Cathal McAleer

Cathal McAleer is a grassland consultant working with individual farmers and facilitating discussion groups throughout Ireland. 087 160 2491 / 0044 7749 531679

[email protected]

Grass advice: How to balance intake, utilisation and soil damage

March 10, 2017

Dairy

It is incredible how much people’s moods improve when there are a few hours of…

‘Fertiliser application in January is not a one size fits all decision’

January 31, 2017

Grass

There has been plenty of discussion around fertiliser application in January and it is not a once size fits all decision. Soil temperature,…

Grass advice: Nearing the end of the green stuff

November 11, 2016

Grass

North of the border most herds are now fully housed or on their last few days at grass. With frosty mornings setting in,…

Finding the perfect balance between grazing and condition score

October 12, 2016

Grass

As we enter into the second week of closing, the effect of grazing heavier…

Plenty of planning to do for the remainder of the grazing season

September 21, 2016

Grass

As autumn draws in, there is plenty of planning to do for the remainder of the grazing season and indeed the wintering period.…

The day slurry goes from being a nuisance to a huge resource

January 21, 2016

Grass

From February 1 (on farms in Northern Ireland) or January 16 on farms in the Republic of Ireland, slurry goes from being a…

Grass advice: Closing up grass for spring 2016 has begun on some farms

October 6, 2015

Grass

Early October is upon us and closing up grass for spring 2016 has begun on some farms. The ‘start of closing’ date will…

Grass advice: Building grass for the autumn well under way

September 1, 2015

Grass

Building grass for autumn is now well underway; however ground conditions are deteriorating after prolonged heavy rainfall in many areas. Target rotation length…

Grass advice: Decisions with the final round of fertiliser

August 31, 2015

Grass

Deciding which fertiliser to use at this time of the year will depend on soil fertility and previous fertiliser used this year. There…

Grass advice: Building begins for autumn

August 7, 2015

Grass

Grassland management in August has a huge impact on financial performance during the autumn period. It is vital to carry out weekly grass…

Difficult conditions affect grass growth and silage making

June 3, 2015

Grass

Constant rain showers have led to great difficulty in getting first cut silage harvested, while grass growth in many areas demands attention. With…

Silage quality key if producing more milk this autumn

May 22, 2015

Grass

Spring milk producers wanting to maximise milk from grazed grass, must also maximise silage quality, as there is often an need to supplement silage…

Grass advice: Dealing with low growth and stem

May 21, 2015

Grass

Despite cold weather growth rates have improved slightly this week, depending on farm fertility and location. It is crucial that we continue spreading…