Developments in Grassland by Damien Guinan https://padlet.com/damien_guinan_1/4cyg6hrztojt Project en-us 2019-01-30 11:43:15 UTC 2024-10-06 20:42:11 UTC hello@padlet.com Case study farm damien_guinan_1 https://padlet.com/damien_guinan_1/4cyg6hrztojt/wish/325789056 Farm partnership ( Parents + Son
Grass based dairy
Dairy calf to beef
Suckler calf to beef

80 Spring calving dairy cows
20 Spring calving suckler cows

Cattle + replacements 0-1 98
Cattle + replacements 1-2 72
Stock bulls 2 

85 ha farmed, 5 different blocks varying in size.
80 ha of grassland + 5 ha of maize
Main dairy grazing block is 20 ha + a further 10 ha across the canal before and after 2 cuts of silage.
Remainder grazed with other stock 
]]> 2019-01-30 11:45:49 UTC https://padlet.com/damien_guinan_1/4cyg6hrztojt/wish/325789056 Strengths damien_guinan_1 https://padlet.com/damien_guinan_1/4cyg6hrztojt/wish/325792491 Young farmer involved (30 yr old)

Educated (green cert)

Progressive (involved in teagasc DG + attends open days)

Soil testing 

Reseeding program in place ( Rape + spring reseed on outblocks)

Paddock system in place for all groups despite large number of groups and fragmentation

Good water system + roadways

Drainage work carried out and maintained regularly 

High herd health (vaccinates for BVD, Lepto, IBR, Pneumonia, Blackleg)]]> 2019-01-30 12:01:34 UTC https://padlet.com/damien_guinan_1/4cyg6hrztojt/wish/325792491 Challenges damien_guinan_1 https://padlet.com/damien_guinan_1/4cyg6hrztojt/wish/325797215 Fragmentation (land 10 km away- time consuming)

Milking Parlour too small for current herd ( large investment needed) 

Large number of groups makes grazing difficult

1/3 of the farm is peaty soils (inhibits extended grazing some years/ slow spring growth) 

Some callow land (difficult for winter covers)

Labour (parents want to reduce work load from age 65 onward)

New cycle path beside Grand Canal (more difficult to cross cows to outblock/ complaints)]]> 2019-01-30 12:18:30 UTC https://padlet.com/damien_guinan_1/4cyg6hrztojt/wish/325797215 Opportunities damien_guinan_1 https://padlet.com/damien_guinan_1/4cyg6hrztojt/wish/325800664 Good outlook for dairy farming

Additional grant aid 

Advances in technology (zero-grazing- expansion of dairy herd?)

Option of robotic milking

Further advances in grassland management (start measuring)

IRG + red clover swards (specialised silage swards on outblocks, fits rotation with maize)

Zero grazing cover crops from tillage farmers (potential after 2018)

 ]]> 2019-01-30 12:31:18 UTC https://padlet.com/damien_guinan_1/4cyg6hrztojt/wish/325800664 Threats damien_guinan_1 https://padlet.com/damien_guinan_1/4cyg6hrztojt/wish/325805700 Extreme weather events (excessive rain in particular)

Price of inputs (fertiliser)

Farm operates under nitrates derogation (If EU doesn't renew Irish derogation)- Trailing shoe purchased 2018

Anti Livestock farming movements (vegans, etc.)

Policy (GHG emissions) 

Brexit??]]> 2019-01-30 12:50:12 UTC https://padlet.com/damien_guinan_1/4cyg6hrztojt/wish/325805700 Location damien_guinan_1 https://padlet.com/damien_guinan_1/4cyg6hrztojt/wish/325809596 2019-01-30 13:03:59 UTC https://padlet.com/damien_guinan_1/4cyg6hrztojt/wish/325809596 Objective of grassland management plan damien_guinan_1 https://padlet.com/damien_guinan_1/4cyg6hrztojt/wish/325809883 Increase the grass grown and utilised on the farm by way of measurement and use of online budgeting tools. This will allow more targeted reseeding Purchase zero grazer to overcome fragmentation. Expand the dairy herd to 100 cows by replacing suckler cows with dairy cows and zero graze block sucklers currently graze. ]]> 2019-01-30 13:04:48 UTC https://padlet.com/damien_guinan_1/4cyg6hrztojt/wish/325809883 Year 1 damien_guinan_1 https://padlet.com/damien_guinan_1/4cyg6hrztojt/wish/327718621 Soil samples carried out Jan. 19 (Assess index changes and correct NMP accordingly)

Start measuring grass and input data into Pasture base or Agrinet.

