Management Notes for May 2018

Date published: 03 May 2018

Management Notes are prepared by staff from the College of Agriculture, Food and Rural Enterprise (CAFRE). CAFRE is a college within the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA).

DAIRYING

Prepared by: Christopher Breen

When should I cut grass for silage?

As a guide cut before 50% ear emergence in the sward. It is possible to predict when grass crops will reach 50% ear emergence. Cut swards based on early perennials around the 10 May. For swards based on mid-season varieties cut around the 20 May and for late varieties cut in the first days of June. Walk your crops before these dates and check for ear emergence so you can plan a cutting date. Each weeks delay after 50% ear emergence requires the feeding of an extra 2 kg of concentrates to achieve the same level of daily milking yield.

Grass should be cut at the first spell of good weather. A bright day is ideal to increase sugar content and improve fermentation. Sunshine also promotes a more rapid wilt, reducing the amount of water ensiled. It is important grass is mown dry; cutting wet grass means a longer wilt time and a reduction in nutrients. Mowing later in the day is more preferable than starting at 9am when dew may still be a problem.

Wilting grass 

  • To speed up the wilting process, spread the cut crop out over the entire field straight after mowing.
  • Aim for a grass dry matter (DM) of 30% at harvesting.
  • A rapid wilt prevents excessive sugar and protein losses.
  • In ideal wilting weather, a crop will be ready to lift within eight hours if it has been spread out.

Harvesting

  • Ideal chop length promotes good consolidation in the clamp and provides enough fibre for the cow to ruminate.
  • Set chop length at 25 mm for grass with a DM of 30%.
  • When grass is wetter, less than 20% DM, consider a chop length of 50 mm.

Clamp management

The purpose of ensiling grass is to preserve and minimise nutrient loss, thus improving silage feeding value. Silage fermentation can be divided into two phases:

Phase 1

Chopping grass to the correct length, ensiling at recommended dry matters, filling the silo quickly and distributing grass evenly in the silo can eliminate oxygen at this stage.

Phase 2 

Micro-organisms in the grass produce lactic acid which is the primary acid responsible for lowering pH, producing silage and making it stable. Undesirable micro-organisms can dominate if the pH does not drop rapidly. Where weather permits, wilting grass to 25-30% DM before ensiling can eliminate this problem.

The key is to remove air and make the clamp as air tight as possible. Ensure the ensiled grass is spread in shallow layers and rolled continuously. Always cover the silo at night. At the end of harvest apply an effective cover and weight the cover paying particular attention at the shoulders of the pit.

Use of an additive

Effective silage fermentation produces high levels of lactic acid reducing the crop pH. Silage additives can help this process. A variety of additives are available including bacterial inoculants, enzymes, non-protein nitrogen sources, acids and sugar sources. It is important to emphasise that none of these are a substitute for good silage making techniques and management, but they should help make a good situation better.

May jobs checklist

  • Ensure good grazing management by grazing swards down to 1,600 kg DM per hectare to maintain sward quality.
  • Check silos and carry out any maintenance well in advance of silage making.
  • Check there is adequate storage in tanks to collect effluent produced.
  • Calibrate parlour and out of parlour feeders to ensure accurate feeding.
  • Spray docks/weeds if conditions are suitable and they are at the right stage for control. If spraying silage ground for docks, generally allow an interval of at least 21 days between spraying and harvest. This depends on the product used, so always read the label.

BEEF AND SHEEP

Prepared by: Nigel Gould

Nematodiris threat

May is the month often associated with the start of the Nematodiris threat. The disease, caused by the Nematodiris battus worm, can result in high levels of mortality and stunted growth. It has a different life cycle to other sheep worms, with the development of the infective larvae taking place within the egg and infection passing from one year’s lamb crop to the next. Lambs are most susceptible after six weeks of age when dependency on the ewe’s milk reduces and grass intake continues to increase. Younger lambs suckling ewes with poorer milk yields are also susceptible. As cold weather delays hatching, a sudden increase in temperature can trigger a mass hatch. If this coincides with the period of increased grass intake consequences can be severe. The risk can be reduced by grazing ground which wasn’t grazed by lambs the previous spring. SCOPs, an industry led initiative, which promotes best practice in the control of parasites, provides a live Nematodiris forecast. This predicts hatch date based on temperature data from across the United Kingdom and can be used, along with your sheep grazing history, to identify risk periods on your farm. This can be accessed at: www.scops.org.uk. Provided there isn’t a resistance issue on farm, a white drench (Group 1- Benzimidazoles) will control Nematodiris.

