Great Grass Soil Nutrition & Grassland Yields Autumn Flyer 2021

Page 1

OPTIMISING GRASSLAND on farm is one of the most economical means to produce milk and beef. In order to achieve high quality grass, it’s important to put a full reseeding programme in place annually that considers all the elements of reseeding. The ultimate aim is to reseed 10% of the platform annually, resulting in a completely renewed grazing platform every 10 years. Current grassland management figures highlight that every extra tonne of grass DM utilised is worth an additional €173\ha to the farm. We’ve put together an easy technical and products guide that we recommend you consider for each of three key stages of your reseeding journey, in order to achieve “Great Grass”.

GREAT VALUE RESEEDING OFFER Reseed with the ‘Great Grass Reseeding Product Range’, and get €100 back. All your needs for each step of your reseeding journey.

SIMPLY PURCHASE:

Stage one:

Pre-SEEDING

Round-Up Flex 15L

Stage two:

RE-SeEDING

10 Bags of Grass Seed

€100 BACK

Stage tHREE:

POST EMERGENCE DB Plus 10L x3

*T&Cs apply. Must purchase a minimum of 15L of product from Stage 1, 10 x acre bags of grass seed, and 30L of product from Stage 3, through your trading account between 19th July – 15th September to qualify for this offer. Qualifying customers will receive a €100 credit, which will appear on your October statement. Purchases beyond these close off dates will not qualify and this offer cannot be exchanged for cash. Each customer account can only qualify once for this offer.


Stage ONE: PRE-SEEDING recomMended products

Available to purchase in branches, through your Business Manager or online at GlanbiaConnect.com

Gallup XL 5L

Mizr 20L

9098561

• Herbicide for

9019580

• Herbicide for burning off grass • 20L pack treats 8 acres • 360g/L Glyphosate formulation

burning off grass

• 360g/L

Glyphosate formulation

Roundup Biactive XL 5L 9075939

• Controls grass and weeds

• Triple strength formulation

• For use in non-

crop areas • 6 litres will treat one hectare

Roundup Gold 450 15L

Roundup Power Max 10KG Roundup Flex 480 15L

9079671

9082097

9071950

• Provides more cover per gallon • Consistent Roundup formulation • Premium surfactant formulation that

• Rainfast in 1 hour • Dust free granules • Dissolves quickly

• Rainfast in 1 hour • K salt allows for ease of handling

allows for increased spreading

Round-Up XL • • • •

5L

9080711

20L

9080712

Professional grade herbicide Very efficient way of controlling weeds Will not harm soil Dilution rate - 40:1 or 30:1 in badly infested areas

and completely in water • Suitable for use in a wide range of weather conditions

and storage

• Effective

results even in cool or hot temperatures • Effective in hard water

Soil Fertility

Target turnaround time to get a reseed back into production should be 60 days. Generally, decisions around reseeding are negative due to the view that paddocks are out of production for too long. The time that the sward is out of production can be minimised by cultivating seven to 10 days after spraying off the old grass – a major failing at farm level is to wait too long after spray off. When spraying off paddocks for stitching in – let the grass cover grow to 400-500-600Kg DM/ha before spraying off. This is due to avoiding old grass coming back into the sward.

Offer available from 19.07.2021-15.09.2021

The paddock/field for reseeding should be sprayed off with a high-quality glyphosate product in order to kill off any existing vegetation present. Where ploughing, without spraying off it is common for weed grasses to regrow quickly and are then very hard to control. Where minimum cultivation is being practiced the vegetation needs to be either grazed off or topped to allow a cleaner surface with little trash as possible.


Stage TWO: RE-SEEDING Choosing The Correct Seed Mixture No single grass variety has all the desired agronomic traits and a grass seed mix can address this. When it comes to selecting the correct seed mixture, the Pasture Profit Index (PPI) is essential to reference specific characteristics and values within the pasture.

• Diploid: Tetraploid proportion; • For grazing: 50% diploid: 50% tetraploid

(reduce tetraploid % on difficult soils); • For silage: 60% diploid: 40% tetraploid

Diploids have more tillers per plant and, due to the lower water content per cell, have a higher DM/ kg of feed and more energy than tetraploid plants. Both varieties have similar protein levels. Tetraploids are more palatable to livestock, leading to higher intake, and are more drought tolerant. However, their higher water content goes hand in hand with a lower DM compared to diploids. On heavy soils subject to poaching, the persistence of tetraploids may suffer, while seeding rates for tetraploid grasses will need to be higher because of the larger seed size.

(narrow range in heading dates are advised); • Clover inclusions should also be considered

(now a requirement for derogation farms considering reseeding).

