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Year 4

Continue to reseed.

Soil sample to assess soil fertility again.

Year 5

Evaluate and review the plan and progress.

Utilize more grazed grass on the farm.

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The Outfarm - Lally's Fields.

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Ballymac Farm.

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Year 1

Carry out soil testing.

Join Pasture base Ireland

Year 2

Start addressing any soil fertility issues.

Start some reseeding and drainage work.

Start grass measuring.

Year 3

Set up better grazing systems/rotations.

Reduce fertiliser bills on the farm.

Evaluate progress half way through.

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Some rotational grazing in place for the dairy herd.

Mostly set stocking or mixed grazing in place for beef and sheep.

Stocking rate of 1.7 LU/ha  on farm overall.

Good dock and weed control apart from rushes on heavy ground.

We have our own pit silage making machinery.

Slow turnout of livestock due to heavy soil conditions.

20 acres of reseeding carried out over past 5 years.

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Recognise the current level of grassland management on the farm.

Identify the strenghts and weaknesses of our grassland based livestick system.

Develop a 5 year grassland management improvement plan for our farm.

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Ballymac farm is located at the foot of the Slieve Bloom mountains in Kinnitty, Co.Offaly.

The fram consists of 220 acres of permanent grassland and 30 acres forestry.

Grass is the most important feed for animals on the farm throughout the year.

Grazed grass is the cheapest feedstuff on the farm and is estimated to cost 7c/kg dry matter utilised versus 25 c/kg concentrates used.

+1t grass utilised can increase profitability by €105/ha and €181/ha in drystock and dairy farms respectively (O’Leary et al., 2016)

Grass budgeting with the use of grass cover measurements was found to be the most effective aid to good grazing management (O’Donovan et al., 1999)