BALLYCREGGY IRISH MOILEDS FARM WALK & TALK ON PADDOCK GRAZING
Irish Moiled breeders were welcomed to the farm of Dermot Gardiner, Ballymena for a farm walk to see his lovely Ballycreggy herd of Irish Moileds. Dermot gave an in depth talk on why he uses paddock grazing system on his farm
Paddock grazing is commonly used in dairy farms but is becoming increasingly popular in beef and sheep farms due to the increased productivity that can be achieved.
We use electric fencing to divide fields into paddocks of approximately 1 acre and measure grass using a rising plate meter and use a web-based grass management system. The cows and calves are moved every 2-3 days depending on the paddock dry matter cover with paddocks typically rested for 18-21 days before re-grazing. During times of peak grass growth in late spring some paddocks are skipped and cut for round bale silage to remove excess growth and ensure the grass quality across the whole system is maintained. Paddocks are typically spread with farmyard manure in the autumn or early spring and receive regular sowings of fertiliser with protected urea throughout the grazing season. All fields are soil sampled in a 4-5 year cycle and results help design a tailored nutrient management plan.
The aim is to turn cattle out to grass in mid to late March and house as late in the season as possible, typically in late October due to reduced grass growth and ground conditions. The rotation length is increased in late summer and autumn due to reduced grass growth rates with sileage fields brought into the paddock system after second cut is harvested.
Over the winter months if conditions are mild and grass growth continues sheep are grazed on the paddocks to remove excess grass growth and maintain sward quality and lighter young stock are typically turned out onto any paddocks with high covers in late February to graze them down to target for the new season.
This system also supports higher stocking density than traditional fixed grazing systems has environmental sustainability benefits. By preventing overgrazing and encouraging uniform manure distribution, paddock grazing helps promote biodiversity and soil fertility.
It was very evident to see that the system works well for Dermot, the ground considering how much rain there had been in beginning of June, the paddocks were not poached, there was ample grass in each of the paddocks as they weren’t grazed down tight. his herd of Irish Moileds were in great form and condition.
After the walk around the cattle, Irish Moiled breeders enjoyed Irish Moiled burgers supplied by Moyletra Irish Moileds.
The next event on the Irish Moiled breeders calendar is the Breeders day on Sat 5th July at Betton House, Shropshire where host Nathalie Chitty will have her Betton herd of Irish Moileds on view, along with trimming and halter guidance from Steven O’Kane, Keadyview To book your place contact breed secretary Gillian by WhatsApp ++44 7842185008
