Prolonged warm spell not good news for all farms

We are getting a prolonged spell of warm, settled weather, at last. Grass growth is excellent on most farms, with surpluses emerging.

Heavier natured ground, in particular, is growing huge volumes of grass. As per usual, however, not everybody is happy. Some are experiencing a mini-drought already, resulting in grass swards stressing and heading out early. It is amazing how quickly things turn around when we get a good spell of weather. Some are already getting tight for grass

For those experiencing a drought on their farm, it is essential that grass is managed very carefully. Try to slow down the rotation, if growth has slowed down. This will involve feeding additional ration to those already being fed, and introducing some to other stock. It may also require the feeding of round bale silage, if it is available, to slow down the rotation. Whatever happens, it is only June yet, so don’t leave animals run out of grass before you start thinking about what you will do to feed them. We should all have learned how best to manage dry weather on our farms after last year’s experiences. If you got it wrong last year, learn from your mistakes.