Dairy cows grazing in the rain near Calliaghstown, Co Meath. \ Ramona Farrelly
The average growth rate on farms recording grass measurements on PastureBase Ireland (PBI) for the past week was 48kg DM/ha. A growth rate of 72kgDM/ha was recorded for the same period last year.
Low overnight temperatures and low rainfall levels can be blamed for the poor growth.
Some farms around the country recorded a rainfall of 5ml to 6ml between 19 and 20 April and got a good jump in growth, with temperatures hitting the mid-teens over the weekend.
The rain forecast for this weekend will be welcomed by many, especially those who have had no rain since late March, which has seen growth rates remain low.
Brian Geraghty, Dysart, Co Roscommon
Brian operates a dairy-calf-to-beef system on a 52ha leased farm in Dysart in south Co Roscommon. Of this, about 20ha of it would be rough grazing, with the remainder good grass growing ground.
In 2020, Brian reared 92 Angus heifers. Taking advantage of the good weather conditions last spring, Brian reared most of the calves at grass and achieved a daily liveweight gain of 0.9kg/day over the rearing phase. This spring, high calf prices have meant Brian has stayed out of the market as he struggled to see a return on investment at the current calf price.
SHARING OPTIONS:
Reports vary greatly from region to region with farmers in the southeast reporting favourable sowing conditions. \Philip Doyle
This week the
Irish Farmers Journal spoke with farmers from across the country about field conditions on farm after a spell of frost and below average temperatures.
Reports vary greatly from region to region with farmers in the southeast reporting favourable sowing conditions while in the northwest soils remain quite heavy.
Hugh Kelly
Hugh Kelly.
“Although rainfall has been relatively low on the farm in the past week, (13mm), no spring crops have been planted yet, with only about 2% completed locally.
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Last modified on Fri 29 Jan 2021 00.33 EST
When the Scottish National party published its roadmap for a second independence referendum on Sunday, it confirmed what many anticipate will be a central plank of its manifesto for May’s Holyrood elections. If the party wins a majority, as polling indicates it will, and if Westminster ignores that electoral mandate and continues to refuse the necessary transfer of powers, Holyrood will legislate to hold a referendum regardless.
There are three possible routes to another referendum on Scottish independence. As happened with the 2014 vote, a process previously described as the “gold standard” by Nicola Sturgeon, the UK government could grant a section 30 order under the Scotland Act, 1998, granting Holyrood the competence to legislate for it. The act, which set up the Scottish parliament, states that Holyrood can’t normally legislate on reserved matters, such as the union. But UK prime ministers, most recently Boris Johnson, have re