Setting up new grassland dairy farms from long term tillage

Description

  • Setting up a new grassland dairy farm from long term tillage
  • Legume management
  • Increasing grass production on new grassland farm with low organic matter
  • Higher and more stable grass DM production, good clover establishment across the farm
  • Some paddocks still perform poorly
  • Excellent grass output
  • Require measurement and routine farm walks to establish that the innovation is working
  • Spring rotation planner/ Pasturebase Ireland

Reason for the innovation

Maximise output per hectare while minimising costs through maximising grass growing and utilisation per hectare

  • Require measurement and routine farm walks to establish that the innovation is working

Farm description

Environment

  • Agricultural area (ha UAA): 120
  • Permanent grassland area (ha): 120
  • Average stocking rate (agriculture area) (LU/ha UAA): 2.82
  • Climate: temperate oceanic climate
  • Altitude: Variation across the farm (80m above sea level)
  • Slope: Variation across farm (0-10%)

Grassland management

  • Grazing: Yes
  • Grazing management type: Rotational grazing

Structure

  • Setting up new grassland dairy farms form long term tillage (long term lease)
  • Annual Work Unit: 2.25
  • Agricultural Area : 230ha
  • Breeds: Fr*Je

The demonstration of best practice in conversion of a greenfield site into a fully functional dairy farm

To establish commercially focused expanding family farms to demonstrate how to be financially rewarding.

Animal performance

  • Milk production per head (l/year/dairy animal): 4800

Why it is working

  • Increasing grass production of on new grassland farm with low organic matter
  • Higher and more stable grass DM production, good clover establishment across the farm
  • Identify paddocks performing poorly and come up with solutions
  • Excellent grass output with high animal performance from low inputs
  • Require measurement and routine farm walks to establish that the innovation is working
  • Spring rotation planner/ Pasturebase Ireland

Additional information

Farming system

conventional farming

Domains of innovation

animal type (breed), farm system, forage mixture, grazing management system

Main types of animal

dairy cattle

Country

Ireland

Product type

Farmer portrait

Language

English

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