Managing the spring pasture flush
Key points
- 50 – 70 per cent of the year's pasture growth normally occurs during spring/early summer
- To maximise profit, as much of this pasture as possible should be converted into liveweight gain. To achieve this, the pasture should be of high quality
- Pasture surpluses need to be managed so the build up of low quality dead material is minimised. If pasture has a lot of dead material in it, lambs may not gain any weight
- The aim of grazing management should be to keep average cover from 1400 – 1800 kgDM/ha, or 4 – 6 cm, and to enhance clover growth
- Surplus late-spring pasture can be conserved as hay or silage, topped, controlled with low rates of herbicide, or grazed with cattle or weaned ewes.
For further information download the attached PDF