Farmers should “try and get some grass into the diet” according to Donal Patton, research technologist with Teagasc based in Ballyhaise.
Grazing conditions continue to pose a significant challenge on many farms, late March and early April conditions are currently more liken to early February compared to other years.
Speaking on the Teagasc “Managing the Herd” webinar Patton offered some advice to farms during the challenging grazing conditions.
Grass
Patton has significant experience dealing with challenging ground conditions thanks to his role with the Teagasc Ballyhaise farm in Co. Cavan.
The Ballyhaise farm role is to develop and appraise extended grazing pasture-based dairy systems for the future for the border midlands and west region of Ireland.
Patton advised farmers to identify parts of the farm that are suitable for grazing and get going, he told farmers not to over react to the first day or two.
“I often see that where people put cows out, cows make a bit of mess for the first day or two and they panic and put them back in.
“You just have to stick with it, limit the time, there is a point where you just can’t go out – I understand that.
“But, for the most part if you limit the time the cows are on the paddock it is amazing what you can get away with.
“You just have to get going, pick a place that you know you have a chance go out and look at it and get going – if you haven’t started already.”
Patton said that during the current conditions, not to focus too much on the graze out or residuals being achieve.
“It is not going to be perfect or anywhere near perfect but it is still better to have made an attempt to get some grass into the cows diet to be sitting back waiting for perfection – because it is just not going to come in a year like this, you have to go when you can”, he said.
Second rotation
On farms where grazing has been attempted and some damaged has been done and there is a concern about doing damage again the in the second rotation Patton advised farmers to mix and match paddocks from the first and the second rotation.
Using the Ballyhaise herd as an example Patton said that the farm could have a lot more area grazed by now and have cows out grazing after evening milking.
But to avoid being in a position of where there is no choice but to go into paddocks that have already been damaged, Patton said to start the second rotation of paddocks when there is still some from the first to graze.
This will allow farmers to mix and match, giving them options when grazing in challenging conditions and help to avoid damaging paddocks for a second time.
Patton said to focus on getting at least one grazing in/day, even if this is just for a few hours after milking.
He said that it is important that you are regularly measuring grass growth to allow you make decision on when to start the second rotation.
He also said that there may also be paddocks that won’t be grazed in the first rotation and these should mowed and taken out for silage.
The mistake he said not to make is leaving this until you are harvesting first cut, instead get them mowed and baled straight away and back into the rotation.
Milk protein
Also speaking on the latest Teagasc webinar was winter milk specialist James Dunne who highlighted the impact that having grass in the diet has on milk yield and milk components.
In farms where cows are remaining in the shed, silage quality is likely not where it needs to be at this time and this is impacting on cow performance and condition.
Dunne outlined that cows housed full time on silage and concentrates in the parlour can likely support 21.1kg of milk and protein of 3.16%.
But getting grass in the diet during the day could increase this to 24.5kg of milk and protein of 3.46% from increasing dry matter intakes 1.4kg/cow/day.
If conditions are unsuitable for grazing a high fibre/energy straight could be introduce during the middle of the day as outline in diet B in the table above.
Something like beet pulp or soya hulls, suggested by Dunne is a dry feed that can be fed during the middle of the day, introduced and taken out of the diet simply.
The reduced protein percentage farmers are seeing is due to lack of energy in the diets of cows, but it was also advised by the Teagasc specialist that it is important not to over complicate the diet.
He said for instance soya hulls and beet pulp can be fed during the middle of the day and they can be added when cows are stuck in the shed and removed when grazing recommences.