Why it is important to invest in grassland in a drought

The dry conditions farmers have experienced this summer bring into focus the value of the grass grown on farm for both grazing and silage.

All dairy systems are dependent on a supply of high-quality forage to underpin profitable milk production. With rents and land values creeping ever higher, it is vital that farmers remain focused on the productivity they achieve from each hectare.

When farmers have to look at replacing high-quality forage due to shortfalls caused by the conditions, the true cost becomes apparent.

See also: How to deal with mineral deficiency when rain follows drought

Of course, in times of drought, all grass growth struggles, but many will find that their recent reseeds have fared a lot better than older pasture this summer, according to Andrew Marlow from Kite Consulting.

He says investment in grass reseeding programmes and switching to a multicut system can really pay dividends, even in a challenging year.  

A scheduled investment in a grass reseeding programme is vital to the long-run quantity and quality of forage that a farm produces.

Considerable progress has been made in the breeding of new grass varieties.

These can really boost a farm’s output of both tonnes and total energy and protein from grassland, in turn reducing reliance on expensive bought-in feeds.  

The economic benefit of reseeding is well documented. On average there is a 33% increase in tonnes of dry matter yield for the first couple of years after reseeding, with declines in benefits thereafter depending very much on sward management.

The financial returns from reseeding pasture can be very significant, but the turnover rate and productivity premiums are very much down to how the investment is managed.

Whether a farmer can make the most of the improved potential of grassland through reseeding depends on the quality of farm management and timeliness.

Why multicut?

From a forage conservation perspective, harnessing the full potential of grassland is best done via a multicut silage system where grass is cut more regularly at a younger stage throughout the season, using the same principles of rotational paddock grazing.

This year’s drought has had profound effects in most quarters (even maize), so although many farmers will have missed their third cut in the multicut system, they will still have as much volume in the clamp from the first and second cuts, so it does not discredit the system.

Benefits include:

• Multicut reduces your risks, as it limits exposure to weather (you need shorter windows)
• It usually improves contractor availability
• It delivers high yields
• It can improve slurry and fertiliser use
• The higher cutting levels recommended with a multicut system can also help in dry conditions, as it leaves more leaf and growing point on the plant, meaning grass plants can spring back into action more rapidly, giving a significant head start for the development of the next silage cut.

Economic benefits of adopting multi-cut

The economics of adopting a multi-cut system makes sense when you look at the feed value and cost per MJ of energy – see “Growing costs” and “Yield and dry matter”  below.

The 14.5% cost saving in each MJ of energy is very welcome, but the real win is the additional MJ of energy that land produces. The extra MJ of energy converted into the value of milk (or less bought-in feeds) makes the additional £151/acre growing cost pale into insignificance.

Experience also shows cows will milk better on higher ME (digestibility) silages, with lower costs in protein supplementation too.

Treat your grassland like your herd: A replacement policy is crucial to harness genetic progress and drive productivity.