“We planted the Extragen in several fields during autumn 2017 and again in different fields in autumn 2018, as well as the Trogen,” says Olly. “Even after the dry summer, we harvested more than 54.4 tonnes fresh weight per hectare of silage and I was even able to graze beef cattle for an additional eight weeks. Based on those results, I’m looking forward to what we get in a more typical growing season.”
He adds that this has underlined the importance of investing in grassland. “If I had any advice for other producers then it would be to invest in fertiliser and better leys. Grazed grass is the cheapest feed on the farm, and you get out what you put into it. The money I spend on seed and fertiliser is a small investment compared to the value of the resulting forage. And because our forage is high quality I can reduce, and save money on, the level of concentrate we feed.”
With grazing somewhat limited in his current location, Olly is looking forward to seeing how his cows perform once they are relocated. “My herd has the genetics to deliver excellent results. With the new forage setup, plenty of grazing, and a decent milking parlour, I know that their intakes will increase. There is no reason why we shouldn’t be seeing yields closer to 7,000 litres.
“And once we see how the cows do on the new farm, I’d like to look at how to adjust our rotations to add different leys, or even remove maize due to the time and effort it requires. Grass is easy to establish. The cows can graze it and we can cut it. It just doesn’t fail us.”