How much grass have you?

red bull

Its a tough year, meal prices up up, milk prices down down. Grass growth difficult to manage, ground conditions causing concern. I think there will be no milk quota problems for 2012

PatQfarmer

Nearly out of grass! Calves on a decent enough paddock, but nowhere else to go.
Stores will be getting round feeder in next paddock (away from the road:D).
Fertiliser spread, but little response.
Regrowth after topping is minimal.
Tiny bit of silage still on the ground.
What a year:mad:

whelan1

walked farm on tuesday, was quite deopressing, major deficit... went up to open a paddock for tonight and the growth in 2 days is unreal, hopefully theres a change here to stay

Muckit

Agree Whelan1, growth here has been unreal too in the last few days. Problem here is most of my grass is under about 2" of water:o 4-6" in places...

josephsoap

Have about 14 days left, no regrowth so will have to go out with the spreader tomorrow :-(

stanflt

josephsoap wrote: »

Have about 14 days left, no regrowth so will have to go out with the spreader tomorrow :-(

you should only have 10days in front for the perfect grass wedge

josephsoap

stanflt wrote: »

josephsoap wrote: »

Have about 14 days left, no regrowth so will have to go out with the spreader tomorrow :-(

you should only have 10days in front for the perfect grass wedge

I'm with sucklers, I would start to panic if I only had ten days in front of then, especially this wet year :-(

Pharaoh1

Have about 8-9 days at the moment. I'm not happy with that given the ground conditions. Nitrogen out on all the grazing block in the last week or two.
Silage ground cut 10 days ago greening up well after slurry but may have to graze it a bit earlier than I'd like. Started feeding my bullocks 1kg meal this morning to stretch it a bit. Wondering is a kilo enough will it make any real difference - might up it a bit. At 8 euro a small bag from glanbia it is an expense I could do without.
Using plastic half barrels to try to minimize poaching but can't avoid a bit of damage.

bt12

just after walking the place, fair depressing ponds of water and f**kall growth

flat out !!

grange mac wrote: »

Lads,

Dont know ye work out growth rates, all I know is small farmer, with loads of grass, stock rate 0.3 lu ph...have over 60 acres grass, so at moment not even planning to put out fert this year. My problem liiks like water, all wells & springs going well down and its only april

Hope u still have loads of grass grange mac, but at least u dont have to worry about the well going dry. One less thing eh.?

dar31

still no sign of any growth here.


i need to feed 1kg/ head of meal, along with the baled silage to made up the short fall for the next while

question:
do i feed 1kg across the herd, 170
or
do i feed 50 (low bcs, non cyclers, not incalf yet cows) 3kg/ea

it works out roughly the same amount of meal a day.

just curious what other people would do

whelan1

all cows getting 1kg morning and evening have 18 dry cows in a paddock- where i dug shale from- they are getting a bale of silage every second day and seem happy out... getting fed up now, cows getting hungry.... waiting for after grass to come on a bit

Charlie Charolais

Still tight here, but aftergrass is coming with slurry despite water on the ground. We moved the heifers out to the headlands for a week and their own place got greener with break

topgeas

cows going in tonite. grass slow, fields wet and out look bleak. :mad: :mad:

Injuryprone

I've the cows in today and it doesn't look like they'll be going out again any time soon by the looks of the forecast. I might chance them into a bit of aftergrass this evening for a few hours before the rain comes back again. The land here in north cork is wetter now than it was any time over the past month. At this stage, it's the fact that they're going into paddocks that were damaged the last time round that's the biggest problem.

pakalasa

It's a real worrying trend, isn't it, exceptionally dry springs followed by exceptionally wet summers?
It seems to be that way now for most of the last few years.
In the old days, everyone saved hay. Now people are finding it hard to make silage.

restive

I expect to be finished strip grazing a field i had closed for meadow at the end of this week. After that I hope to put the cattle back into the river suck callows if the flood is gone. At least their should be a good covering of grass on them since they will not have not been grazed in 4 weeks.

