Grassland Management Plan of a Suckler Farm by https://padlet.com/roisin_murphy3/wr4o5ddlwp08 in Co.Kildare en-us 2020-02-16 21:02:46 UTC 2026-01-15 19:33:16 UTC hello@padlet.com roisin_murphy3 https://padlet.com/roisin_murphy3/wr4o5ddlwp08/wish/446144131 I live on a suckler farm at the bottom of the hill of Allen. The farm is owned by my mother and father and they have four children. Our herd consists of limousin, simmental and hereford crosses. We have 15 cows and 5 heifers to calf this spring. We also have 9 weanlings heifers and 
1 weanling bullock. Some of these heifers will be kept as replacements for older cows. The rest will be sold.
The bull calves born are sold in October/ November every year. We farm 40 acres of land that is split into 9 paddocks. ]]> 2020-02-16 21:04:50 UTC https://padlet.com/roisin_murphy3/wr4o5ddlwp08/wish/446144131 roisin_murphy3 https://padlet.com/roisin_murphy3/wr4o5ddlwp08/wish/446144964
  • Farm is mostly dry ground with one bog field.
  • Private advisor. 
  • Soil testing carried out every 5 years.
  • Paddock grazing system in place - water available in all paddocks. 
  • Animals let out to grass once calved.
  • Neighbours are also farmers- help available all year round if needed. 
  • Hay and silage made on farm every year. 
  • Young farmer has received agricultural education and is willing to help and offer new ideas. 


    • ]]>     2020-02-16 21:10:54 UTC https://padlet.com/roisin_murphy3/wr4o5ddlwp08/wish/446144964     roisin_murphy3 https://padlet.com/roisin_murphy3/wr4o5ddlwp08/wish/446146377
  • Husband has off farm job.
  • Three children in college and one child in secondary school.
  • Farm help limited during the week. 
  • No official grassland management structure in place. 
  • Price of beef and future of beef production.
  • Health of animals.
  •  Not part of Teagasc.
  • Securing biodiversity while fully utilising land available 
    • ]]>     2020-02-16 21:20:21 UTC https://padlet.com/roisin_murphy3/wr4o5ddlwp08/wish/446146377     roisin_murphy3 https://padlet.com/roisin_murphy3/wr4o5ddlwp08/wish/446147469
  • Join local beef / grass discussion group
  • Attend farm walks 
  • Start grass measuring
  • Courses - Grass10 

    • ]]>     2020-02-16 21:27:07 UTC https://padlet.com/roisin_murphy3/wr4o5ddlwp08/wish/446147469     roisin_murphy3 https://padlet.com/roisin_murphy3/wr4o5ddlwp08/wish/446148170
  • Weather - indoors for a longer period of time 
  • Labour 
  • Price of inputs 
  • Policy/ government 
  • Climate change
  • Brexit 
    •  
    ]]>     2020-02-16 21:31:19 UTC https://padlet.com/roisin_murphy3/wr4o5ddlwp08/wish/446148170     Introduction roisin_murphy3 https://padlet.com/roisin_murphy3/wr4o5ddlwp08/wish/446148831 2020-02-16 21:35:23 UTC https://padlet.com/roisin_murphy3/wr4o5ddlwp08/wish/446148831 Strengths roisin_murphy3 https://padlet.com/roisin_murphy3/wr4o5ddlwp08/wish/446148934 2020-02-16 21:36:05 UTC https://padlet.com/roisin_murphy3/wr4o5ddlwp08/wish/446148934 Challenges roisin_murphy3 https://padlet.com/roisin_murphy3/wr4o5ddlwp08/wish/446524554 2020-02-17 21:13:40 UTC https://padlet.com/roisin_murphy3/wr4o5ddlwp08/wish/446524554 Opportunities roisin_murphy3 https://padlet.com/roisin_murphy3/wr4o5ddlwp08/wish/446524600 2020-02-17 21:13:56 UTC https://padlet.com/roisin_murphy3/wr4o5ddlwp08/wish/446524600 Threats roisin_murphy3 https://padlet.com/roisin_murphy3/wr4o5ddlwp08/wish/446524687 2020-02-17 21:14:22 UTC https://padlet.com/roisin_murphy3/wr4o5ddlwp08/wish/446524687 roisin_murphy3 https://padlet.com/roisin_murphy3/wr4o5ddlwp08/wish/446533244 2020-02-17 21:51:05 UTC https://padlet.com/roisin_murphy3/wr4o5ddlwp08/wish/446533244 roisin_murphy3 https://padlet.com/roisin_murphy3/wr4o5ddlwp08/wish/450016699 2020-02-25 12:00:12 UTC https://padlet.com/roisin_murphy3/wr4o5ddlwp08/wish/450016699 Year 1 roisin_murphy3 https://padlet.com/roisin_murphy3/wr4o5ddlwp08/wish/450016884
  • Soil test
  • Improve paddock grazing structure 
  • Weed control
  • Improving biodiversity (hedgerow management)
  • Map farm.
    • ]]>     2020-02-25 12:00:59 UTC https://padlet.com/roisin_murphy3/wr4o5ddlwp08/wish/450016884     Year 2 roisin_murphy3 https://padlet.com/roisin_murphy3/wr4o5ddlwp08/wish/450017078
  • Match calving season with start of grass growth 
  • Grass measure 
  • Review paddock structure
    • ]]>     2020-02-25 12:01:46 UTC https://padlet.com/roisin_murphy3/wr4o5ddlwp08/wish/450017078     Year 3 roisin_murphy3 https://padlet.com/roisin_murphy3/wr4o5ddlwp08/wish/450017301
  • Continue grass measuring 
  • Reseed old permanent pasture - 20%. 
  • Weed control 
  • Continue to map.
    • ]]>     2020-02-25 12:02:36 UTC https://padlet.com/roisin_murphy3/wr4o5ddlwp08/wish/450017301     Year 4 roisin_murphy3 https://padlet.com/roisin_murphy3/wr4o5ddlwp08/wish/450017533
  • 2 years worth of grass measuring data available for analysis.
  • Review stocking rate, calving times and amount of silage/ hay used
    • ]]>     2020-02-25 12:03:32 UTC https://padlet.com/roisin_murphy3/wr4o5ddlwp08/wish/450017533     Year 5 roisin_murphy3 https://padlet.com/roisin_murphy3/wr4o5ddlwp08/wish/450017743
  • Continue to soil test
  • Try to extend grazing season in early spring and late autumn. 
  • Continued weed control 
  • Monitor silage use 


