Late surge in grass growth ‘a real bonus’

A SUMMER that has brought a mix of heatwaves and spells of rain has ended up delivering an end-of-season silage and grass bonanza to farmers across the West of Ireland.

Farmers and silage contractors have reported a phenomenal surge in grass growth over the past four weeks, following the July heatwave and some bursts of rainfall through early August.

A return to drier conditions since August 21 last has also meant that ground conditions and trafficability across the region are good giving farmers more options in terms of when they want to sell cattle.

Connacht IFA Chair, Pat Murphy, told the Farming Tribune that while growth might have been stunted somewhat early in the season due to the weather, the last few weeks had really ‘delivered’ in terms of grass return.

“We probably got the perfect mix of moisture and heat over the past six weeks or so. Everywhere had gone very dry after our heatwave in July but when the rain came after that, the grass just took off,” said Pat Murphy.

He said that second cuts of silage had delivered very good returns of grass which had made up for some lower yields with the first cuts earlier in the Summer – a ‘real bonus’ for farmers, he added.

“Overall, it hasn’t been a bad Summer, and at least farmers now have good flexibility in terms of whether to keep stock on for another while. There seems to be plenty of fodder in the system and ground conditions are good,” said Pat Murphy.

Abbeyknockmoy weather recorder, Brendan Geraghty, said that the combination of our hot spell from July 12 to July 26, followed by rain through the early days of August, had delivered great yields in terms of grass growth and second-cut silage.

For more, read this week’s Connacht Tribune.

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