Description
- Setting up a new grassland dairy farm from long term tillage
- Legume management
- Increasing grass production on new grassland farm with low organic matter
- Higher and more stable grass DM production, good clover establishment across the farm
- Some paddocks still perform poorly
- Excellent grass output
- Require measurement and routine farm walks to establish that the innovation is working
- Spring rotation planner/ Pasturebase Ireland
Reason for the innovation
Maximise output per hectare while minimising costs through maximising grass growing and utilisation per hectare
- Require measurement and routine farm walks to establish that the innovation is working
Farm description
Environment
- Agricultural area (ha UAA): 120
- Permanent grassland area (ha): 120
- Average stocking rate (agriculture area) (LU/ha UAA): 2.82
- Climate: temperate oceanic climate
- Altitude: Variation across the farm (80m above sea level)
- Slope: Variation across farm (0-10%)
Grassland management
- Grazing: Yes
- Grazing management type: Rotational grazing
Structure
- Setting up new grassland dairy farms form long term tillage (long term lease)
- Annual Work Unit: 2.25
- Agricultural Area : 230ha
- Breeds: Fr*Je
The demonstration of best practice in conversion of a greenfield site into a fully functional dairy farm
To establish commercially focused expanding family farms to demonstrate how to be financially rewarding.
Animal performance
- Milk production per head (l/year/dairy animal): 4800
Why it is working
- Increasing grass production of on new grassland farm with low organic matter
- Higher and more stable grass DM production, good clover establishment across the farm
- Identify paddocks performing poorly and come up with solutions
- Excellent grass output with high animal performance from low inputs
- Require measurement and routine farm walks to establish that the innovation is working
- Spring rotation planner/ Pasturebase Ireland
