The Cronin brothers – Derry, Greg and Trevor – are farming and contracting in Cork, outside Coachford, in Fergus, on the banks of the river Lee.
The Cronin brothers are milking a herd of 180 spring calving dairy cows, supplying milk to Dairygold Co-op.
The brothers also run a well-established contracting business, where they offer slurry and fertiliser spreading in addition to zero grazing, grass silage harvesting, cultivations and grass/clover stitching.
The brothers have exceptional facilities on farm with a newly installed milking parlour, an addition to their cubicle house and excellent grazing infrastructure which aids them in achieving high growth rates and grass utilisation during the grazing season.
The Cronins are participating in the Dairygold Agribusiness Grassland Agro Soil fertility and Soil Health Programme with their Dairygold South area sales manager Denis McCarthy, and David Corbett and John O’Loughlin from Grassland Agro.
The key aim of the Dairygold Agribusiness Grassland Agro Soil Fertility and Soil Health Programme is to allow farmers to grow more grass with less N inputs through increasing the three pillars of soil health: chemical; physical; and biological.
The Cronin brothers have a large proportion of their farm grazed to date, with 51 units of N applied to the grazing platform in the form of urea and protected urea.
The brothers have an early calving system so dry matter intakes and production are high at present. Presently the cows are being buffered with zero-grazed grass from out-blocks and also high-quality silage in order to slow down their first rotation and ensure a constant supply of grazed grass.
Derry Cronin highlighted the importance of getting grazed grass into lactating cows as well as getting swards grazed off in order to kick start spring growth.
Spring grazing
The benefits of achieving grazing targets on plant physiology in early spring is especially evident on the Cronins’ farm.
Spring grazing is beneficial to convert the perennial ryegrass plant out of winter dormancy and into spring growth.
The perennial ryegrass sward has accumulated herbage slowly over the winter period – this is largely dictated by weather conditions and low soil temperatures.
Old leaves have senesced (died) over the winter period due to dormancy, removing the dead material and setting a good residual for the grazing season ahead is crucial.
Spring grass is an extremely valuable fodder on farm and it is important that we utilise and exploit this reserve in order to drive milk production.
The perennial ryegrass plant has accumulated a large energy reserve in the form of water soluble carbohydrate (WSC) in the base of its structure over the winter period. This energy reserve is crucial in rejuvenating the ryegrass plant once it has been grazed.
Early grazing and achieving grazing targets is important to ensure tillering and the establishment of a health plant for the season ahead.
Soil structure
Soil fertility on Cronins’ farm is exceptional; pH P and K status of every paddock on the farm is optimal, a credit to the brothers’ work.
On a few select paddocks there are problems surrounding sod pull.
The Cronins’ Grassland Agro and Dairygold Agribusiness technical agronomists have advised the implementation of a soil conditioner with root biostimulant, Phyisiolith, which promotes rooting and root mass and helps maintain soil pH.
Grass VESS is a measure Grassland Agro and Dairygold Agribusiness have adopted through the Dairygold Agribusiness Soil fertility and Soil health Programme in order to assess soil structure on farm and advise measures in order to counteract problem areas.
A healthy soil structure is essential on farm and important it is monitored and problems are mitigated.
- Ensures the development of a healthy plant and root structure;
- Offers a habitat for essential micro-organisms acting as natures plough;
- Ensures optimum mineralisation and nutrient availability;
- Provides a natural soil drainage system; and
- Offers a natural filtration system that removes nutrients being potentially leached.
The fertiliser spreader
Cronin Brothers Agri, the agricultural contracting side of the business, is run by the brothers as a team.
Talking to Trevor he told us about the bulk supply and spreading service for both lime and fertiliser.
“We have a loyal customer base we do regular work for; we have two mounted Amazone Zats 4200 4.5t spreaders which have section control, headland management system and the tractors are equipped with GPS.
“We spread fertiliser on paddocks and silage ground for our customers and we find that we can reduce waste when spreading which is good for the environment.
“We also do a lot of lime spreading we can supply and spread lime. We have an Agrispread AS130.T which is performing very well for us. We find that it’s a great machine as its adaptable between lime and fertiliser,” he added.
Improving and optimising fertiliser and its efficiency on farm is often referenced back to soil acidity, soil fertility status and weather conditions. One management strategy however that is often neglected is the correct use and calibration of the fertiliser spreader.
Ensuring the fertiliser spreader is mounted on the tractor correctly is essential, this will have a massive impact on the spreading pattern.
The spreader should be level when viewed from the back of the tractor and side of the spreader. The working height should be adjusted from the top of the crop/ sward to the discs.
Fertilisers differ in size, shape, weight and hardness so it is important spreaders are set in accordance to manufactures guidelines in order to maximise efficiency in spreading.
Flow rate differs greatly between fertilisers so it is therefore important the spreader is set accordingly.
Fertiliser spreader calibration is important to ensure the spreader is in line with settings as outlined above. This involves removing a disk from the spreader and weighing the flow rate in a 30-second interval.
A tray test will ensure the vanes on each disk are set correctly and matching the fertiliser spreader settings. The tray test involves collecting fertiliser on trays equal distance apart across a full bout width.
- Accurate forward speed;
- Calibrate shutter;
- Ensure shutters are opening and closing correctly;
- Check gearbox oils;
- Check for rock on spreading disc;
- Oil agitator chain;
- Check spreading vane condition; and
- Check PTO shaft and cover.
Back to the farm
The Cronins have achieved exceptional grazing residuals to date due to good grazing infrastructure and the adoption of a strategic grazing regime.
Swards have achieved optimal opportunity to rejuvenate and tiller sufficiently ahead of the second rotation and grazing season ahead.
Root structure is a particular focus on farm in order to mitigate the problem with sod pull through the incorporation of Phyisiolith onto selected swards last week.
