Is it best grass year in living memory??

Western Pomise

Only going on anectodal evidence,but up in the
'Whest' I have met and talked to several lucid farmers in their eighties at marts etc in last few weeks and they all reckoned this yr is def among the best Grass yrs they can recall.
I would agree with them as someone more than half their ages because there has been a growth from Jan on this yr which is unheard of..would it be the same nationwide?
As I write this I am sitting looking out at the lawn I cut last Monday,there's a serious new butt of grass on it again already and it's mid September.
Like a lot of farmers I admit effective grass usage was poor at times this year,in my case because land was under stocked for the year that's in it growth wise.

farmerjj

Western Pomise wrote: »

Only going on anectodal evidence,but up in the
'Whest' I have met and talked to several lucid farmers in their eighties at marts etc in last few weeks and they all reckoned this yr is def among the best Grass yrs they can recall.
I would agree with them as someone more than half their ages because there has been a growth from Jan on this yr which is unheard of..would it be the same nationwide?
As I write this I am sitting looking out at the lawn I cut last Monday,there's a serious new butt of grass on it again already and it's mid September.
Like a lot of farmers I admit effective grass usage was poor at times this year,in my case because land was under stocked for the year that's in it growth wise.

It would be the best year for grass in last 6/7years but not ever, we suffered from drought in late july until mid august had to feed some hay and silage but other than that it was a good year alright.

mahoney_j

BAr February yes and it ain't over yet!

frazzledhome

Won't know for another while. As good as last year and looking better. Expecting to beat last yrs tonnes but not there yet

yellow50HX

farmerjj wrote: »

It would be the best year for grass in last 6/7years but not ever, we suffered from drought in late july until mid august had to feed some hay and silage but other than that it was a good year alright.

Yeah would agree with that. If we another good authunm like last year the it could be one of the best years

mix_up

i think it might be , ive forty seven acres on which i run 28 suckler cows with there calves , i also have five replacement heifers in the group

have not had to put on any fertilizer since the begining of june

rangler1

frazzledhome wrote: »

Won't know for another while. As good as last year and looking better. Expecting to beat last yrs tonnes but not there yet

Are you talking about the same year as we were importing hay into the country until the end may.

I'd give up farming if last year was as good as it got

frazzledhome

rangler1 wrote: »

Are you talking about the same year as we were importing hay into the country until the end may.

I'd give up farming if last year was as good as it got

Last year was the best to date we ever had for tonnes utilised. I hear you though

whelan2

great year here, spring was a bit slow, but reseeds really are the way forward:) my dad keeps saying he hasnt seen grass as good here in years at this time of year

Count Mondego

Great year but have a drought situation for the last 2 months really. By the coast and mountains which means clouds can tend to pass over us and drop 5 miles in. Can't complain though, only concerned about a reseed I finished 3 weeks ago, needs a dart next week or I'm fooked.

freedominacup

Worst year ever here. Feeding since first week of July. No end in sight.

Viewtodiefor

freedominacup wrote: »

Worst year ever here. Feeding since first week of July. No end in sight.

You must be too heavily stocked freedom?

J.O. Farmer

freedominacup wrote: »

Worst year ever here. Feeding since first week of July. No end in sight.

You must be going for one of those 10/11 month winters.
Down the West 6 months could be the norm but hopefully less. It's a long winter if the feeding starts midsummer.
You must have very dry land its great over West all year.

rangler1

Viewtodiefor wrote: »

You must be too heavily stocked freedom?

