Lessons from 2018 – Dry Weather (revisited)

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Tom Malleson (Sherborne)

We find ourselves in the midst of another summer drought.  As I wrote in May 2020 (https://www.fcgagric.com/2020/05/29/grazing-forage-lessons-from-2018/), there will be huge differences in the ability of farms to recover from the drought, depending on how grass is managed now.

Feed in the paddock to reduce slurry costs and injury risk

Protect your pasture

I am seeing too many farms grazing on too short a rotation, or worse still, opening the gates and set stocking.  Pasture is being grazed far too tight and this will severely limit the rate at which it regrows when rain does arrive.  If you re graze the small amount of regrowth too soon, you will exhaust the plant’s energy reserves.

  • Get on a long round – minimum 40 days
  • Supplement before you run out of grass – this will keep your grass covers up and eke out valuable protein supplies.
  • Resist the urge to graze paddocks that are still green too soon.  If grass is still growing, it’s still putting down roots and preparing for fast recovery post-drought.
  • Take advice on balanced buffer feeding and rations.  The cost of the advice is far less than the cost of poor animal performance.
  • Try not to graze tight.  Easier said than done but exposing bare soil will increase soil temperature and moisture loss.  The difference between exposed and shaded soil could be as much as 10 degrees C.
Herbal ley rested for 42 days and grazed on 3rd August 2022

Reduce demand

Cull unproductive cows, high SCC etc.  The good barren trade makes this an easier decision this year.

Plan ahead

Winter fodder stocks are generally good, but quality is less abundant.  Work with your nutritionist NOW to plan alternative winter diet options – for all classes of stock.  Hay/straw and cake diets for youngstock may be a necessary option to consider.  Don’t let heifer growth rates fall back.

Make sure you know how these necessary decisions will affect your cashflow – as per my article last month, turnover of money has increased but margins are not increasing for everyone.  Careful cashflow planning will be necessary to keep your business on track.

For help in formulating a forage and Feed plan for the coming winter, please contact Tom at tommalleson@fcgagric.com or your local FCG Office.

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