Grass measurement for sheep grazing

Description

  • Grass measurement for sheep grazing
  • Grass-measuring using the grass-hopper and uploading onto pasturebase
  • Better management of grass, increase utilisation levels, grow more grass
  • Working to increase amount of lamb produced from grass
  • Increasing amount of grass grown and utilised through measuring and managing
  • Economic results
  • Focusing on higher production and/or lower costs

Reason for the innovation

Maximise amount of lamb produced from grass

  • Grazing management system
  • Manage grass and increase utilisation levels
  • Grass-hopper, Pasturebase

Farm description

Environment

  • Soil type: Clay-loam
  • Climate type: temperate oceanic climate
  • Altitude: Variation across the farm (250m)
  • Slope: Variation across farm (25%)
  • Agricultural area (ha UAA): 90 grazing
  • Arable land area (ha): 9
  • Permanent grassland area (ha): 90
  • Average stocking rate (agriculture area) (LU/ha UAA): 2.8
  • Average growth performance per head (kg LWG/day): 250 grams

Grassland management

  • Grazing: Yes
  • Grazing management type: Rotational

Structure

  • Farm type: Specialist sheep
  • Annual work units (AWU): 1.5
  • Main animal type: Sheep
  • Number of animals (heads): 1200 ewes
  • Breed type 1: Texel*Belclare
  • Breed type 2: Texel and charolais terminal rams
  • Agricultural Area : 90 ha UAA
  • Length of grazing period: 310 days
  • Fertilization rate (kg N/ha): 130

Why it is working

  • Increasing amount of grass grown and utilised through measuring and managing grass
  • Working to increase amount of lamb produced from grass
  • Maximise output per hectare
  • Quality grass all year round
  • Reducing cost of production

Additional information

Farming system

conventional farming

Domains of innovation

animal feeding management, farm system, forage mixture, grazing management system, legume management – Perennial legumes

Main types of animal

meat sheep

Country

Ireland

Product type

Farmer portrait

Language

English

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