The Scottish Farmer spoke to a number of grass farmers this week to see how they are fairing during what has been an indifferent spring for growth and weather.
Cattle farmer and butcher, Jock Gibson, who runs Edinvale Farm, at Dallas, said: "The grass is starting to come away now. In the middle of April we saw the grass start to move but then the weather turned in the last week in the month which brought the brakes on.
"We thought we might have to take the animals back into the shed or sacrifice an area of the field to feed silage on. But it was all change at the start of May when we were back up with growth rates of last year.
"Covers are slightly behind but that should build in a week or two. Last Sunday, we recorded 60 kg DM/ha/day which is the same as 2022."
Jock is hoping that grass growth continues, with the farm hitting a typical production peak of 85kg DM/ha/day by the end of May. The Morayshire farm is 600 feet above sea level, with heavy soils and a south facing outlook.
The pH on the farm is slightly below where Jock would like it, at just over 6, but there is no fertiliser used on the farm in a 'near organic' system.
Meanwhile, John Ritchie, at Montalt, in Perthshire, who farms at 850 to 1050 feet above sea level on improved upland ground, said the average farm cover on the first of March was 1650kg. This is 50kgs behind last year but 50kgs above the farm average for the time of year. To maximise grass in the spring John rests 95% of the farm for 100 to 120 days with first paddocks being closed up at the end of October.
John said: "Growth at start of March was 5kg DM/ha/day for first three weeks and then jumped to 15kg DM/ha/day at the end of month. April was pretty cold so grass grew around 10 to 15kg.
"This is roughly seven to 10 days behind last season, but grass is starting to really motor now with growth of 50 to 60 kg DM/ha/day without fertiliser. I think we could hit over 100kg on the best grass if the weather is kind to us.
"All in all, we have been lucky and missed the worst of the wet weather compared to other parts of the country with only one hellish night of sleet and rain at the start of lambing which took its toll unfortunately."
Further south, in the Scottish Borders, Graham Lofthouse, at Bankhouse Farm, has seen his grass take off in recent weeks. At the end of March, the farm was averaging around 9.2kg DM/ha/day before lifting to 18kg by April 10. The start of May saw grow of 35.8kg DM/ha/day before rocketing to 72.4kg a week later.
He said: "Growth is very marginally ahead of last year, being 65kg at this point in 2022 and 72kg today. Plenty of grass in front at the moment and cattle could have been out earlier than April 10 but for wet conditions."
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