Diploids Vs. Tetraploids The main difference between diploids and tetraploids is the number of chromosomes per cell in the grass plant. Diploids have two sets of chromosomes per cell while tetraploids have four. Diploids have tended to dominate mixtures in Ireland in recent years but tetraploid varieties are a key component of modern grass seed mixtures. Because of the extra chromosomes, tetraploids have a bigger cell size and have a higher ratio of cell contents (soluble carbohydrates) to cell wall (fibre), indicating that they have a higher water content per cell.

Ideally, seed mixtures should have less than a seven days’ range in heading dates between cultivars. In a silage mix, high overall DM production and density are the key targets. Silage mixes should not be used where swards are used mainly for grazing. A small range in heading dates (e.g. seven to 10 days) is preferable to shortening the heading period. All varieties will head, however, some have a greater tendency to head and continue to re-head, which is not desirable in a grazing sward.

HEADING DATES EARLYS

Head out during the first half of May

INTERMEDIATES

Head out during the second half of May

LATES

Head out during the first half of June


Stage TWO: RE-SEEDING Benefits of mixed grass / white clover swards Animal Sward Economics • Increased dry matter intake

• Increased dry matter production

• Increased milk solids production

• Potential to reduce nitrogen fertiliser

+ 1.5Kg DM/cow/day

• Increase farm profit by €150/ha

+ 800kg DM/ha

with white clover contents >25%

+ 30Kg MS/cow/year

• Dry matter intake • Feed quality • Animal performance • Total grass growth

• Nitrogen use

Establishment of a white clover sward 1. HIGH FERTILE SOILS REQUIRED i. Index 3 & 4 for P and K ii. Soil pH 6.3 2. SOWING DATE i. Early summer/autumn 3. WHEN RESEEDING i. Fine firm seed bed ii. Sowing depth of 10 – 12 mm iii. 1.2 – 3.7Kg/ha (0.5 - 1.5Kg/ac) iv. Soil contact – roll post sowing

4. WHEN OVER-SOWING

ii. Ensure correct timing of chemical application

i. Ensure existing sward has a high perennial ryegrass content

6. GRAZING MANAGEMENT

ii. Sow immediately after grazing or surplus silage (<4 cm)

In order to maintain a sward clover content of 25%

iii. 3.7 - 5Kg/ha (1.5 – 2Kg/ac) iv. Ensure soil to seed contact post sowing – roll v. Graze at <1100Kg DM/ha for the following 3 rotations 5. POST EMERGENCE SPRAY

ii. Post-grazing sward height – 4 cm (50Kg DM/ha) iii. Grazing rotation of 18 to 21 days mid-season iv. Early grazing in spring to stimulate plant growth

i. Ensure spray is clover safe

Fertilisation for reseeding

i. Target pre-grazing herbage yield of 1,300 – 1,600Kg DM/ha

GAIN MOMENTUM PROGRAMME N RECOMMENDATIONS ABOVE 210KGS N/HA (KGS/HA)

TIMINGS

N

JAN/FEB

20

MARCH

40

APRIL

45

MAY

45

JUNE

30

• Use either Grow Lime or Granulated Lime

JULY

25

N,P,K Fertiliser

AUGUST

25

SEPTEMBER

20

pH and Lime • For good establishment of grass seeds, pH must be above 6.3 • Always good practice to spread lime before reseeding where the pH is lower than this

• Where the pH is adequate, if there is a significant level of trash on the field, good practice to apply a level of lime here also

• Phosphate is also important for seed establishment. Best to use a fertiliser containing a significant level of N & P

• Use 30-40 units N /Ac and 20–30 Units of P /Ac. A Popular fertiliser to use is 10/20/20 ( 3 X 50Kg/Ac )

• Always make use of soil samples to plan P & K application

OCTOBER NOVEMBER DECEMBER


Stage TWO: RE-SEEDING recomMended products

Available to purchase in branches, through your Business Manager or online at GlanbiaConnect.com • Mastercrop Premium Grazing Sward and Mastercrop One Cut & Graze is available in 12.5Kg bag • 1Kg Clover included to comply with Derogation requirements

SUITABILITY:

PREMIUM GRAZING SWARD

Intensive, continuous grazing systems.