You have a point, we're after the wettest august here in many years....suppose it probably didn't rain everywhere

rangler1

whelan2 wrote: »

great year here, spring was a bit slow, but reseeds really are the way forward:) my dad keeps saying he hasnt seen grass as good here in years at this time of year

No reseeds here, and massive grass everywhere, keeping my cull ewes here and lambs to try to control it. First nitrogen since feb gone out ten days ago

Miname

whelan2 wrote: »

great year here, spring was a bit slow, but reseeds really are the way forward:) my dad keeps saying he hasnt seen grass as good here in years at this time of year

same round here, I was stretched until june but cant keep on top of it now. The reseeds are way out-performing. theres a bit i done in the spring ive baled twice and could take another cut in a week or two if i wanted. the only disadvantage is the weeds are doing just aswell. im going to blanket spray everything next spring.

frazzledhome

rangler1 wrote: »

No reseeds here, and massive grass everywhere, keeping my cull ewes here and lambs to try to control it. First nitrogen since feb gone out ten days ago

You must have a very low SR.

youtube!

Not a farmer but all I know is I have had to mow the bloody lawn 3 times a week for the last 2 months, unreal grass growth here!

rangler1

frazzledhome wrote: »

You must have a very low SR.

1.96LU/ha.....above average for drystock

freedominacup

rangler1 wrote: »

You have a point, we're after the wettest august here in many years....suppose it probably didn't rain everywhere

Gr from 0-30 since mid June. Sr doesn't come into it.

Sam Kade

youtube! wrote: »

Not a farmer but all I know is I have had to mow the bloody lawn 3 times a week for the last 2 months, unreal grass growth here!

The grass in the lawn will grow 3 times faster than grass in the field it must be from less trampling from cattle and machinery.

farmerjj

youtube! wrote: »

Not a farmer but all I know is I have had to mow the bloody lawn 3 times a week for the last 2 months, unreal grass growth here!

Were lucky to have cut it three times since mid july, only had a few days of rain around 23rd of august.

frazzledhome

freedominacup wrote: »

Gr from 0-30 since mid June. Sr doesn't come into it.

Was down your country last week with DG. Our land dried out easier than yours but ye just didn't get the rain. Farm we were on great covers, little growth OAD. Stradbally area. Rain seems to miss that area

whelan2

looking at the agriland figures-from agrinet- the west has always higher growth rates than the east of ireland for the last good while. Is this due to a good bit of heavier ground in the west?

solwhit2

I had plenty of grass 3 weeks ago but since then it gone back starting to burn badly where it was ate .it's a very dry farm and with no rain insight I will be giving the cows bales at the end of the week I'm afraid.

just do it

whelan2 wrote: »

looking at the agriland figures-from agrinet- the west has always higher growth rates than the east of ireland for the last good while. Is this due to a good bit of heavier ground in the west?

And adequate rainfall. Growing it isn't the issue, utilising it is

Edit: and just to add the spill in the boggy areas on my farm is still moist

Deepsouthwest

After such a wet start (cows inside here til march 10th by day, and april 10th before they were out day and night). But from then what a turn around, def the best yr for grass growth I've seen, and one I won't forget for a long long time. Strangely, so soon after summer 2012 and spring 2013, which I will never forget.

freedominacup

Heifers on full winter silage ration as of today. Cows on 8kg/dm silage per head and 3kg ration. No rain forecast for a week at least.

Dawggone

freedominacup wrote: »

Heifers on full winter silage ration as of today. Cows on 8kg/dm silage per head and 3kg ration. No rain forecast for a week at least.

That's not the New Zealand way!

What are you doing wrong???








Know the feeling though.

freedominacup

Dawggone wrote: »

That's not the New Zealand way!

What are you doing wrong???


Last two years have been complete fcukers. Normally you'd get a break late August / early September and it would set you up nicely for the back end. Building covers would just happen. Last year it broke in the second week of October and it was just too late , heading the same way this year. Put calves into a paddock last grazed on the fifth of Aug maybe 1000kg on it. Any light areas crisped.





Know the feeling though.

.

Dawggone

freedominacup wrote: »

.

The last two years have been difficult coming from a Teagasc or NZ point of view (pov).
One size doesn't fit all.

Maximise your resources.

I'm am not preaching, it's what I do.

