Summer has been a NON event.
Lots of lily white legs at Discussion Groups .........................not a pretty sight!
September has brought cold wet miserable conditions especially in northern UK. Despite the lack of sunshine pasture growth over the last few months has been amazing. No summer rest for pasture may mean we don't get any autumn peak in pasture growth rates. Everyone needs to be somewhat cautious in what they expect grass growth to do over September.
The lack of sunshine has created a few problems with pasture & cow management....low magnesium levels, low fibre content & lower than normal energy (ME) levels. Not everyone has the milk or milksolids they have been hoping for lately. However the research is clear there are few benefits of trying to add fibre to a grazing cow's diet....all you do if anything is lower DM intake.
The wet summer may also increase the risk of Liver Fluke.....ask your Vet.
Bloat has been a real issue where clover content has been high. A number of products are very useful for control bloat (see website for useful info)...many farmers are mowing in front of the cows & trying to get longer grazing rotations to get some maturity into the feed.
Pasture covers all summer have been very high especially autumn calvers who simply have not had the stocking rate to keep on top of fast growing pasture. Most pasture covers are still really high....on the surface this looks good as we target 2600-2700 for the first week of October. However with very wet conditions in the north its really hard to get good utilization.
I would be lengthening the grazing rotation now to build covers for October.....cooler nights, colder soil temperatures & question marks over available soil nitrogen levels. There is currently little or no difference between organic & N fed pastures in terms of growth or cover.
Farm Pasture Covers & Current measured pasture growth (1st week of Sept) :-
Dumfries....2550kgs DM/ha Average cover......50kgsDM/ha/day growth
Cumbria.....2660..............60
Cumbria.....2450..............52
North Wales..2660...........70
Staffordshire 2250...........50
Derbyshire 2552..............56
Somerset....2450..............55
Dorset.........2250..............60
Devon.........2650..............67
Gloucester..2520..............60
Joburg SAfrica....very dry, Durban....green (roving reporter Steve Brandon)
Rotorua NZ (end of 1st rotation)....2413........49kgsDM/ha/day growth (via Twitter NZCows)
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