Spring-grazing livestock

Grass samples were collected across the country in the last week of April. During this period, we saw good grass growth combined with warm sunshine and limited rain across the region. These weather conditions were a stark contrast to those being experienced when the first samples were collected in February.

According to GrassCheck, in the week beginning April 20th soil moisture was ideal, not saturated. In some areas, including Derry/Londonderry, there was potential for restricted growth due to dry conditions.

As a result of this dry spell, more livestock have been turned out to utilise the grass as their main feed source. It is very important to know exactly what minerals animals are getting from that grass and whether supplementation is needed.

Mineral deficiencies can result in poor performance and lead to clinical diseases whilst sub-clinical deficiencies can cause less obvious signs of clinical deficiency to develop; these include retained placenta, reduced fertility, ill thrift or hoof issues, all of which result in poorer performance and profitability within a herd or flock.

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