Coccidiosis

There are reports of higher incidences of coccidiosis this spring, likely due to poor weather and delayed turnout, leading to a build-up of disease via contaminated bedding and feed. A characteristic symptom is bad scour, often blood stained and black in colour. Discuss appropriate treatment options with your vet. Where supplementary feed is offered at grass, move troughs regularly and ensure they are kept clean. Batches of calves or lambs with a wider range in age are at an increased risk of coccidiosis.

Suckler cows – breeding season and mineral supplementation

Breeding season is fast approaching in spring calving herds. Delayed spring grass growth and a lack of winter feeding in some cases may have negatively affected cow body condition score (BCS). This may affect fertility this season. Cows should have a BCS of at least 2 at breeding and be gaining condition. Supplementation may be necessary, particularly for first calvers.

Mineral supplementation for suckler cows

Consider mineral supplementation at grass. Mineral deficiency is a widespread problem in soils across Northern Ireland. Selenium and iodine deficiency are a particular concern, especially for suckler cow fertility. However it is important to note that while mineral deficiency can limit fertility, if overall nutritional needs aren’t met, fertility will still be compromised. The ideal way to identify a deficiency is to analyse a pooled blood sample from a group of untreated cows. If deficiency is identified, minerals can be supplemented using a range of methods, with the bolus often being the preferred option for suckler cows at grass due to the low labour requirement.

Inspect and repair silage pits

Inspect silage pits for the coming season. Wash thoroughly and check for cracks, eroded porous patches, unsealed and eroded joints. If damage is extensive an entire new concrete base may be required.  Depending on cutting date it may be too late to get this done at this stage. If damage is confined to minor cracks or where existing sealant between joints needs replacing, there are relatively quick solutions. Sealants are effective if applied correctly. Hot poured rubberised bitumen or gun applied sealants, for example polyurethane are effective. Roof pitch should not be used as it will turn brittle when cold. If small areas of the pit base need to be replaced due to erosion or subsidence, a consaw can be used to cut out the outline of the affected area and help prevent damage to the rest of the pit base. It will also provide straight cut edges to assist with sealing the joints between the old and new concrete.

CROPS

Prepared by: Leigh McClean

WINTER CEREALS

With winter crops constantly on the back foot since sowing it can be easy to fall into the trap of thinking they will continue to be behind all season.  A decent prolonged spell of good weather at this time of year could see crops race through growth stages very quickly making up lost ground. Keep a close eye on crop development to make sure key timings of fertiliser, growth regulator and fungicides are not missed.

Winter barley disease control

As a result of slow early crop growth and development many T1 sprays were only applied towards the end of April. Aim to apply T2 sprays within four weeks of T1, ideally when the flag leaf and the first few awns have emerged. The best performing products contain a SDHI and either Triazole (for example Aviator, Adexar) Strobulurin (for example Priaxor) or a mix with three different modes of action (for example Ceriax or Concorde and Rubric).  Prothioconazole with a Strobilurin (for example Fandango or Mobius) also gives good protection if the crop is clean. Inclusion of Chlorothalonil at T2 boosts control of Ramularia normally only evident towards the end of the growing season.  

Winter wheat disease control

Prepare for a timely T2 treatment at flag leaf emergence no later than four weeks after the T1 spray. A well applied T2 spray gives a bigger yield response in wheat than any other spray timing.

Triazoles continue to lose their activity against Septoria and remain most effective when used in a protectant situation as part of a mixture with a SDHI. Use SDHIs responsibly as part of fungicide programmes minimising potential selection for resistant Septoria strains. This means only use SDHIs where necessary, never apply  more than twice in a season, keep up dose rates and always use in combination with a multisite protectant, for example Bravo or Phoenix and a Triazole fungicide.

SPRING CEREALS

As most spring cereals are not long sown the option still exists to apply residual herbicides more commonly used on winter cereals pre or early post-emergence as extensions of minor use (EAMUs). These herbicides provide a different mode of action and improve annual meadow grass control. If crops are too far forward for the residual option, apply a mixture of at least two broad spectrum herbicides when most of the weeds are at the two to four leaf stage. This ensures weed competition is removed at an early stage of crop development and may allow product dose rates to be reduced.   