Farmer Pudsey

Pharaoh1 wrote: »

Have about 8-9 days at the moment. I'm not happy with that given the ground conditions. Nitrogen out on all the grazing block in the last week or two.
Silage ground cut 10 days ago greening up well after slurry but may have to graze it a bit earlier than I'd like. Started feeding my bullocks 1kg meal this morning to stretch it a bit. Wondering is a kilo enough will it make any real difference - might up it a bit. At 8 euro a small bag from glanbia it is an expense I could do without.
Using plastic half barrels to try to minimize poaching but can't avoid a bit of damage.

A bullock will consume 2% of his body weight a day in dry matter so a 650kg bullock will need 13kgs/day dry matter most rations are 86-88% dry matter so you will not notice one kg/day it is only 6-7% of their consumption.

Can you get a trailer and buy some in bulk all rations are expensive this year, if you can get a 2/3-1/3 mixture of barley and soya hulls it is about 250 euro's/ton but you would know what you are feeding. there was an article in the journal last year where reserch had shown that feeding 2kg even with adequate grass gave a return of 4-1.

I am caught myself I have a field for 2nd cut and unless it picks up in the next 10 days I will be feeding a wedge of it.

stanflt

its definitely easier in the east
stocked at 4lu/ha and have 188per lu- demand is 56 and growth at 60. cows doing 26litre on 3.5kg meal and 18kg grass, drying off 10 next week 3.69fat 3.39prot, also got second cut silage finished




By stanflt at 2012-07-02
By stanflt at 2012-07-02
By stanflt at 2012-07-02

PMU

restive wrote: »

I expect to be finished strip grazing a field i had closed for meadow at the end of this week. After that I hope to put the cattle back into the river suck callows if the flood is gone. At least their should be a good covering of grass on them since they will not have not been grazed in 4 weeks.

I also have a callow on the Suck. walked it this evening,1/4 is under water and the rest is sopping wet . its ready to be baled when it can take machinery. this is the 1st year it hasnt been grazed or cut this late

Pharaoh1

Farmer Pudsey wrote: »

A bullock will consume 2% of his body weight a day in dry matter so a 650kg bullock will need 13kgs/day dry matter most rations are 86-88% dry matter so you will not notice one kg/day it is only 6-7% of their consumption.

Can you get a trailer and buy some in bulk all rations are expensive this year, if you can get a 2/3-1/3 mixture of barley and soya hulls it is about 250 euro's/ton but you would know what you are feeding. there was an article in the journal last year where reserch had shown that feeding 2kg even with adequate grass gave a return of 4-1.

I am caught myself I have a field for 2nd cut and unless it picks up in the next 10 days I will be feeding a wedge of it.

My bullocks are only about 400kg average so thats about 8kg a day DM. I only have 30 in total so I decided to go with 2kg a day for the last few days so I suppose that is providing them with close to a quarter of their requirement. I am strip grazing a bit for them morning and evening. The meal has made a difference - they are more settled and spend more time lying down which is helping with the poaching.

I'm glad I don't have bigger cattle and am not heavily stocked.

Muckit

Dear Diary

6 weeks of non stop rain has taken it's toil on this small wet farm in the weest.

The majority of cattle will be housed this evening and fed baled silage made only weeks ago. A week to 10 days should help dry the place out... I hope

PMU

Muckit wrote: »

Dear Diary

6 weeks of non stop rain has taken it's toil on this small wet farm in the weest.

