Grazing wet soil types – adapting strategies

Description

  • Grazing wet soil types – adapting strategies
  • Grazing monocultures on wet soils
  • Some varieties of grass performing extremely well
  • Can see advantages/disadvantages of each variety
  • Identifcation of quality grass varieties
  • Grassland quality (species composition, feeding value)
  • Moorepark reseach
  • Pasturebase Ireland

Reason for the innovation

Maximise output per hectare while minimising costs

  • Grazing monocultures on wet soils
  • Some varieties of grass performing extremely well
  • Some varieties of grass performing poorly
  • Can see advantages/disadvantages of each variety

Farm description

Environment

  • Soil type: Clayey-loam
  • Climate type: Temperate Oceanic
  • Agricultural area (ha UAA): 111
  • Average stocking rate (agriculture area) (LU/ha UAA): 2.8
  • Altitude: Variation across the farm (80m above sea level)
  • Slope: Variation across the different paddocks (25%)

Grassland management

  • Grazing: Yes
  • Grazing management type: Rotational grazing

Structure

  • Main animal type: Dairy
  • Number of animals (heads): 385
  • Total Livestock unit (LU): 285
  • Number of reproductive animals (heads): 196
  • Breed type 1: Fr*Je
  • Breed type 2: Fr

Animal performance

  • Milk production per head (l/year/dairy animal): 5500l
  • Grassland management type: Rotational
  • Length of grazing period: 285 days
  • Fertilization rate (kg N/ha): 230

Why it is working

  • Grazing monocultures on heavier soils
  • Some varieties of grass performing extremely well
  • Can see advantages/disadvantages of each variety
  • Reseed poor varieties with better quality varieties
  • Grassland quality (species composition, feeding value)
  • Moorepark reseach
  • Pasturebase Ireland

Additional information

Farming system

conventional farming

Domains of innovation

farm system, grazing management system

Main types of animal

dairy cattle

Country

Ireland

Product type

Farmer portrait

Language

English

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