Teagasc Heavy Soils ProgrammeReview 2012

Ger Courtney, John Maher,

James O’Loughlin, Pat Tuohy

Teagasc

Animal and Grassland Research and Innovation

Presentation

• Farm growth rates

• Physical and Financial Performance2012

• Grass grown and utilised on theHeavy soils farms

• What is needed to grow and utilisemore home grown forage?

• Messages

Grass Dry Matter Grown-Kerry Grass Measurement Group (t/ha) 2008 -2012

2008 - 2011 Average2012

Total DM/ha 11.3 9.2

Spring DM/ha 1.7 1.5

Summer DM/ha 7.3 6.2

Autumn DM/ha 2.4 1.6

Grass growth in 2012 19% lower than 4 year average

0

100

200

300

400

500

600

2012 2011 2010 2009 2008 2007 2006 2005 2004 2003 2002 2001 2000

Rain

fall

mm

Rainfall in CastleislandSummer (May-August)

Rainfall in Summer 2012: 41% above average(+150 mm)

Heavy Soils Farm LocationsHeavy Soils Farm Locations

Doonbeg

BoherbueMacroom

Listowel

Athea

CastleislandSolohead Farm

Heavy Soils Programme

Rossmore

Heavy soils programme site investigation

Growing and Utilising more grass

Heavy Soils Programme Farms Profile 2012

•Average milking block area 41 Ha•Average cow numbers milked 2012 -87•Milking block stocking rate 2012 - 2.1 Lu/Ha•Average milk production 2012 -5010 litres/cow

2012 2011 2010

Milk Production/Farm- Litres

435,930 458,945 437,711

2012 change v2011

%

-5% - -

372 kgs MS/Cow v 402 Kgs/cow in 2011

Herd Breeding 2012

EBI € Fertilitysub index

Milk subindex

6 weekcalvingrate %

BreedingHeifers2012

%

Average 116 75 33 70 27

Improved herd breeding is deliveringadditional revenue on the heavy farms

Concentrate Fed/Cow Kgs

1022

622

0

200

400

600

800

1000

1200

2012 2011

Concentrate fed/cowkgs

Pattern of Concentrate Feeding 2012

115

241

424

242

0

50

100

150

200

250

300

350

400

450

1st Qtr 2nd Qtr 3rd Qtr 4th Qtr

Conc/cow kgs

Heavy Soils FarmsSilage Fed Mid - April – Sept 2012

Farms Silage fed April –Sept

Tonnes/cow

Silage reserve May1 2012

Tonnes/cow

2 x Farms Highestrainfall. No reserve

3.35 0

2 x Farms –good silagereserve

2.5 3.2

2 x farms-less silagefed & v good reserves

1.5 4.1

Average 6 farms 2.5 2.2

Impact on Silage Stocks

• Normal silage requirement is 1.6 tonnes/cow/month

• Over 3 tonnes of silage per cow was fed up to October 31st

• 15% deficit in winter feed

• + 1.5kgs meals/animal ?…poorer silage quality

• Spring 2012 did allow minimal use of silage for milkingcows because of good grazing conditions and reasonablewinter growth

• A major challenge for heavy farms in 2013 will be to secureover 10 tonnes silage per cow + repl winter feed .

• Plan for at least 30% of silage stocks over 70 DMD.

**Costs/litre 2012**Costs/litre 2012

2011 2012 Diff.

*Varia. costs c/l

incl Concentrate

11.7

3

14.5

5.6

2.8

2.6

Fixed costs c/l 8.9 9.5 0.6

Total F+V c/l 20.6 24 3.4

**ePM 2012projected

*Excludes carryover feed costs of 4 c/litre into 2013

Dairy Income c/litre 2012Dairy Income c/litre 2012

2011 2012 % Diff.

Gross Output 35.8 32.1 -10%

Dairy Income 15.2 8.1 -47%

ePM 2012projected

Grass Growth & Utilisation (tonnes DM/ha)

10.6

8.1 7.8

5.4

0

2

4

6

8

10

12

2011 2012

Grown

Utilised

Cow feed requirement-5 tonnes dry matter less 0.7 tonnesconcentrate = 4.3 tonnes of grass DM.-75% Utilisation efficiency on heavy soils.-Need to grow 4.3 @ 75%= 5.7 t DM/cow grownBased on full grass and silage requirement

Example 100 Cows @ 5.7 t DM/Cow

-

Tonnesgrown /Ha

(DM)

*Hectaresrequired

StockingRateCows/Ha

10 57 1.75

*Cow area only

12 47 2.12

14 41 2.44

Ryegrass Ground Cover &Level of Reseeding

REGION%

RYEGRASS

Level ofReseedingAnnually

Castleisland 24 10%

Doonbeg 30 10%

Listowel 25 10%

West Limerick 26 7%

Macroom 25 10%

North Cork 24 9%

26%

Heavy Farms soil analysis 2010/11

• Lime: 85% less than a PH of 6

• Phosphorus: 50% less than Soil Index 3*

• Pottasium:47% less than Soil Index 3

*One farm that had all land at a P index of 3 or moregrew the most grass in 2012 @ 10 tonnes/Ha

LIME RESULT: Soil Analysis campaign 2011/12

33% were OK for lime (pH over 6.0)

33% needed 2 ton lime per acre this year

(pH 5.6 – 6.0)

33% needed 2-3 ton this year and again in 2 years(pH < 5.6)

Soil test and follow a Fertiliser/Limeplan for your farm

Messages from the Heavy soils programme

• The provision of a forage reserve of 3 bales/cowproved crucial to many farms in 2012

• A plan to provide a proportion of high qualitysilage must be put in place.

• Ryegrass cannot survive in a low soil fertilityenvironment

• Increased Stocking rate must be based on theability of the farm to grow more forage

Messages from the Heavy soils programme

• Invest in those areas that will give biggest returnin grass utilisation

• Additional farm infrastructure inroadways/tracks/water points/paddock layoutand good housing have helped to alleviatepressure in a difficult year.

• Drainage investment is very site specific andmust be carefully planned before reseeding.

• More Information on your farm business helpsmake better decisions

Heavy Soils Programme Focus

SoilSoilFertilityFertility

Silage reserveSilage reserve

DrainageDrainage

GrassUtilisationGrassUtilisation

Dairy Income

Thank You