Developments in Grassland 5 year grassland management plan for a beef farm in Co. Leitrim by Gavin O Hagan https://padlet.com/gavin_o_hagan_1/cwgcakwsyn7n The objective of this padlet is to create a plan to complete a grassland management plan for a case study beef farm en-us 2018-02-16 17:09:11 UTC 2024-05-21 19:15:19 UTC hello@padlet.com Background Information and Introduction gavin_o_hagan_1 https://padlet.com/gavin_o_hagan_1/cwgcakwsyn7n/wish/232506194 2018-02-16 20:25:54 UTC https://padlet.com/gavin_o_hagan_1/cwgcakwsyn7n/wish/232506194 Strengths gavin_o_hagan_1 https://padlet.com/gavin_o_hagan_1/cwgcakwsyn7n/wish/232508648 Young Farmer (47yo) and son (21yo)

Mix of suitable cows for a suckler system

Educated (green cert)

Willingness to learn

Roadways

Soil testing

Some reseeding has taken 
place

Good potential to grow grass]]> 2018-02-16 20:35:16 UTC https://padlet.com/gavin_o_hagan_1/cwgcakwsyn7n/wish/232508648 Challenges gavin_o_hagan_1 https://padlet.com/gavin_o_hagan_1/cwgcakwsyn7n/wish/232508722 Relatively wet land

Geographical location

Works full time

Time is a major challenge

Not in any discussion group

Cash flow can be a problem

Health - TB and scour can cause major problems

]]> 2018-02-16 20:35:36 UTC https://padlet.com/gavin_o_hagan_1/cwgcakwsyn7n/wish/232508722 Opportunities gavin_o_hagan_1 https://padlet.com/gavin_o_hagan_1/cwgcakwsyn7n/wish/232508802 Join a grass focused discussion group

Join a beef discussion group

Attend farm walks and open days

Farm mapping - Grasstec

Start measuring grass

Use decision support tools - PBI or Agrinet

Look into zero-grazing]]> 2018-02-16 20:35:54 UTC https://padlet.com/gavin_o_hagan_1/cwgcakwsyn7n/wish/232508802 Threats gavin_o_hagan_1 https://padlet.com/gavin_o_hagan_1/cwgcakwsyn7n/wish/232508913 Extreme weather events

Labour - Especially mid week is a major problem

The future of the suckler cow 

High price of inputs - fertilizer, concentrates and diesel 

Low price of outputs - weanlings and cull cows

Policy - GHG emissions ]]> 2018-02-16 20:36:25 UTC https://padlet.com/gavin_o_hagan_1/cwgcakwsyn7n/wish/232508913 Objectives of this Grassland Management Plan gavin_o_hagan_1 https://padlet.com/gavin_o_hagan_1/cwgcakwsyn7n/wish/232509857 Over the next 5 years the objective on this beef farm is to increase grass growth via soil testing reseeding and increase in fertilizer, start measuring grass, start budgeting via a decision support tool and have an appropriate stocking rate.]]> 2018-02-16 20:40:23 UTC https://padlet.com/gavin_o_hagan_1/cwgcakwsyn7n/wish/232509857 5 Year Action Plan gavin_o_hagan_1 https://padlet.com/gavin_o_hagan_1/cwgcakwsyn7n/wish/232510718 2018-02-16 20:43:46 UTC https://padlet.com/gavin_o_hagan_1/cwgcakwsyn7n/wish/232510718 Year 1 gavin_o_hagan_1 https://padlet.com/gavin_o_hagan_1/cwgcakwsyn7n/wish/232510870 Soil Test

Use Grasstec to map out farm

Get a paddock level nutrient plan]]> 2018-02-16 20:44:22 UTC https://padlet.com/gavin_o_hagan_1/cwgcakwsyn7n/wish/232510870 Year 2 gavin_o_hagan_1 https://padlet.com/gavin_o_hagan_1/cwgcakwsyn7n/wish/232510894 Start grass measuring on a weekly bases 

Enter data into a decision support tool such as Agrinet or PBI

Assess silage quality]]> 2018-02-16 20:44:30 UTC https://padlet.com/gavin_o_hagan_1/cwgcakwsyn7n/wish/232510894 Year 3 gavin_o_hagan_1 https://padlet.com/gavin_o_hagan_1/cwgcakwsyn7n/wish/232510920 Continue grass measuring and using DST
Monitor soil fertility by soil testing again

Reseed problem paddocks based on data collected

Set up a weed control program

]]> 2018-02-16 20:44:39 UTC https://padlet.com/gavin_o_hagan_1/cwgcakwsyn7n/wish/232510920 Year 4 gavin_o_hagan_1 https://padlet.com/gavin_o_hagan_1/cwgcakwsyn7n/wish/232510947 2  years of data collected and continue

Continue to reseed where appropriate 

Invest in infrastructure - roadways, access points and water troughs

Review System- Stocking rate,  finishing system, concentrate supplimantation and silage quality]]> 2018-02-16 20:44:47 UTC https://padlet.com/gavin_o_hagan_1/cwgcakwsyn7n/wish/232510947 Year 5 gavin_o_hagan_1 https://padlet.com/gavin_o_hagan_1/cwgcakwsyn7n/wish/232529703 Continue to measure and budget 
Look at the options to grow a winter forage/ whole crop/ zero grazing ]]> 2018-02-16 22:33:12 UTC https://padlet.com/gavin_o_hagan_1/cwgcakwsyn7n/wish/232529703 Geographical Location gavin_o_hagan_1 https://padlet.com/gavin_o_hagan_1/cwgcakwsyn7n/wish/232534606 2018-02-16 23:32:36 UTC https://padlet.com/gavin_o_hagan_1/cwgcakwsyn7n/wish/232534606 Satellite View gavin_o_hagan_1 https://padlet.com/gavin_o_hagan_1/cwgcakwsyn7n/wish/232534746 2018-02-16 23:35:10 UTC https://padlet.com/gavin_o_hagan_1/cwgcakwsyn7n/wish/232534746 gavin_o_hagan_1 https://padlet.com/gavin_o_hagan_1/cwgcakwsyn7n/wish/232574077 (Teagasc 2018)
Meet grass supply with demand

Currently under utilisation of grass growth on Irish beef farms 4.6tDM/ha and has the potential to grow 12-16tDM/ha/yr (O'Donovan et al., 211)

Irish beef production is predominately a grass based system, with 588,400 tonnes produced in 2016 (Teagasc 2017)

The Grass 10 Program aims for better grass utilisation in the aim to grow 10 tonne of grass/ha/year ( Teagasc 2017) ]]> 2018-02-17 12:05:34 UTC https://padlet.com/gavin_o_hagan_1/cwgcakwsyn7n/wish/232574077 Beef system of production on cas study farm gavin_o_hagan_1 https://padlet.com/gavin_o_hagan_1/cwgcakwsyn7n/wish/232586952 Suckler to weanlings

25 spring calving cows
15 autumn calving cows
8 replacement heifers
1 stock bull

58ha in total, 36ha in main block and the rest is divided between 3 smaller blocks]]> 2018-02-17 14:57:45 UTC https://padlet.com/gavin_o_hagan_1/cwgcakwsyn7n/wish/232586952