Bodacious

I got a bit silly and took out too much ground for bales ... Last cut 2 weeks ago today but no rain in 3-4 weeks ! Place is burning up! All it made today wouldn't wet my shoes!

frazzledhome

With us its shaping up to be a bumper grass year. The pinch for us was the last week of July. Growth dropped for three weeks here to 10-15. Luckily we went in with bales and hulls early and heavy. We supplemented with 12 kg dm. Put out N first week of Aug and got 3 wet days. Farm took off nothing major from rain pov since.

I found that front loading N in spring and maintainance till Aug worked well. Front loaded all autumn N in the second wk of Aug with none since. Luckily the bales we fed back were surplus taken in June.

Unreal to think on a country as small as ours that there can be such a difference. Last year was a tougher year for us as we didn't get the kick till Oct. Grass measuring and budgeting really comes into its own in this scenario. Having said that Free I doubt there was much you could have done, it has to grow first

frazzledhome

Checked rain gauge 82mm of rain yesterday, biblical deluge here all day. Guys at concrete had to go home at 8.30 in the morning, couldn't get outa van.
This was first rain in Sept
Total for Aug was 114.

As close to perfect as possible

keep going

Wouldnt have been great either, the wind gave places by the sea anawful burning last winter and meant I grazed alot of 1000 covers and maybe less in the spring first rotation.if grass is grazed at low covers it never seems to pick up the same momentum and then the dry weather dosent suit this farm.in a non quota year I would have fed alot of ration but fed mainly hay instead this year which sure helped the superlevy situation

manjou

Good year for grass here.Just enough rain to keep grass growing.Also have never seen cattle so contented lick blocks hardly touched when checking them in morning nothing roaring to be moved, calves thriving.There must be good feeding in grass at moment.

freedominacup

frazzledhome wrote: »

With us its shaping up to be a bumper grass year. The pinch for us was the last week of July. Growth dropped for three weeks here to 10-15. Luckily we went in with bales and hulls early and heavy. We supplemented with 12 kg dm. Put out N first week of Aug and got 3 wet days. Farm took off nothing major from rain pov since.

I found that front loading N in spring and maintainance till Aug worked well. Front loaded all autumn N in the second wk of Aug with none since. Luckily the bales we fed back were surplus taken in June.

Unreal to think on a country as small as ours that there can be such a difference. Last year was a tougher year for us as we didn't get the kick till Oct. Grass measuring and budgeting really comes into its own in this scenario. Having said that Free I doubt there was much you could have done, it has to grow first

Without front loading we'd have been screwed altogether. We got every kg available on the spring and into June. Baled plenty of surplus and pitted more. No particular concern about forage stocks as all we have used so far is these surpluses. Half n min before the start of June from now on. We had 120 units by 20th of April and were baling surpluses shortly after. Until then we only had around 15% of the grass area "stopped". That changed in a few days. A lot of the old rules about managing grass are gone

Brown Podzol

Only 40 mils rain since beginning of July upto yesterday. Stocked at 3.6 and bales in with 6 weeks. 200kg dm silage per cow and 70 kg meal extra fed due to drought. Cows yielding 1.75 kg milk soilds, so holding well. Bales were surplus. About 20 mils rain yesterday and this morning so grass should kick on, blanket spread 2 bags 10 10 20 over all the farm last week. Following cows with 3k gallons dirty water.

just do it

frazzledhome wrote: »

Checked rain gauge 82mm of rain yesterday, biblical deluge here all day. Guys at concrete had to go home at 8.30 in the morning, couldn't get outa van.
This was first rain in Sept
Total for Aug was 114.

As close to perfect as possible

Amazing. No rain here!

just do it

freedominacup wrote: »

Without front loading we'd have been screwed altogether. We got every kg available on the spring and into June. Baled plenty of surplus and pitted more. No particular concern about forage stocks as all we have used so far is these surpluses. Half n min before the start of June from now on. We had 120 units by 20th of April and were baling surpluses shortly after. Until then we only had around 15% of the grass area "stopped". That changed in a few days. A lot of the old rules about managing grass are gone

You get rain yesterday?

td5man

just do it wrote: »

Amazing. No rain here!

