen (N) prices.
The issue was discussed in detail at a Teagasc ConnectEd webinar held last night (Thursday, August 5).
A study carried out at Johnstown Castle confirms that every kg of N fertiliser spread at the beginning of August will deliver an additional 27kg of grass of dry matter (DM) per hectare (ha) over the subsequent 31 days.
The equivalent production figure for an early September N application is 19kg.
3-fold economic boost from fertiliser spread now
Based on these results, Teagasc advisors are telling dairy farmers that nitrogen spread now will deliver a three-fold economic response.
In the case of a September application, the economic response falls to a two-fold return on the investment made.
The webinar highlighted the importance of dairy farmers building grass covers now, in order to allow them graze into the autumn, and to have sufficient grass on the farm to allow them get an early start to the 2022 grazing season.
The principle involved is quite straightforward. It costs 4c to produce one kg of grass on a dry matter (DM) basis now.
This forage will be worth 11c/kg if offered to cows in the autumn of this year or the early spring of 2022.
Grass growth
The recent rain that has fallen in most parts of the country has brought the expectation of a return to normal grass growth rates during the days ahead.
Teagasc dairy advisors taking part in the webinar confirmed that grass output levels across Ireland averaged 45kg of DM/ha/day last week. This figure is expected to double over the coming week or so.
Steps that can be taken to help build up grass covers, including the sale of cull cows and the removal of calves and weanlings from grazing blocks.
Types of grass
One of the great advantages associated with grassland management at this time of the year is the fact that individual plants have passed the reproductive phase of their growth cycle.
As a result it is possible to build up large quantities of leafy grass cover from now through to the end of the growing season.
In turn, this should take the pressure off farmers to take out paddocks with heavy covers for silage.
Those taking part in the webinar confirmed that it is possible to graze out paddocks effectively with very heavy covers in the autumn and early spring months.
Other management priorities identified were the benefit of preferentially grazing heavy covers during dry days at both shoulders of the grazing season.
The advantages associated with the mole drainage of wet paddocks in heavy soil areas were also highlighted.
Experience in Co. Cavan confirms that such an approach can convert wet areas, previously yielding 3t of DM/year, into paddocks producing up to 10t per annum.