As summer comes to a close, our Pasture to Profit Consultants share how conditions are stacking up on-farm and give some tips to help set you up for the coming month.
Current situation
- Grass quality is high, however wet conditions resulting in low DM% means stock is sometimes unsettled at grazing
- Average farm cover (AFC) is healthy with many using much needed surplus grass for silage (between the showers!)
- Winter forage stocks – some still short while some feeling flush
- Silage quality/variability for this winter is a concern for winter milk producers
- Early PD results from spring herds looking good – hot dry spell coinciding with start of mating has impacted some.
Month Coming
- Planning for spring 2024 starts now – what is your target AFC and date for the start of your last rotation? If you’re unsure of what these should be, contact your Pasture to Profit Consultant
- Be mindful if you’re continuing to harvest surplus grass – building AFC for autumn/spring should be part of the picture
- If ground conditions are sensitive, active use of back fencing and different gateways can help protect swards/soil
- Dry cows on deferred grazing/standing hay – smaller allocations offered more frequently will help protect soil. Encourage utilisation and give fresh lying area
- Back fence behind dry cows in large spaces to reduce intakes of lush new leaves and protect regrowth
- Be mindful of Mg intakes for dry cows – depending on delivery this can be impacted in wet clashy conditions
- Autumn and spring calvers will both be challenged with low grass DM%/intakes in the wet conditions so be extra vigilant in monitoring change in BCS
- Final PD results for spring herds; strategic plan for empty cows and fertility performance review
Contact your Pasture to Profit Consultant for more guidance on how to manage the current and future conditions on-farm.
