High feed cost and the poor grass growing season in 2012 has affected animal performance and livestock producers’ margins.
Productive, well managed grassland can significantly help offset the variability of the weather, purchased fertiliser and animal feed bills, so it makes sense for livestock farmers to spend some time this season evaluating their existing grass swards and draw up a plan of action. Points to consider are:
l Soil pH and the status of phosphate and potash.
l Clover content of the sward. White clover can fix over 150 kg N/ha of free nitrogen over the growing season.
l Has the sward become dominated by unproductive grass species?
l Is compaction or a pan layer having a negative impact on the productivity of the sward?
Seeking help to answer these questions and to prioritise an action plan will bring production benefits and improve resilience.