    • ]]>     2020-02-25 12:04:24 UTC https://padlet.com/roisin_murphy3/wr4o5ddlwp08/wish/450017743     roisin_murphy3 https://padlet.com/roisin_murphy3/wr4o5ddlwp08/wish/450697738 2020-02-26 13:06:54 UTC https://padlet.com/roisin_murphy3/wr4o5ddlwp08/wish/450697738 roisin_murphy3 https://padlet.com/roisin_murphy3/wr4o5ddlwp08/wish/450714079 2020-02-26 13:36:56 UTC https://padlet.com/roisin_murphy3/wr4o5ddlwp08/wish/450714079 roisin_murphy3 https://padlet.com/roisin_murphy3/wr4o5ddlwp08/wish/450716817 The objective of a grassland management plan for this suckler farm is to utilize the land available and educate farmers of the need and the benefits of grass measuring. ]]> 2020-02-26 13:41:48 UTC https://padlet.com/roisin_murphy3/wr4o5ddlwp08/wish/450716817 Objective roisin_murphy3 https://padlet.com/roisin_murphy3/wr4o5ddlwp08/wish/450721941 2020-02-26 13:49:55 UTC https://padlet.com/roisin_murphy3/wr4o5ddlwp08/wish/450721941 Weaknesses roisin_murphy3 https://padlet.com/roisin_murphy3/wr4o5ddlwp08/wish/450723023 2020-02-26 13:51:40 UTC https://padlet.com/roisin_murphy3/wr4o5ddlwp08/wish/450723023 roisin_murphy3 https://padlet.com/roisin_murphy3/wr4o5ddlwp08/wish/450723695
  • Very little knowledge on grassland management.
  • Not part of a discussion group 
    • ]]>     2020-02-26 13:52:33 UTC https://padlet.com/roisin_murphy3/wr4o5ddlwp08/wish/450723695     5 Year Plan roisin_murphy3 https://padlet.com/roisin_murphy3/wr4o5ddlwp08/wish/450756595 2020-02-26 14:36:15 UTC https://padlet.com/roisin_murphy3/wr4o5ddlwp08/wish/450756595 roisin_murphy3 https://padlet.com/roisin_murphy3/wr4o5ddlwp08/wish/450759191 2020-02-26 14:39:32 UTC https://padlet.com/roisin_murphy3/wr4o5ddlwp08/wish/450759191 roisin_murphy3 https://padlet.com/roisin_murphy3/wr4o5ddlwp08/wish/450760795 2020-02-26 14:41:20 UTC https://padlet.com/roisin_murphy3/wr4o5ddlwp08/wish/450760795 roisin_murphy3 https://padlet.com/roisin_murphy3/wr4o5ddlwp08/wish/450765956 2020-02-26 14:47:13 UTC https://padlet.com/roisin_murphy3/wr4o5ddlwp08/wish/450765956 roisin_murphy3 https://padlet.com/roisin_murphy3/wr4o5ddlwp08/wish/450792796 2020-02-26 15:18:48 UTC https://padlet.com/roisin_murphy3/wr4o5ddlwp08/wish/450792796 roisin_murphy3 https://padlet.com/roisin_murphy3/wr4o5ddlwp08/wish/451289208 2020-02-27 11:16:48 UTC https://padlet.com/roisin_murphy3/wr4o5ddlwp08/wish/451289208 roisin_murphy3 https://padlet.com/roisin_murphy3/wr4o5ddlwp08/wish/451289332 2020-02-27 11:17:19 UTC https://padlet.com/roisin_murphy3/wr4o5ddlwp08/wish/451289332 roisin_murphy3 https://padlet.com/roisin_murphy3/wr4o5ddlwp08/wish/451289683 2020-02-27 11:18:32 UTC https://padlet.com/roisin_murphy3/wr4o5ddlwp08/wish/451289683 roisin_murphy3 https://padlet.com/roisin_murphy3/wr4o5ddlwp08/wish/451289835 2020-02-27 11:19:03 UTC https://padlet.com/roisin_murphy3/wr4o5ddlwp08/wish/451289835 roisin_murphy3 https://padlet.com/roisin_murphy3/wr4o5ddlwp08/wish/451315237 2020-02-27 12:48:21 UTC https://padlet.com/roisin_murphy3/wr4o5ddlwp08/wish/451315237