Not a drop here, 6mm forecast for the next 10 days.

freedominacup

just do it wrote: »

You get rain yesterday?

Nope. The tarmac got slightly damp for a few minutes but not what you would describe as rain at all. Literally didn't keep the dust down.

frazzledhome

just do it wrote: »

Amazing. No rain here!

At rugby this am from what I gather is we centre of a 12 hr cloudburst. No rain outside a 10 radius of us

stretch film

Was watching MET radar for most of yesterday and there was too areas of serious rain . Yours obviously and west cork ,kerry. Rust is starting to appear on the grass again this year. Usually an occurrence in October iirc . The cows dont realish grass as much with it imo.

just do it

freedominacup wrote: »

Nope. The tarmac got slightly damp for a few minutes but not what you would describe as rain at all. Literally didn't keep the dust down.

Damn bad luck. These things come in swings and roundabouts though so you'll have your years when everyone around you are swimming.

Am I still on the best grass year ever thread? For me in my second year reseeding it's been brilliant. Its been the best year for tackling very heavy neglected ground. The great weather has allowed me tackle land that is often untrafficable. The last while I've been spraying and topping very heavy peat ground. Huge rushes decades old and the topping has pulled up tufts. The exposed peat underneath is wet! Imagine in this driest sunniest of summers the soil is still soft and wet! With the reseeded land now I will be able to rest the wet areas and let a flat even surface/ scraw develop and with 1-2 years careful grazing get it back into some shape and productivity.

frazzledhome

freedominacup wrote: »

Without front loading we'd have been screwed altogether. We got every kg available on the spring and into June. Baled plenty of surplus and pitted more. No particular concern about forage stocks as all we have used so far is these surpluses. Half n min before the start of June from now on. We had 120 units by 20th of April and were baling surpluses shortly after. Until then we only had around 15% of the grass area "stopped". That changed in a few days. A lot of the old rules about managing grass are gone

I recall a post of mine where I mentioned heavily front loading N being questioned ie 100 units out by April 1st. On drier in fact all farm it's a must

Must dig it out to find who the doubter was :):)

freedominacup

frazzledhome wrote: »

I recall a post of mine where I mentioned heavily front loading N being questioned ie 100 units out by April 1st. On drier in fact all farm it's a must

Must dig it out to find who the doubter was :):)

Could have been me but not this year. Tried it last year and it worked well I'll stick with it until someone shows me a better way. It's the really early applications that get me. Though that vsaid I wasted enough fert in June and July this year to cover the next couple of springs.

darragh_haven

td5man wrote: »

Not a drop here, 6mm forecast for the next 10 days.

Between yesterday and the last 2 night we had approx 45 mm. The grass is like it got a shot of adrenaline. Stuff cut a week ago is being grazed tomorrow. Whole farm blanket spread 2 weeks ago. We have a slightly higher stocking raye thos year and mote surplus bales than ever.
For us it's the best grass growing year in a decade. Wasnt affected by and real drought

Deepsouthwest

frazzledhome wrote: »

Checked rain gauge 82mm of rain yesterday, biblical deluge here all day. Guys at concrete had to go home at 8.30 in the morning, couldn't get outa van.
This was first rain in Sept
Total for Aug was 114.

As close to perfect as possible

82mm in one day, that's almost monsoon weather! Where did u get ur rain gauge? Would love to get one here

just do it

frazzledhome wrote: »

I recall a post of mine where I mentioned heavily front loading N being questioned ie 100 units out by April 1st. On drier in fact all farm it's a must

Must dig it out to find who the doubter was :):)

Leave it go frazz, time to move on

frazzledhome

freedominacup wrote: »

Could have been me but not this year. Tried it last year and it worked well I'll stick with it until someone shows me a better way. It's the really early applications that get me. Though that vsaid I wasted enough fert in June and July this year to cover the next couple of springs.

It wasn't you. I couldn't agree more on early N. soil temp must be rising before I'll spread and then full bag Urea