ABERCHOICE

2.0 Kgs 11th June

ASTONENERGY ( T )

3.5 Kgs 1st June

ABERGAIN ( T )

3.0 Kgs 4th June

OAKPARK

3.0 Kgs 2nd June

MED LEAF WHITE CLOVER

1.0 Kgs

12.5 Kgs

Excellent spring and seasonal growth Contains Astonenergy (T) number one for sward clean out under animal grazing Oakpark brings advantage of high ground cover 56% Tetraploids

SUITABILITY:

PREMIUM ONE CUT & GRAZE ASTONKING

3.0 Kgs 5th June

BALLINTOY ( T )

2.0 Kgs 4th June

MEIDUNO ( T )

3.5 Kgs 3rd June

OAKPARK

3.0 Kgs 2nd June

MED LEAF WHITE CLOVER

1.0 Kgs

12.5 Kgs

Grazing with one large silage cut in late May/Early June. Judicious use of Tetraploid varieties which have high yield, palatability and droughttolerance characteristics Also suitable for early grazing before closing up for silage 47% Tetraploid

MULTI-SPECIES SWARD

Comments

ASTON ENERGY PRG

3.0 Kgs

Grass

High digestibility and top graze out variety

OAKPARK PRG

3.0 Kgs

Grass

Excellent spring growth with high ground cover

TIMOTHY

1.0 Kgs

Grass

Grows well in cold soils, especially in spring, different root structure to PRG

MEADOW FESCUE

1.0 Kgs

Grass

Thrives in lower fertility soil and fertiliser & offers variety in root structure

WHITE CLOVER

1.0 Kgs

Legume

Persistent under tight grazing, fills in gaps in swards

RED CLOVER

1.0 Kgs

Legume

More erect than white, deeper tap root, not persistent under tight grazing

SAINFOIN

1.0 Kgs

Legume

Antiparasitic ( anti worm ) properties & Tannins that help reduce risk of bloat

RIBWORT PLANTAIN

0.5 Kgs

Herb

High mineral content, deep root structure, robust under intensive grazing, diuretic

CHICORY

0.5 Kgs

Herb

Different root structure, Anti worm properties, used as a drought feed

12 Kgs

Sow 14 Kgs / acre

At Teagasc, Johnstown Castle, multi-species swards with ryegrass, red and white clovers, chicory and plantain fertilised with 150kg of N yielded more than perennial ryegrass receiving 250Kg of N under a regular cutting regime. Seed mixes may change due to availability of varieties.


Stage three: POST EMERGENCE It is recognised by Teagasc that using a quality post emergence spray to control a broad spectrum of weeds will result in enhanced grassland yields.

It takes about 11 months for a new sward to fully establish; therefore, the management of the reseed in this period is important. • Graze the new reseed as soon as the plants do not pull out of the ground (pulling test), at a cover of approximately 700–1,000Kg DM/ha; • Historically, first grazing were completed by youngstock/calves; however, where ground conditions allow, graze with the main grazing herd to move through the cover more rapidly; • For the next few grazings, frequent light grazings (≤1,400kg DM/ha) are advisable; • Avoid cutting for silage in the first year of establishment.

WEED CONTROL Post emergence spray should be applied five to eight weeks after reseeding Teagasc research indicates that a paddock capable of producing 10t DM/ha, with a 1t infestation of docks, will reduce yields of grass DM by 10%. Therefore, a typical paddock growing 10t DM/ha/year with a 40% infestation of docks, will grow 6t DM/ha and 4t DM/ha of docks – resulting in a 40% reduction on the grass DM yield potential of that paddock. Use appropriate spray, clover safe or non clover safe.

PROBLEM

SOLUTION

DB Plus 10L Docks and Chickweed

Docks, Thistles, Chickweed, Buttercups and Dandelions Docks, Thistles, Nettles, Buttercups, Dandelions and Ragwort

HERBICIDE

9120084

While Stocks Last

DOSE RATE

7L/ha

Esteem® 5L/Pastor Trio 9106284

1 L/ha (new sown leys)

DESCRIPTION

• Must be used when weeds are very small • Best applied 4-6 weeks after reseeding • Only clover safe herbicide available

• Controls broad spectrum of weeds such as buttercups, docks, thistles, chickweed, fat-hen and mayweed. • Not clover safe Last date for use on new leys is 31st August

Envy® 3L HERBICIDE

9094133

1.5 L/ha

• Can also be used on established grassland at 2.0 l/ha • Excellent on daisy, buttercup and dandelion • Not clover safe

2.0 L/ha

• Controls chickweed and established docks • Not clover safe

Hurler® T 5L Docks and Chickweed

HERBICIDE

9039603

Herd/PU numbers will be required for the purchase of Agrochemicals.

Products Available Instore | Online | On-farm for more information visit GlanbiaConnect.com


Turn static files into dynamic content formats.

Create a flipbook
Issuu converts static files into: digital portfolios, online yearbooks, online catalogs, digital photo albums and more. Sign up and create your flipbook.