Dairy Technical
The return of rain in the last few days has been welcomed by most farmers, with grass growth having slowed to a crawl on many farms.
Beef
It's no secret that grass supplies are getting tight around the country with plenty of farmers beginning to get anxious about what the next move is.
Grass
Some farmers making pit silage across the country this week found themselves in a situation where grass was mowed and left lying in rain.
Grass growth rates have dropped slightly over recent days; it is important to continue supplementing to build covers.
In a lot of cases, reducing the meal is not possible as silage stocks are very low and grass growth is behind target
Dairy
2017 is drawing to a close and - for spring-calving herds - the majority of cows are now dried off.
Increasing average farm cover (AFC) is now on most of our minds, as we plan for extending the grazing season.
The nights are getting slightly longer as we have passed summer's peak. However, grass growth rates are excellent on most farms due to the recent rain or steady, mild weather.
It's mid-April and the sun is shining. Temperatures are varying quite a bit throughout the country but farms that got the target area grazed In February are reaping the rewards.
The spring rotation planner is useful to help us stretch out the remaining area left to graze but I think the grass budget is even more important.
How do farmers on heavier soils maximise grass intake and grass utilisation without damaging soil structure?
North of the border most herds are now fully housed or on their last few days at grass.