Access quantity grown and target next years reseeding at paddocks preforming poorly.]]> 2019-02-05 12:26:42 UTC https://padlet.com/damien_guinan_1/4cyg6hrztojt/wish/327718621 Year 2 damien_guinan_1 https://padlet.com/damien_guinan_1/4cyg6hrztojt/wish/327720711 Continue to measure grass.

Put infrastructure in place to buffer feed dairy cows zero-grazed grass. 

Purchase zero-grazer. ]]> 2019-02-05 12:33:14 UTC https://padlet.com/damien_guinan_1/4cyg6hrztojt/wish/327720711 Year 3 damien_guinan_1 https://padlet.com/damien_guinan_1/4cyg6hrztojt/wish/327721568 Up cow numbers to 100.

Begin zero-grazing.

Aim is to only zero-graze amount of grass required to fill grass shortage. (based on grass wedge)

Excess grass should only occur on zero grazed block. ie: As much grazed grass in the diet as possible  ]]> 2019-02-05 12:35:54 UTC https://padlet.com/damien_guinan_1/4cyg6hrztojt/wish/327721568 Year 4 damien_guinan_1 https://padlet.com/damien_guinan_1/4cyg6hrztojt/wish/327722871 Keep measuring to ensure maximum grass is being grown on grazing block (ensure zero-grazed grass is not replacing grazed grass)

Start measuring PGY on beef enterprise to estimate quantity of grass grown else where on the farm.

]]> 2019-02-05 12:39:28 UTC https://padlet.com/damien_guinan_1/4cyg6hrztojt/wish/327722871 Year 5 damien_guinan_1 https://padlet.com/damien_guinan_1/4cyg6hrztojt/wish/327727119 Review overall farm performance
  • Stocking rate
  • Grass grown vs grass utilised 
  • Animal performance (milk yield/weight gain)



]]> 2019-02-05 12:51:40 UTC https://padlet.com/damien_guinan_1/4cyg6hrztojt/wish/327727119 damien_guinan_1 https://padlet.com/damien_guinan_1/4cyg6hrztojt/wish/328257603 2019-02-06 14:25:59 UTC https://padlet.com/damien_guinan_1/4cyg6hrztojt/wish/328257603 damien_guinan_1 https://padlet.com/damien_guinan_1/4cyg6hrztojt/wish/328265047 2019-02-06 14:36:37 UTC https://padlet.com/damien_guinan_1/4cyg6hrztojt/wish/328265047 Introduction damien_guinan_1 https://padlet.com/damien_guinan_1/4cyg6hrztojt/wish/330301375 Large  area of Ireland in grassland (dominant land use)

81% of agricultural area is devoted to pasture, hay and grass silage (3.63 million hectares)  DFAM 2014

Potential to improve milk yield through grass quality.
A one-unit OMD increase will allow an increase of 0.24kg milk/cow/day
 O'Donovan et al 2011

15% better utilisation with zero grazing AFBI zero grazing best practice]]> 2019-02-12 13:07:05 UTC https://padlet.com/damien_guinan_1/4cyg6hrztojt/wish/330301375 damien_guinan_1 https://padlet.com/damien_guinan_1/4cyg6hrztojt/wish/335024678 2019-02-25 18:40:29 UTC https://padlet.com/damien_guinan_1/4cyg6hrztojt/wish/335024678 Focus areas damien_guinan_1 https://padlet.com/damien_guinan_1/4cyg6hrztojt/wish/336660457 Increase dairy cows and focus on grass management. Improve kgs of milk solids from grass current meal feeding to high. Once management has improved on the dairy block move onto improving heifer and beef block production ]]> 2019-02-28 21:47:04 UTC https://padlet.com/damien_guinan_1/4cyg6hrztojt/wish/336660457