The majority of cattle will be housed this evening and fed baled silage made only weeks ago. A week to 10 days should help dry the place out... I hope

same here ,cows in on wet bales!

whelan1

went to portlaoise for a few days.... the amount of uncut silage is unreal, very few cattle in fields and it rained and rained stayed in ashbourne last night and the sun was splitting the stones, serious difference for a small country. My cows are in at night and was glad of the break from here:)

snowman707

mowing 25 acres at the moment , will pick it later or early to morrow, left about 7 acres that's wet, hope to get bales off it when conditions allow.

ok grass wise and didn't house any stock.... so far :rolleyes:

blue5000

I see de comic is giving it fine for sunday and monday next week, is that just wishful thinking to stop us being pissed off about the weather or will it really be dry

nashmach

blue5000 wrote: »

I see de comic is giving it fine for sunday and monday next week, is that just wishful thinking to stop us being pissed off about the weather or will it really be dry

Will hardly make much difference after Friday/Saturday.

Sunny south east here and no silage cut - probably 50% in the area done.

Lots of bulls gone in last 2 weeks as well.

Late sown crops looking dire.

1chippy

Very slow regrowth on grazing ground and silage. currently have the sucklers cleaning headlands. Reseeded ground is absolutaly flying it. got a seed that grows from a lower temp so its paying off now. only issue if i put the cows out they will tear up the ground. so i got three hundred sheep dropped out in it yesterday and will clean it back first and hopefully it will be tight enough for cows on next rotation.

Muckit

1chippy wrote: »

Reseeded ground is absolutaly flying it.....got three hundred sheep dropped out in it yesterday and will clean it back first

300 sheep!! How much ground did you reseed??!! :eek:

Odelay

Hi Chippy,

What seed did you use? Could do with some of it here! I used a mixed seed, will find out what it is and post, must say noticable differance between it and the old grass but much room for improvement.

1chippy

25 acres reseeded. got exceptionally strong in the last few days and want it cleaned. I used mg 60 supposed to be for an intensive system will let you know how i get on. Lad selling the seed reckoned it would need more but i'll test the waters with the 300.

Atilathehun

1chippy wrote: »

25 acres reseeded. got exceptionally strong in the last few days and want it cleaned. I used mg 60 supposed to be for an intensive system will let you know how i get on. Lad selling the seed reckoned it would need more but i'll test the waters with the 300.

Cut seven acres Wednesday evening after a reasonable day. Baled last night after a good drying day. Tore the ground in a few places and have more than a few bales with soil contamination.

Bales were really heavy!

Wonder how they will preserve?

A

reilig

Atilathehun wrote: »

Cut seven acres Wednesday evening after a reasonable day. Baled last night after a good drying day. Tore the ground in a few places and have more than a few bales with soil contamination.

Bales were really heavy!

Wonder how they will preserve?

A

It would be important that you put on 6 layers of wrap for better preservation. They should preserve ok - might be smelly though

Viewtodiefor

nashmach wrote: »

blue5000 wrote: »

I see de comic is giving it fine for sunday and monday next week, is that just wishful thinking to stop us being pissed off about the weather or will it really be dry

Will hardly make much difference after Friday/Saturday.

Sunny south east here and no silage cut - probably 50% in the area done.

Lots of bulls gone in last 2 weeks as well.

Late sown crops looking dire.

No need for topping after this round! Weeds n all are eaten!!

restive

1chippy wrote: »

25 acres reseeded. got exceptionally strong in the last few days and want it cleaned. I used mg 60 supposed to be for an intensive system will let you know how i get on. Lad selling the seed reckoned it would need more but i'll test the waters with the 300.

I used mg60 for last year and again this year. Its from moregrassireland.

This year i broadcast it with the fertilizer spreader after my first cut of silage and chain harrowed over it. I applied some p and k and it is doing really well. The seed is very aggresive and was quick to establish itself.

It is designed for intensive silage systems and is high n sugar. If u make silage from it you will notice a big difference in just how quick the cattle will eat a bale of it. At least twice as quick as they would eat a regular bale of silage. So u might want to make provision for this. Yields from it are highest n spring.

vanderbadger

used mg10 mix i guess just over a month ago now, has come on well, field all nice and green. contractor spread it for me with my own wagtail. my only other experience of reseeding was with kerry coop seed and a seed barrow. I must say the wagtail has done a much better job and the grass has come ona lot better whether the moregrass seed is better than the kerry stuff or conditions are maybe different but will definately use it again. the last reseeding i did was in autumn 2010 and 1 field was particularly slow to come, this year i had a good crop of silage off it but i notice now its absolutely full of little docks, maybe when the grass came so slow the docks and other trash took over..bit disappointing to see it, would dockstar or eagle be fairly severe on grass or would mcpa kill these little docks?

J DEERE

Do ye buy the Moregrass seeds from Moregrass directly or through stockists in your areas? How did they compete price wise? Just looked up the MG60 mix, looks to be the business

restive

J DEERE wrote: »

Do ye buy the Moregrass seeds from Moregrass directly or through stockists in your areas? How did they compete price wise? Just looked up the MG60 mix, looks to be the business

The have stockists throughout the country. I use one n athlone. I paid 68 euro a bag. 13 kg n a bag.

vanderbadger

bought from dan mcinerney in ennis, 68 euro a bag at the time, think they were 11.5kg

J DEERE

I'll keep in mind for reseeding next year. Had planned to do a bit this year but looking unlikely now. Not a fan of Autumn reseeding!!

stanflt

grass getting a little strong infront of cows

By stanflt at 2012-07-07
By stanflt at 2012-07-07


managed to catch up behind the cows with slurry today ground holding up suprisinly well
By stanflt at 2012-07-07

Charlie Charolais

Going well stan, lovely clean grass

awaywithyou

stanflt wrote: »

grass getting a little strong infront of cows

By stanflt at 2012-07-07
By stanflt at 2012-07-07


managed to catch up behind the cows with slurry today ground holding up suprisinly well
By stanflt at 2012-07-07

Stanflt, do you spread slurry on the grazing ground all year round??? what rate are you putting it out at? and when will that paddock be grazed again?

whelan1

just depressed my self even more:mad: walked the farm... not possible to drive anywhere on it..... total disaster, highest cover of 1500, is too wet to graze... regrowth on silage ground is brutal... didnt put figures into agrinet yet but it will be depressing reading.... my biggest silage field is 30 acres was relying on that to graze cows, suilage was cut nearly 4 weeks ago and it got a bag of n, only a cover of 400 on it, very yellow looking , wonder should i put out more n?:(

Good loser

whelan1 wrote: »

just depressed my self even more:mad: walked the farm... not possible to drive anywhere on it..... total disaster, highest cover of 1500, is too wet to graze... regrowth on silage ground is brutal... didnt put figures into agrinet yet but it will be depressing reading.... my biggest silage field is 30 acres was relying on that to graze cows, suilage was cut nearly 4 weeks ago and it got a bag of n, only a cover of 400 on it, very yellow looking , wonder should i put out more n?:(

Always put a mix on after silage, esp. second cut. Might need sulphur.

whelan1

Good loser wrote: »

Always put a mix on after silage, esp. second cut. Might need sulphur.

i soil sampled earlier in the year and everywhere got what was needed in the spring

Tipp Man

whelan1 wrote: »

just depressed my self even more:mad: walked the farm... not possible to drive anywhere on it..... total disaster, highest cover of 1500, is too wet to graze... regrowth on silage ground is brutal... didnt put figures into agrinet yet but it will be depressing reading.... my biggest silage field is 30 acres was relying on that to graze cows, suilage was cut nearly 4 weeks ago and it got a bag of n, only a cover of 400 on it, very yellow looking , wonder should i put out more n?:(

Graze it to the clay and start again is what i would do

Good loser

whelan1 wrote: »

i soil sampled earlier in the year and everywhere got what was needed in the spring

That wouldn't have covered sulphur.

dar31

Tipp Man wrote: »

Graze it to the clay and start again is what i would do

+1

whelan1

the farm is actually wetter now than it was in the spring:cool: