Early autumn reseeding is the preferred option for many to reseed grazing ground due to reduced pressure on grass availability and the increased availability of grazing ground after second cut silage.

After several months of poor grass growth this year, many reseeds were delayed so it’s important to get back on track when the opportunity presents itself.

However, timing is crucial so the earlier you plan on completing reseeding, the more flexibility they’ll have regarding grazing and weed control.

The target turnaround with a reseed should be 50 to 60 days. Therefore if spray-off is completed by mid-August, target first grazing should be approximately the same date in October. Ideally, one more grazing before winter should create a more established sward for the following spring.

Taking the reseeding opportunity earlier will also help with clover establishment. With clover high on the agenda for those reseeding grazing block ground, its important to get the basics correct to aid in its establishment. Clover has a high pH requirement, favouring soils at a pH of 6.5, and index 3-4 for P&K.

Avoid jeopardising your investment in reseeding by skimping on weed control or missing the ideal window. Post-emergence spraying is always your best chance to control weeds, typically applied approximately 5-6 weeks after sowing. Where clover was incorporated in the seed mixture, use a clover-safe spray (take care to use a clover-safe spray at the three-leaf stage).

One of the most common issues seen with reseeds where conventional ploughing has not been used is inadequate rolling of new reseeds/poor firmness.

Rolling is essential to create good soil–to–seed contact and also helps to maintain moisture within the seedbed.

New plants emerge quickest where the tractor tyre marks are, or in the headlands due to greater contact. So roll the seed bed prior to sowing to increase firmness.

For more information contact your local Agritech Sales Advisor. 

Slow growth has been the theme so far this year with many reseeding plans on the main grazing block have either been placed on hold or delayed.

However, its important once growth allows that we get back on track with replacing old swards to optimise production off the grazing platform. For many, mid-summer/early autumn reseed is the preferred option to reseed grazing ground due to reduced demand and the increased availability of grazing ground after second cut silage.

The target of 10% reseeded annually on the platform can be difficult to achieve when availability/growth is poor for a portion of the year, however, it is worth considering that in any year where the 10% target is not achieved, there is rarely the opportunity in the subsequent year to take out 15%-plus of the grazing block over one season.

Remember, an unproductive sward could be losing you 3t of Dry Matter/ha/year – with input prices where they are currently, swards with low percentages of perennial ryegrass not producing sufficient levels of grass in the shoulders of the year and have a poor response to N can’t be let linger into ‘the following year’.

Timing is critical – The earlier we plan on completing our reseed, the more flexibility we have regarding grazing and weed control. The target turnaround should be 50-60 days with a reseed. Post-emergence spraying is always your best chance to control weeds, typically applied approximately five to six weeks after sowing; and delaying reseeds into late autumn always increases risk of not getting post-emergence completed.

Creating a firm seedbed is all too often overlooked. You often see new plants emerging quickest where the tractor tyre marks are, or in the headlands due to the increased contact. This is a typically the first sign that the field has been inadequately rolled where moisture is adequate. Ensure the seed bed is firm – not fluffy – roll prior to sowing if necessary to firm up.

For more information, contact your local Agritech Sales Advisor or visit www.agritech.ie

As autumn progresses, the weather can change quickly so timing is critical; earlier reseeding allows for more flexibility with grazing and weed control. Remember, an unproductive sward could be losing you 3t of dry matter/ha/year. Swards with a low percentage of perennial ryegrass, that are not producing sufficient levels of grass in the shoulders of the year and have a poor response to N, shouldn’t be tolerated on the grazing platform.

Reseeding Management 

As ever, the target turnaround should be 50-60 days with a reseed. Therefore, complete spray-off by mid-august, target first grazing should be approximately the same date in October. Ideally, aim to graze at least once before closing for the winter to create a more established sward for the following spring.

With late autumn reseeds, avoid jeopardising your investment in reseeding by skimping on weed control or missing the window of opportunity. Post-emergence spraying is always your best chance to control weeds, typically applied approximately 5-6 weeks after sowing. When using a clover safe spray, keep in mind these can only be used until the end of September 2022.

Get the seedbed right

One of the most common issues seen this summer has been the inadequate rolling of new reseeds. Rolling is essential to create good soil-to-seed contact and it also helps maintain moisture within the seedbed.

Often new plants emerge quickly where the tractor tyre marks are, or in the headlands due to greater contact; this is a sign the field has been inadequately rolled. Ensure the seed bed is firm, not fluffy – roll prior to sowing if necessary to firm it up.

For further autumn reseeding advice or to find out more about our Tipperary Grass Seed Range, contact your local Agritech Sales Advisor. 

Over the past number of months, a key focus on farm has been centred around having high quality feed available to cows at all times.

As grass growth has recently increased, we now enter a time where grass quality can be difficult to maintain and will therefore require attention. According to PastureBase Ireland, average pre-grazing yields on specialised dairy farms for 2020 were 1,554 kg DM/ha (1,639 kg DM/ha in drystock scenarios), well above the target of 1,200-1,400 kg DM/ha.

In such cases, it will be extremely difficult to graze out these paddocks to target residuals (3.5-4cm), resulting in poor grass quality and utilisation in the subsequent rotation. When grazing heavy covers of grass, it is worthwhile to remember that for every 4% reduction in grass digestibility, milk solids yield will consequently reduce by approximately 5%.

Making timely, well-informed decisions 

Grazing platforms must be walked regularly during periods of high growth rates and variable weather to assess grass availability and make informed and timely decisions. Grass availability will dictate decisions around taking out surplus grass to hold quality where growth remains high, or in areas where growth rates are slower and experiencing soil moisture deficits, decisions will be made to hold the rotation to keep a high proportion of quality grass in the diet.

