GrassCheckGB is a grass monitoring project involving 50 dairy, beef and sheep farms.
Growth and quality data will be published weekly throughout the growing season.
LATEST NEWS
GRASSCHECK STATION MAP
View GrassCheckGB stations in a full screen map
GrassCheckGB – 2021 SEASON SUMMARY
Final results from GrassCheckGB show how farmers met the challenges
As final results from the season’s GrassCheckGB farms are recorded, lessons are shared from the most prolific performers.
The final figures from a season of grass growth have now been recorded which confirm what every grassland farmer knows – that it’s been a challenging year. However, many producers – farming either dairy, beef or sheep – have excelled in the face of difficult conditions, some producing average yields across the farm as high as 12 tonnes of dry matter (DM) per hectare, despite constraints on growth. And although the peak in growth was higher than in the previous two years, the average was lower, at 9.2t DM/ha across the monitored group (figure 1).
GRASSCHECK GB GROWTH GRAPH
Management Notes
- With some farms now set-stocked for tupping and others starting to house stock, this will be the last weekly GCGB bulletin for 2021.
- However, there remain plenty of opportunities to utilise grass and extend this grazing season – particularly given the unseasonably good conditions! Every extra day at grass equates to savings in forage and housing costs, and part-time/ ‘on/off’ grazing strategies are an excellent tool to use grass in the shoulders of the season.
- Whilst periods of 2021 were very challenging for grass growth, GCGB data shows grazed grass yields averaging 9.2 t DM/ha to date – highlighting the productivity that is achievable with attention to grassland management, even in trickier conditions.
- Huge thanks go out to all the GCGB farmers, sponsors and supporters for their hard work and support over the last 3 years
|
 |
|
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |