Thriving grass growth has seen ‘Silage 2019’ kick off exceptionally early in Moate, Co. Westmeath, in recent days with mowers out in full force yesterday (Sunday, February 25).

Agricultural contractor Ultan Duffy spoke to AgriLand, detailing how his outfit was busy mowing and tedding 12ac of grass for a local dairy farmer yesterday and today.

“It’s out for bales; we mowed it yesterday, tedded it there today and we’ll probably bale it some part of Wednesday.

“It was ground that was reseeded late in the summer last year and it was left idle all winter.”

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Ultan noted that the grass had grown very well, adding that the farmer, Noel Martin, had zero-grazed one field but realised it had grown too strong.

“He wanted to get it cut off and get slurry out on it so it’ll come on. There’s about 30ac there and he has another 30ac down the road and he kind of just wants the whole lot coming in together for silage at the end of May or that.”

Commenting on silage quality, Ultan said that the paddocks taken out were good.

It’s not bad – I’d say it’ll average three to five bales per acre. As the lad said, you could want it in two months’ time. There’s no point in leaving grass idle any more.

He added that growing conditions were perfect, noting that it was the very same as cutting in the middle of June.

“Because it was reseeded there’s not a huge growth on it yet but it was bone dry – the grass was falling lovely out of the back of the mower. You could see a big difference in it; it had dried well since yesterday and the tedding was doing a great job to it.

“You mightn’t get better weather than this during the summer!” he added.

“It’s good quality grass – it’s not real heavy but you couldn’t leave it there because if frost got it it’d burn up and make a mess altogether.”

Regarding the February timing, Ultan said: “Now I know there was silage cut in a few different spots earlier but I’ve never seen it as early.

Last year the first we cut was the May bank holiday weekend; the year before it was around April 15 or 16.

“I’ve other lads there now, they’ve seen me go with mowers and they’re all thinking in the next week or two if weather is still holding the way it is and growth is still good, they’re all going to start taking out a few paddocks because they can’t get cows on it quick enough.”