Taking stock

As we reach the halfway point in the year, now is a good time to examine how much grass has been grown to date. For example, if your aim was to complete six grazing’s/paddocks so far this year, at an approximate pre-grazing yield of 1,300 kg DM/ha, you should have grown approximately 7.8 tonnes of grass to date. However, due to poor early season growth and tough grazing conditions for periods of time this spring, this figure in farm specific cases may be lower.

More Information 

For further grassland management advice, contact your local Agritech Sales Advisor. 

With ground conditions finally favourable and excellent grass growth levels, now is an ideal time to take the opportunity to reseed.

The never-ending debate always raises its head at this time of year as to ‘when is it too late to reseed?’. Although, the calendar acts as a guide to reseeding, it is not always the primary criteria and especially not this year.

At this stage, it is a matter of deciding between risk versus reward. If your plan is to reseed a certain percentage of the farm each year, it is important to stick to this plan and reseed now especially while ground temperatures are very good and there is excellent and almost unseasonable grass growth.

Making the decision to defer reseeding may only put additional pressure on next year. Autumn 2017 is a recent good example of this scenario as in that year, the weather was difficult, and many reseeding jobs were not completed. With a slow spring in 2018 and a drought hitting in early June, it meant that much of the ground not completed for reseeding in autumn 2017 had returned little in terms of new herbage by mid-summer.

Management Guide:
The objective of reseeding at this stage is to have the crop established before the winter sets in and to have the post emergent spray (if available) applied. In doing so, there are some important key factors that need to be taken into consideration:

Soil Fertility:
Reseeded pastures will not perform to their potential if soil fertility is not correct. To achieve maximum results, it is vital that the new reseed receives adequate levels of 10:10:20 and lime levels to balance pH requirements and kick start early growth.

Reseeding Method:
With a lot of ground burnt off beyond the recommended three weeks at this stage, some of the destroyed vegetation is now beginning to re-establish. It is therefore imperative that this ground is cultivated as soon as possible.

By now, it is becoming too late for reseeding methods such as minimal cultivation or direct drilling. Once you past the middle of September, ploughing or discing are the most reliable methods, as they create the best environment to facilitate germination.

Seeding Rate:
Increasing the seeding rate by 15-20% will maximise the rate of success and compensate for lower ground temperatures and growth levels at this time of year.

Clover inclusion is also essential when reseeding, with current research indicating that 1kg of clover is typically recouped with one month of clover growth. Rather than leaving clover out, we recommend increasing the level in the hope of achieving a better strike rate.

At Agritech, we have long recognised the importance of including optimal levels of clover in our grass seed mixtures. Our Tipperary Grass Seed mixtures are also treated with a biological seed stimulant called, GroQuik®, to ensure maximum germination and a stronger well rooted plant, even in more difficult growing conditions. The application of GroQuik® is especially beneficial to clover establishment as it has a more extensive and complicated root structure.

Post Management:
Watch out for the three most significant pests of reseeds, frit fly, leatherjackets and slugs which are particularly problematic in the autumn.

For further advice or to find out more about our 2020 Tipperary Grass Seed mixtures, contact your local Agritech sales representative or distributor. 

Since making the switch to dairy farming, Co. Roscommon farmer, Enda Doran believes that following an autumn reseeding plan which focuses on soil fertility and using grass seed of the highest quality has been a major contributing factor into achieving a successful and profitable dairy business.

Located in Kilbegly, Co. Roscommon, Enda runs a spring calving, grass based dairy farm of 140 British-Friesian Holstein cross cows, having converted from sheep and suckler farming in 2016.   

In the video below, Enda outlines the key traits that he looks out for in a grass seed mixture and why selecting the most suitable one for his farm has given him the best return on investment:

Selecting the right grass seed mixture

According to Enda’s local Agritech Sales Representative, Melissa Kelly, “Farmers are increasingly recognising the benefits of reseeding with good quality grass seed. However, in order to get the biggest return on investment, it’s critical that you choose the most suitable grass seed mixture for your own individual system.

“At Agritech, our Tipperary Grass Seed Range has a mixture to suit every requirement, whether that is intensive grazing, cutting, zero-grazing or overseeding. For Enda, Tipperary Grass 4A was chosen as the most suitable mixture as it successfully encompasses all of the key traits that he looks for in a grass seed mixture; high digestibility, palatability and a good inclusion of clover.” 

Tipperary Grass Seed – GroQuik® Benefits

What makes the Tipperary Grass Seed range unique is that every mixture is treated with a biological seed stimulant called, GroQuik®, which accelerates germination and especially root growth in both grasses and clover. The application of GroQuik® is especially beneficial to clover establishment as it has a more extensive and complicated root structure.

Recent on farm experiments have highlighted the benefits of an improved root structure by comparing dressed and non-dressed grass mixture plots. Despite both plots receiving the same management in the same field at the same time, it was found that dressed plots showed a significant increase in herbage yield compared to the non-dressed plots.

Melissa concludes, “Going forward, seed stimulants such as GroQuik® will play a vital role in improving herbage output. Seedling establishment has improved significantly for Enda with results seen just one week after sowing. The benefits of GroQuik®, can also be seen for years after sowing, with older sown paddocks still producing high yields for Enda.”

Autumn Reseeding Tips

On the same day we met with Enda, Melissa Kelly also outlined what she attributes as top tips when reseeding this autumn:

For further advice on autumn reseeding or to choose a suitable grass seed mixture from the Tipperary Grass Seed Range, contact your local Agritech sales rep/distributor or click here.