It is also good practice to prevent disease becoming established at this stage by tank mixing a fungicide with your herbicide. As Rhynchosporium is the most damaging disease in our current spring barley varieties, product choice should reflect this. Products previously mentioned for winter barley are equally effective on spring barley, although at a lower rate.

Nitrogen top dressing is best applied once tramlines are visible at the two to three leaf stage (GS 12 to 13). Later applications may green the crop but add little yield.

POTATOES

As planting progresses it is important to ensure good quality seed beds are produced. With soils lying wet for so long this is particularly difficult to achieve this spring. With this in mind, cultivating as shallow as possible should help by reducing the amount of wet clod brought to the surface. Less clod not only means a better seed bed but will allow bed-forming and de-stoning operations to progress more quickly, allowing a bigger proportion of potatoes to be drilled as close to the optimum drilling date as possible. Check periodically to ensure correct planting depth and spacing are being achieved.

Plans should be in place for early weed control to ensure key timings are not missed. Where pre-emergent products are used check crops regularly to ensure herbicides are applied on time to avoid crop damage.

Greening

Recognising that extreme weather during the summer of 2017 resulted in significant waterlogging of agricultural land, coupled with sustained rainfall and periods of frost and snow during the winter of 2017/18, DAERA, through DEFRA, submitted a formal request to the EU Commission for a derogation of the three crop rule. At the time of writing the Commission is considering the request and growers who are having difficulty meeting the three crop rule are advised to check the press for updates.

INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

Prepared by: Pamela Gardiner

Act now – Single Application deadline 15 May 2018

With the 15 May deadline for submitting the Single Application Form (SAF) fast approaching, DAERA is urging farmers who have not yet taken any action to act now and submit their form without delay. 

A DAERA spokesperson said “As we approach the final week of the Single Application window we are asking you not to wait until the last few days to submit your form. We urge you to avail of the support and help available. Our message to you is to make arrangements immediately to secure your 2018 area based scheme payments. This is one of the most important things you will do this year so don’t take any risks with your 2018 payments. The online application is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week and contains all your farm business information.”

There are a number of options available to you if you require assistance to complete your 2018 Single Application. Call our SAF Advisory Service on 0300 200 7848, Monday to Friday 9.00 am to 5.00 pm, or use the convenient webchat facility within the application. Our Advisers will help you with any queries about your application or the schemes.

If the SAF Adviser thinks you need further assistance, there may still be ‘one to one’ appointments available at your local DAERA Direct office where staff can help you complete your application. This is an appointment only service so you must ring the SAF Advisory Service to book an appointment. If you think you will require this help ring immediately while appointments are still available and don’t take any unnecessary risks.

DAERA are running a series of ‘How to Complete your Single Application’ workshops at CAFRE campuses in Enniskillen, Cookstown and Antrim. These workshops are very popular and you don’t need any particular IT skills to attend - our staff will be there to help you. Book a place now by contacting 028 7131 9955. This is an appointment only service, so make the call now and don’t miss out while appointments are available.

View video and guides on how to how to complete your application online.

Alternatively you can use the services of an agent or trusted person you know, who can be given online access to complete your application on your behalf. You will need to complete a form to nominate an authorised person if you have not previously done so.

Download the Single Application and Maps nomination of authorised person form from the DAERA website or your agent may provide this for you. Alternatively call the SAF Advisory Service on 0300 200 7848.

The deadline for submitting online Single Applications is midnight on Tuesday 15 May 2018. Applications after this date will incur a penalty.

Balmoral Show

DAERA staff will be present at Balmoral Show from Wednesday 16th May to Saturday 19 May 2018. Come along and chat to us about the new ‘Click or Call’ APHIS initiative which allows you to complete MC1s or MC2 buyer confirmations online or over the phone, removing the need for paperwork. You can also view the wide range of other online services which are available, such as CAFRE Nutrient Calculators, Farm Business Planner, Maps Online and many more. These tools are free, easy to use, available 24/7, safe and secure. The online services also help you comply with legislation, reduce potential errors and give access to detailed information about your business and animals. The services are supported by a dedicated online services helpdesk and bespoke training courses provided by CAFRE.

For further information about these services, training courses or to register for DAERA Online Services:

Notes to editors: 

  1. Follow DAERA on Twitter and Facebook.
  2. All media enquiries to DAERA Press Office or tel: 028 9052 4619.

Share this page

Back to top