When the seed head appears, grass dry matter digestibility is about 70%.

Glanbia has advised milk suppliers to take advantage of the current milk price, by limiting the post-peak yield decline to less than 2.5% per week.

From a peak yield of 26 litres per day, a week decline of 3% until drying off will result in 52,800 litres less milk supplied by a 100-cow herd, compared to a 2% weekly decline.

Ensuring high-quality grass remains in front of the cows is crucial for limiting the milk yield decline.

Although the aim is to have cows eating as much grass as possible, forcing cows to eat heavy covers will reduce intake, milk yield, and protein. These swards are less digestible, which increases the time needed to digest the grass, due to the higher fibre content (stem), and therefore reduces the dry matter intake. This grass will also contain less energy per kilo of dry matter (DM). Energy sustains milk yield after the peak.

When the seed head appears, grass dry matter digestibility is about 70%. For every 4% increase in grass digestibility, milk solids yield will increase by 5%. This is equivalent to €420 per week for a 100 cow herd, according to Teagasc.

Grass management targets set by Glanbia are average farm cover (AFC) of 600-700 kg of DM/ha; pre-grazing covers of 1,300 to 1,600 kg; grazing residual 4cm; farm cover maintained between 160 and 180 kg per cow; and a rotation length of 18-21 days.

Do not focus on one of these figures in isolation. For example, cover per livestock unit could be within the range, but AFC could be too high.

Remove surplus grass as bales, this not only helps to improve grass quality on the farm but increases the amount of winter feed.

Increase the milking platform stocking rate, by closing paddocks and cutting extra silage.

Another option is to introduce the young stock onto the platform to reduce the area milking cows are required to graze.

Match the energy requirement of the cow. At grass, physical rumen fill is the primary limitation for additional dry matter intake, particularly for higher-production cows. High-quality grass provides enough energy for up to 25 litres. Therefore, it is important cows are supplemented to maintain production.

Replenish nutrients to ensure adequate high-quality grass, by applying 0.8 units of N per day or 16 units per acre in a 20-day rotation, to maintain growth rates.

Every tonne of dry matter (equivalent to four or five bales) removed from a paddock removes about 25 units of N/ac, 3.5 units of P/ac and 25 units of K/ac. It is imperative that the P and K is replaced, with either chemical or organic fertiliser.

Do not focus on grass bulk; the longer a paddock is out of the rotation, silage quality is reduced, and it takes longer for regrowth.

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