Grass is now beyond flowering so quality vegetative growth is returning. Farmers are describing a ‘green drought’ – where grass looks green but lacks any real nutrients. Timing of silage cuts, nutrient run-off/leaching and cool weather with cold winds means many are struggling with grass growth.
AFC on many farms is lower than typical. This means farmers are using more supplement feed, including silage, to slow the rotation length.
Recommendations for the coming month
- It’s calving prep time for autumn herds – are you prepared ahead of this busy period?
- Review your transition feeding plan. How has the season impacted the quality of your standing hay/deferred grazing? Ensure appropriate mineral use for your farm/herd status.
- For spring-calving herds, consider early PD (pregnancy diagnosis). This can calculate the predicted 6-week in-calf rate, which helps with decision-making later this season.
- Monitor BCS – are your spring cows starting to gain? What proportion of your autumn cows have an elevated risk at calving?
- It’s the ideal time to measure the liveweight for spring herds – could this coincide with another treatment, eg. PDing?
- Plan for sowing SFI/clover seed. Either do a full reseed or stitch in – what’s right for you?
- Have you had any time off the farm? Now is the opportunity for yourself and staff to take holidays.
- Upgrade tracks as required, following harsh spring weather before calving and autumn conditions set in.
- Review your plan to help stock cope with heat stress. The hot weather may yet arrive!
Read our farm consultancy page for more information on how a Pasture to Profit consultant can help with the success of your farm.
