{"type":"rich","version":"1.0","provider_name":"Transistor","provider_url":"https://transistor.fm","author_name":"The Dairy Edge","title":"Managing the herd in the current weather conditions","html":"","width":"100%","height":180,"duration":1709,"description":"On this week’s episode of the Dairy Edge, Donal Patton, Teagasc Ballyhaise and Mike Egan, Teagasc , discussed at a recent Teagasc webinar the current weather conditions and scenarios facing farmers across the country and how best to deal with them.\n \nDonal first talked through the current situation in Ballyhaise and then discussed trial work that was done over a 4 year period there which mimicked the situation that many farmers are now facing in terms of high proportions not grazed and how to deal with it in the short-term but also in the medium term to maintain grass quality and maximise performance through the main season when weather will hopefully much improve.\n \nDonal highlighted that conditions are very challenging currently and consequently grazing is hard work but it is important that farmers try to make a start so get out and walk to see if there is some dry spot to get cows out for a few hours at least to reduce the silage demand and increase the level of performance through inclusion of grazed grass. He was quick to acknowledge that there are scenarios where it may not be possible to get out but that people need to be looking regularly.\n \nMike Egan spoke on fertiliser advice in these very trying weather conditions. Mike outline the various scenarios on farm from some fertiliser spread to none and how to respond to these, again similar to Donal’s advice, when the conditions allow.\n \nMike finished by discussing fertiliser advice for silage this year and emphasised the need for good cuts in order to replenish very much diminished stocks on farms. This will not be achieved by going for big bulk first cuts. \n \nInstead, early/mid/late May cuts depending on the starting point of the crop will be necessary to get ‘May growth’ into 2nd cuts in order to get the bulk many farmers require but with a much higher level than a big bulky first cut in June will deliver.\n \nMike emphasised that bulky first cuts actually undermine total silage production and cautioned...","thumbnail_url":"https://img.transistorcdn.com/FizPp2YqaNPbmx7kOdSSeqe3lGqQ33mTmLaxiS1YEus/rs:fill:0:0:1/w:400/h:400/q:60/mb:500000/aHR0cHM6Ly9pbWct/dXBsb2FkLXByb2R1/Y3Rpb24udHJhbnNp/c3Rvci5mbS9zaG93/LzEwMTc5LzE1ODgz/Mjc3MzMtYXJ0d29y/ay5qcGc.webp","thumbnail_width":300,"thumbnail_height":300}