Beef and sheep producers struggle to keep on top of grass growth

“The task for farmers is to ensure their stocking densities are correct, which means tightening up numbers and balancing silage areas accordingly,” he says.

At this time of year there can be significant changes to grass growth within as little as three days, so attention to detail is important.

“Newer reseeds will grow faster and are of higher quality, therefore these are the most important ones to get right,” says Mr Morgan. “Inevitably there will not be enough stock to keep all grass in perfect condition, so a decision must be made as to which areas can be cut and which can possibly be left.”

Managing sward height is important, he says, as grass is ‘desperate to head’ at this time of year and will start to stem very quickly.

“Grazing set stocked ewes and lambs on 4-6cm of grass is essential to prevent it going to stem,” he says, adding that cattle need 7-9cm, as they wrap their tongues around the herbage.

“If the grass is allowed to go to stem, the stock will reject it and the grazing area will effectively be lost. Stock will then be forced to graze harder on the better, shorter areas, creating very patchy swards and ultimately impacting animal performance.”

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