When the grass isn’t greener: the impact of drought on grass growth
Livestock farmers are facing a second consecutive short forage year, placing additional pressure on winter stocks.
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Grass growth across the UK has fallen sharply during July 2026. In the week ending 31 July, growth averaged 28 kg of dry matter per hectare per day (kg DM/ha/day), 46% below the 2019-24 average for the same period.
Across the last three weeks of available data, grass growth has run 43% below the 2019-24 average. The collapse is recent. Cumulative growth to the end of June stood at 5,820 kg DM/ha, or 97% of the 2019-24 average for the same weeks and was running ahead of the 2025 drought year. Weekly growth then fell from 94% of the average in the week ending 3 July to 63% a week later.
Applying scenario projections to the remainder of the season (to 6 November), the 2026 season is likely to end up between 77% and 86% of the 2019-24 average, with a central case of 81%. Even in an optimistic scenario where growth rates increase to season end, it is unlikely that the 2026 season will improve on the 2025 season, itself historically bad for yields (87% of the average).
