Roughage tour Grass - Week 19
Making choices in mowing the first cut
The fact that it is a completely different spring than last year is clear as a matter of fact. The weather forecast for the next 14 days is very changeable. For the dairy farmers who want to mow, it becomes stealing between showers.
The warm weather is not forthcoming and grass growth in the Netherlands is variable. Is there already enough grass for which it has been fertilized and are you bringing it in below the desired dry matter percentage? The choices for mowing the first cut also keep the Boerenbusiness Roughage tour participants busy.
Participants speak
Dairy farmer Frank Rooker from Aartswoud connected the mowers today (11 May) and started mowing. "We don't like waiting any longer, it will only get longer and therefore more difficult to dry," says Rooker.
Silvain Kusters from Guttecoven (Limburg) is not yet shocked by the height of the grass and dares to wait a while before mowing. As it looks now, he hopes to start at the end of this week, if the weather is a bit favorable. “The overshoot date comes very close with such a late first cut. I silage the grass in lasagna pits, so I can always play with the mowing moment of the second cut'', says Kusters.
Dairy farmers Jan Dirk Ubbels from Jelsum (Friesland) and Wim Bos from Zuidbroek (Groningen) will tie up the mowers on Wednesday and Thursday. The weather forecast for next week is not promising and so they are taking the gamble to mow this week.
Mowing moment
With the expiry date of perennial ryegrass in prospect, it is recommended to mow this week (week 19) where possible. “Mowing this week means it can grow for about 3 weeks before the second cut loses its quality quickly due to the shooting. A high-quality second cut of about 2.000 kilos can then still be achieved," says Leo Tjoonk, head of Nutrition at Agrifirm.
Erik van der Deure
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