First cut results are in: Yara Grass Prix competition 2015

Leading beef and dairy farmers from the UK and Ireland competing to achieve the highest energy yield from grass
Leading beef and dairy farmers from the UK and Ireland competing to achieve the highest energy yield from grass

Yara’s Grass Prix 2015 is off to a flying start with growers in Northern Ireland taking advantage of good weather to take an early lead.

David Murphy from County Armagh has forged ahead after harvesting dry 9.2 tonnes dm /ha with an energy content of 100,453 MJ/ha worth £1,036/ha*.

The competition, now in its second year, and with more entrants than before, sees leading beef and dairy farmers from the UK and Ireland competing to achieve the highest energy yield from grass and has attracted a mixture of new faces and some returning competitors from last season.

The Yara Grass Prix winner will be the entrant with the highest Metabolisable Energy yield (ME per ha) averaged over the first two silage cuts.


“Grass is a vital part of any livestock enterprise and remains the most cost–effective feed for the dairy, beef and sheep sector either as grazing or conserved forage,” explains Jez Wardman, Grass Prix Organiser and agronomist from Yara. “It requires careful attention to optimise the output and maximise returns, and too often this is overlooked. Effective nutrition has a vital role in growing grass successfully, in both yield and quality.”

"Grass is everything," confirms David Murphy who runs his dairy enterprise at Tynan County Armagh together with his father Ian, "and ME is most important. To make up the difference for poor quality grass could mean feeding an extra 3kg meal per cow per day, which over the whole herd would add up to an extra £6,300 per month off the bottom line."

Mr Murphy’s herd of 300 cows are housed all year round and fed using a zero grazing system buffer fed with high quality silage.


2014’s competition was hard fought, with all entrants improving their grass growing performance, averaging ME yields of 138,520 MJ/ha over two cuts, significantly beating the UK and Ireland average of 88,000 MJ/ha. Eventual winner, Scottish dairy farmer Willie Watson, ‘took the chequered flag’ with a Metabolised Energy (ME) yield of 183,927 MJ/ha, and feed value of 17.7DMt/ha and will be defending his title this year.

“2014 analysis taught us that there is no ‘one size fits all’ recommendation; so each farm, indeed each field, is different and should be managed accordingly,” explains Mr Wardman. “For Mr Watson, a dairy farmer with cows that yield 11,000 litres a year, having grass silage valued at the equivalent of £2,943 £/ha [compared to Brewer’s Grains July 2014] as the foundation of the ration has made a significant difference.”

Who will be the winner this year?

The entrants into Yara Grass Prix competition for 2015 are:

• Elgan Evans – Dairy farmer from Llanrwst, North Wales

• Robert Tilly – Dairy farmer from Penzance, Cornwall*

• Tom and Simon Browne – Dairy farmers from County Cork, Republic of Ireland*

• James Coumbe – Dairy farm manager at Duchy College, Cornwall

• Drew Wilson - Beef farmer from Forfar, Angus, Scotland

• Willie Watson – Dairy farmer from Ayrshire, south west Scotland*

• Iain Green – Beef farmer from Fochabers, north east Scotland*

• David and Ian Murphy - Dairy farmers from County Armagh, Northern Ireland

• Tom Rawson – Dairy farmer from Dewsbury, West Yorkshire*

• Alan Wallace – Dairy farmer from County Antrim, Northern Ireland

• Eddie Jordan – Dairy farm manager with UCD County Kildare, Republic of Ireland

• Danny and Patrick Cremin – Dairy farmers from County Limerick, Republic of Ireland

• Robert Bryson - Dairy farmer from County Down, Northern Ireland

*Returning competitors from 2014.

“Yara’s regional sales team will be working closely with the farms, offering the tools, resources and advice to help the entrants succeed,” continues Mr Wardman, “including free analysis of soil, slurry and tissues; advice on all inputs, application rates and timings; help measuring the yield at harvest and free analysis of samples for grass quality.”

“The analysis will allow us to have a better understanding of how all entrants reached their final yield and build on the important lessons learnt in 2014 on maximising the yield from grass.” Mr Wardman explains. “Currently grass yields in the UK and ROI deliver 6-10t/Ha of dry matter which is, on average, less than half of its biological potential. One of the main reasons for low grass yields is the poor or incorrect use of nitrogen (N) fertilizer, in terms of rate and times of application. Grass really deserves the same level of attention to detail more usually given to arable crops.”