April Silage in North Armagh

Patrick Lavery Derryvore Lane Portadown and Wallace McAdam Greenisland Road Portadown have been making use of the excellent grazing conditions to maximise output from grass.

Having walked their grazing areas regularly both Patrick and Wallace decided that a surplus of grass was building up in front of the cows and urgent remedial action was required to ensure quality grass was available in future weeks.

On Monday 30 April Patrick cut and round baled eight acres of grazing, with Wallace cutting a few acres more. Both men have learned from past experience that there is no point in delaying action. As grass matures, regrowth will be slower after cutting and a surplus can quickly turn to a deficit.

Both Dairy herds are high yielding, winter calving, with current average yield per cow per day in excess of 32 litres. Indeed there are cows in both herds yielding in excess of 50 litres per day. At the moment the target is 24 litres from grass (heifers slightly less) and feeding 0.4 KGs per litre above this level.

On both farms there is an excellent grazing infrastructure facilitating maximum production from high quality grazing swards.  Weather conditions are currently excellent and all farmers should take advantage of the situation.  Meal costs have increased and using grass to its potential can improve dairy herd margins.  Every pound counts in the current economic climate.

Both Patrick and Wallace have completed the Grass Challenge for Dairy Farmers where they met regularly on local dairy farms to discuss all of the issues around maximising production from grazed grass and silage. For information on the Grass Challenge programme, or short courses associated with grassland management contact your local Dairying Development Adviser.

Patrick Lavery examining the sward prior to round baling

Wallace McAdam round baling part of the grazing area.