Grazing with monocultures and mixtures

Description

• Grazing with monocultures and mixtures
• Curiosity in subject/area
• Farmer wanted to see what varieties would grow best on the farm
• Varieties growing very well, easy managed and palatable
• Growing and utilising more grass on the farm
• Reseeding poor varieties
• Research in Moorepark and discussion groups
• Reduce costs on the farm by increasing the amount of grass in the diet

Reason for the innovation

Produce more milk from grass:

• Growing and utilising more grass on the farm
• Reseeding of monocultures
• PastureBase Ireland

Farm description

Environment

• Soil type: Clay/loam soil
• Climate type: Temperate Oceanic climate
• Agricultural area (ha UAA): 121
• Permanent grassland area (ha): 121
• Average stocking rate (agriculture area) (LU/ha UAA): 2.85
• Altitude: Variation across the farm (200m)
• Slope: Variation across the farm (20%)

Grassland management

• Grazing: Yes
• Grazing management type: Rotational grazing

Structure

• Annual work units (AWU): 3
• Main animal type: Dairy
• Number of reproductive animals: 300
• Breed type 1: Fr*Je
• Breed type 2: Fr

Animal performance

• Milk production per head (l/year/dairy animal): 4500l
• Grassland management type: Rotational
• Length of grazing period: 300 days
• Fertilization rate (kg N/ha): 240

Why it is working

• Farmer exploring what grass varieties grow best on the farm
• Monocultures growing very well, easy managed and palatable
• Growing and utilising more grass on the farm
• Reseeding poor varieties
• Economic results
• Research in Moorepark and discussion groups
• Reduce costs on the farm by increasing amount of grass in the diet