The best way to manage your grass this summer

Despite a spell of rain recently, grass growth for this time of the year is being reported as below the 10 year average. This has prompted farmers to think about how best to manage their grass supply.

Optimal grass growth requires nutrients, water, light and an adequate soil temperature.

Colin McEvoy, a Beef and Sheep Adviser at the College of Agriculture, Food and Rural Enterprise (CAFRE) said: “Optimal grass growth requires nutrients, water, light and an adequate soil temperature. Little can be done to grow more grass without water so in this period of rain shortage it is important to best utilise what is growing. In drier areas where there is variable or reduced grass growth it is beginning to result in a diminishing supply and farmers may be looking at ways to better manage what they have available. 

“For the beef farmer at this time the main aim is to balance and match grass supply and demand. Firstly this should identify their grass demand, based on the number and types of livestock being grazed. Next grass supply needs to be identified and assessed; this can be done by walking the total grazing area at least once per week and measuring grass covers.

By having a clear picture of these two variables, the farmer can assess if the demand and supply match his needs.

“A good way towards best managing grass supply is to implement a paddock grazing system.  Many beef farmers within the BDG programme have been adopting this system over the past few years. The method relies on splitting fields into smaller paddocks and rotating stock between them. Leaving part of the grazing block vacant allows time for recovery and new grass covers to build. If daily grass growth is low, then the length of time between rotations should be increased to replenish supply.

“If cover is slow to build and the farmer has surplus silage left over from the previous winter, this could be used to buffer feed. In the summer of 2018, during a particularly dry spell, some farmers used their straw chopper to dispense feed throughout the bare or eaten paddock allowing them to hold animal’s additional days and lengthen the rotation. This resulted in the other paddocks gaining the prolonged rest period needed.

“Rotation can also be lengthened by first grazing the headlands of silage fields already harvested and then bringing this additional ground back into the grazing block.

“While aiming to maintain a quality grass supply within the paddocks it is important to make sure that the plant is grazed tightly as under stress it will go to seedhead.  Where there is a heavy dew, particularly on second or third rotations, spreading fertiliser ensures that adequate nutrients will be available to grow the grass again once the rain comes.

“If grass supply or demand is under pressure the farmer can employ a number of different strategies to ensure efficient utilisation of what is available. 

For instance, if there are autumn calvers on the farm still suckling calves, weaning these will reduce grazing demand.  If it allows, forward creep graze spring born calves, or if not, introduce meal creep feeding. 

“Consideration could also be given to selling store cattle or unproductive cows identified for culling, putting less demand on the grass available.

“In conclusion, for effective grass management, it is important to have a clear picture of your supply and demand, have a good plan in place to ensure it is utilised efficiently and have options to deal with variances such as dry weather.”

For further information on grassland management, contact your local CAFRE beef & sheep development advisor or telephone 0300 200 7843 and ask to be directed to a locally based CAFRE adviser.

Notes to editors: 

1. The department may take photographs and videos at announcements and events to publicise its work. Photographs, interviews, videos or other recordings may be issued to media organisations for publicity purposes or used in promotional material, including in publications, newspapers, magazines, other print media, on television, radio and electronic media (including social media and the internet). Photographs and videos will also be stored on the department’s internal records management system. The department will keep the photographs and recordings for no longer than is necessary for the purposes for which they have been obtained. The department’s Privacy Policy is available on our website.
2. For media enquiries please contact DAERA Press Office via email: pressoffice.group@daera-ni.gov.uk. Out of hours please contact the Duty Press Officer on 028 9037 8110.
3. Follow DAERA on Twitter and Facebook.

Share this page