AGRISEARCH ROUNDS OFF SUCCESSFUL SERIES OF GRASSCHECK FARM WALKS

Oliver outlined his farming system.  In addition to the suckler cows Oliver also runs a calf house for the ABP. Stuart Cromie from ABP outlined the blade farming system. Calves arrive at around 3 weeks of age and leave the farm at 15 weeks (at a target weight of 120kg) to go to a finishing unit.  Oliver’s house holds 140 calves with a batch being put through every 16 weeks.  In total around 400 calves are reared each year. 

Oliver is a GrassCheck farmer and has been measuring grass for over 10 years.  2025 has been a good year for grass with 10.4t grass dry matter per hectare grown up to early September.  Oliver runs a paddock grazing system which is essential to maintain his relatively high stocking rate.

Oliver has also successfully established a red clover silage sward this year(which also contains perennial ryegrass and while clover).   Oats were sown with the grass and clover as a companion crop on 14th April.  A heavy cut of silage was taken at the start of August.  The red clover has really flourished in the dry August and has dominated the sward.  

A copy of the handout from the day can be found by clicking here.

The event rounded of a series of twelve GrassCheck and ZeroNsile farm walks that AgriSearch has held over the summer. AgriSearch would like to thank all the farmers who hosted and the external speakers who participated in these events.  Further farm walks are planned for next year.

GrassCheck is a joint initiative of AgriSearch, AFBI and CAFRE and is co-funded by the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA).