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