With the weather looking dry and warm for the next couple of days and potentially weeks, it is offering ideal conditions for a spring reseed.
In the last couple of years, overall grass grown on farms is back due to a few factors, including weather conditions, poor fertiliser management and not enough reseeding, to name bu a few.
Grass growth in the last number of years has been poor and the weather has a big say on that.
But also at play is the impact of the National Fertiliser Database (NFD), which has resulted in farmers spreading less fertiliser than what they are actually allowed, and which is stopping them from spreading earlier in the year out of fear of running out of their quota.
Reduced annual tonnage swards with low perennial ryegrass content are costing farmers up to €300/ha/year due to reduced herbage production and reduced nitrogen (N) use efficiency.
Reseeding will cost around €750/ha, but with the increase in profitability of the new sward, the cost would be covered in just two years, making it one of the most cost-effective on-farm investment.
The total grass production from a spring reseed is as much as, if not more than, old permanent pasture in the establishment year.
Also, establishing clover is more reliable in spring than it is in autumn due to more stability in soil temperatures.
In spring, the conditions for post-emergence weed control is more favourable, while in autumn, soil conditions deteriorate as lower soil temperatures can reduce seed germination, and, with variable weather conditions, establishment and weed control can be difficult.
Spring reseed
The target turnaround time for a reseed in the spring should be 50-60 days, so farmers need to start picking out paddocks for reseeding now, in order to spray them off on time to get the seed in the ground in the next few weeks.
Spray off the old pasture with a minimum of 5L/ha of glyphosate and allow a minimum of 7-10 days after spraying before cultivating. Trash should be removed five days after spraying either though cutting or grazing.
Soil testing should be carried out to put a liming and fertiliser programme for the reseeded field in place.
The Pasture Profit Index (PPI) should be used to to identify a suitable grass for your farm, as the variety tool will identify the best types to sow when reseeding at different times of the year.
Clover establishment should be a priority in the spring as well, as soil temperatures – especially around this warm weather – should be favourable for clover to establish.
Farmers should sow at a rate of 25-28kg/ha of grass plus a 2.5-5.0kg/ha of a medium-leaved clover and no more than three or four grass cultivars should be included per mix.
Preparing the paddock
Paddock preparation depends on soil type, amount of underlying stone and the machine / contractor that is available to you at the time.
There are four different methods of cultivation: ploughing, discing, one-pass, and direct drill, each of which are equally effective when done right.
The ‘do’s’ and ‘do not’s’ of different cultivation methods as per Teagasc are as follows:
Do
Don’t
Ploughing
– Shallow plough;
– Develop a fine, firm, and level seedbed.– Plough too deeply (>15cm);
– Cloddy, loose seedbed.
Discing
– Graze tight;
– 2-3 passes in angled directions;
– Apply lime.– Drive with a fast forward speed leading to an uneven seedbed.
One-pass
– Graze tight, apply lime;
– Slow forward speed at cultivation.– Drive with fast forward speed leading to a rough, patchy seedbed.
Direct drill
– Graze tight, apply lime and slug pellets;
– Wait for moist ground conditions.– ‘Trashy’ seedbed will lead to no seed/soil contact;
– Use when ground is hard and dry.
Applying a post-emergence weed spray once the grass is at the 2-3 leaf stage after about five to six weeks after sowing, is crucial for controlling weed infestation.
It is also essential that the new reseed gets a grazing as soon the plants cannot be pulled out of the ground, which will be at approximately 700-1,000kg dry matter/ha.
Calves or young stock are a good option for grazing the paddock at first, as they will not do as much damage as older cattle or milking cows would.
Farmers should be thinking of reseeding now to get these paddocks back into grass and into the grazing rotation for the end of May and into June, when grass may be needed.
