ACT NOW to match grass supply with growth

Dairygold Agri Business at Buckley’s Farm, Rathduff, Co. Cork. Photo Joleen Cronin

In times of slowed grass growth, we need to cut grass demand to ensure we keep a minimum cover of grass on our farm, that we maintain cow intakes and that we maintain milk yield and milk protein %.

To slow demand:

• Increase concentrate
• Introduce silage

Increasing concentrates is the preferred options as it maintains production better than silage, however a buffer will be needed if grass intake drops too low.

Increasing concentrate feeding from 1.5 kg to 3kg will drop grass demand by 15%, increasing concentrate feeding from 1.5 kg to 6kg will drop grass demand by 30%.