Forage for Knowledge

How much cover you need will depend on your housing date. For spring-calving herds, this is likely to mean grazing into late November or early December.

To achieve this, average cover at the start of the last grazing round in early October should be in the region of 2,600 to 2,800 kg DM/ha. The exact target will depend on stocking rate and whether cows are housed at night.

When planning autumn closing cover, it’s important to consider both winter growth and opening cover in the spring. Historic recommendations might need adjusting, as winters are now milder than they were 20 years ago and winter grass growth needs to be taken into account.

Covers need to be built on good residuals to maximise grass quality in the last round. High-quality grazed grass can help reduce feed and housing costs and will be better quality than silage and supplements.

The key drivers of profit in a grass-based system are grass utilisation per hectare and cost of production. Focus on extending the rotation and planning the increase in average cover.

Two data sets that have come in have average covers of 2,500 kg DM/ha, so if they’re aiming for 2,800 kg DM/ha, they need an increase of 300 kg DM/ha. This requires growth to exceed demand by around 10 kg DM/ha over that period.

Be patient where drought has reduced covers

Further south, where drought conditions have left average covers below 2,000 kg DM/ha, the priority is to restart growth and look after plants.

As paddocks start to green up, assess whether any plant death has occurred and whether stitching into swards may be needed.

The south is greening, but as I have said before, don’t rush in too soon. It will take 7 to 10 days for water to soak into the soil and for paddocks to start greening. After that, plants still need time to grow their first, second and third leaves before grazing can resume.

Drought recovery is often followed by a spike in growth, sometimes resembling a mini spring flush. However, this year’s recovery will be limited by cooler temperatures and shortening day length.

With this in mind, feed budgets, financial budgets and grass budgets should all be reviewed carefully to maximise any autumn growth.

Consider alternative forage options if forage stocks are tight

If your feed budget shows a forage shortage, it’s important to consider the options available now.

Some of the traditional, fast-growing winter forage and cover crops are now past their ideal sowing date and are unlikely to achieve their full growth potential or yield. However, alternative options are available.

Francis Dunne recently wrote an excellent article outlining forage crops that can still be sown in early September, taking advantage of the moisture now available. He also highlights options suitable for later September and early October sowing.

Search online for ‘Francis Dunne: Productive Winter Cover Options’ and see what he has to say. It could really make a difference for you.