To show that grass is the best feed for dairy cows this spring, Teagasc has organised a series of spring grazing farm walks.
The farm walks will focus on a number of select farms and research centers and look at how grazing has progressed on each farm over the past month.
The Teagasc organised events aim to show farmers that spring grazing is possible. They will also show how getting cows out and grazing can be beneficial to the profitability of the dairy farm.
Teagasc research shows that each extra day a dairy cow spends at grass will increase profits by €2.70/day through higher solids production and lower feed costs.
The Teagasc events will also look at the techniques farmers can use to make the most of grass during difficult grazing conditions, such as on-off grazing.
Farmers who attend the walks will see first-hand how dairy farmers have managed to make to the most of difficult grazing conditions.
Along with grazing, there will also be a focus on fertiliser usage during the spring time and Teagasc advisors will discuss what type and when to apply fertiliser and slurry this spring.
The use of the rotation planner will also feature during the events and Teagasc representatives will show that the use of a planner is important for good quality grass in the subsequent rotations.
All of the farm walks start at 11am and will run for 90 minutes.