Roughage tour Grass Week 24
Feeding values for the second cut are falling quickly
We have passed mid-June and now have a few warm days behind us. As a result, most grassland plots have already reached or had the flowering stage. The advice is therefore not to wait too long before mowing to maintain the quality.
The 4 week rule that many dairy farmers follow for mowing the next cut may not quite apply to the dairy farmers who mowed the first cut in late May or early June. ''The growing season started a bit later, so we saw that the flowering date of the perennial ryegrass was also delayed. This was reflected in the late first cut, which showed virtually no flowering in some places around the beginning of June," says Antoon Verhoeven, forage specialist in the Southwest Netherlands of Limagrain.
Quality at risk
The fresh grass samples from the second cut generate positive noises. The advice is therefore not to leave the second cut for too long. "If the second cut shows its ear or is it almost at the top, it can be mowed. Even when the first cut was only 3 weeks ago," adds Leo Tjoonk, Agrifirm's team leader for roughage.
Due to the warm days of the past few weeks, the grass and soil of the plots are dry and short field periods are easy to achieve. If the capacity is there, a light second cut of around 2.000 kilos of dry matter can be ensiled within 24 hours. A dry matter percentage for the second cut of 35% is therefore good to aim for.
Rain ahead
With a view to the weekend (week 23), when various rain showers are expected across the country, a lightly mown grassland plot will easily start up again. The required moisture, in combination with the warm days, ensures smooth regrowth.
Erik van der Deure
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