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Over the last few years the increasing use of multi-species swards has seen Irish farmers significantly reduce their N fertiliser bills, increase animal performance and enhance summer forage production. On some drier farms, multi-species swards have been the only grazable forage available during prolonged dry spells. Read more
Spring is the ideal time to reseed as daylight hours extend and soil temperatures rise to provide ideal conditions for seed germination and plant establishment. The value of reseeding cannot be overstated and although it may seem expensive, reseeding is an investment worth making. Read more
2024 was a challenging year for maize crops across the country with wet weather impacting pollination and cob formation and a lack of heat throughout the summer impacting crop yields. However, maize is still an excellent home-grown energy crop and a large acreage is expected to be sown again in 2025. Read more
The reseeding season for 2025 will kick off shortly and now is the ideal time to consider your grass options. DLF have a wide range to pick from with intensive grazers and cut & graze options to multi-species and red clover mixtures available. In this article we will focus on our top grazing mixtures designed to produce the highest quality grass with top utilisation to ensure your farm is profitable and sustainable. Read more
For accurate feed planning it is essential to measure the DM yield of the crop. This can easily be done by following the steps below. To measure your crop you will need 1m² frame, seed bag, pair of garden shears and scales Read more
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Its time to start planning your autumn reseeds and new data from DLF’s on-farm grass trials shows why this important job should not be left to the last minute. Many farmers prefer to reseed in the autumn months of August and September as both grass demand and workload on farm eases. However, farmers should not leave this important job until too late in the autumn as this can increase the risk of poor establishment and even failure of reseeds in some cases Read more
Catch Crops, Cover Crops and Green Manures are terms generally used to describe a crop that is sown between two cash crops. Broadly speaking they all help to improve soil structure, increase organic matter content and help with trafficability, but there are some key functional differences between each type of crop. Read more
Mainstar promises high yields of leafy forage with excellent utilisation and judging by the data collected so far, it won’t disappoint. Sowing brassicas like forage rape for winter grazing is a cost-effective way of boosting winter forage stocks while also extending the grazing season. Mainstar promises high yields of leafy forage with excellent utilisation and judging by the data collected so far, it won’t disappoint. In 2023 we established a number of forage rape grazing trials on farms across the country to assess the yield, quality and utilisation of Mainstar compared to the leading varieties on the market. The graph below shows some impressive initial results for Mainstar. The DM yield of Mainstar particularly stands out, producing 1.8t/ha more than the next best variety. Read more
In an effort to reduce the amount of nitrogen fertiliser used on Irish farms, DAFM have announced that last years’ hugely Red Clover Measure will be available again in 2024. The measure is worth €300/ha up to a total of 20ha for each applicant. It essentially means free seed! Read more
Would you like to reduce your Nitrogen fertiliser bill by up to 100%?? Interest in multi-species swards has grown rapidly in recent years with an estimated 8,000 acres sown in 2023, a significant increase on the couple of hundred sown just 5 years ago! Read more