Grass measuring 2015

Greengrass1

Too early to chance a full bag if urea?

mahoney_j

Greengrass1 wrote: »

Too early to chance a full bag if urea?

Not too early but too wet ,place was starting to dry out but rain this week has land near saturated again

Timmaay

GG are you going to blanket the farm with the bag of urea, or just on the lighter/grazed out paddocks? Is there any point putting urea in covers of say 1500, if you won't get them grazed out very soon? Hard to know myself what to do either though, some of the lighter paddocks would happily take a bit of fertiliser or slurry soon, they are too wet for slurry at the second definitely, esp with the weight of a trailing shoe (alternative is the splash plate, but I'm slow enough about that if I want them grazed out in a month, or will it be well washed in by then?), for likes of them a bag of 18 6 12 or 15 10 10 should work perfect?

Greengrass1

mahoney_j wrote: »

Not too early but too wet ,place was starting to dry out but rain this week has land near saturated again

Will you go with a full bag soon?
I could travel 70% of the farm I'd say without doing too much damage if we get a week if decent weather to get it out
I've only 3 pddks under 1k
Majority are 1300 up to 2000 which is a 4 ac pddk of abergain closed up on the 2nd of nov

mahoney_j

Greengrass1 wrote: »

Will you go with a full bag soon?
I could travel 70% of the farm I'd say without doing too much damage if we get a week if decent weather to get it out
I've only 3 pddks under 1k
Majority are 1300 up to 2000 which is a 4 ac pddk of abergain closed up on the 2nd of nov

As soon as ground drys put sufficiently I'll be off ,soil temps are ok but ground just too wet at moment .noticable difference in fields that got slurry 2 weeks ago

frazzledhome

mahoney_j wrote: »

As soon as ground drys put sufficiently I'll be off ,soil temps are ok but ground just too wet at moment .noticable difference in fields that got slurry 2 weeks ago

Same here, urea being delivered here this week. Will go 40 units on whole farm regardless of covers. Next rnd will be 2.5* 18/6/12 on index 3&4 with 3.5 10/10/20 on 1&2's.

AsN to follow, aim to have 90 units out by end of first wk of April

freedominacup

frazzledhome wrote: »

Same here, urea being delivered here this week. Will go 40 units on whole farm regardless of covers. Next rnd will be 2.5* 18/6/12 on index 3&4 with 3.5 10/10/20 on 1&2's.

AsN to follow, aim to have 90 units out by end of first wk of April

Incl slurry or do you regard that N as a bonus?

frazzledhome

freedominacup wrote: »

Incl slurry or do you regard that N as a bonus?

Not inc slurry

Brown Podzol

frazzledhome wrote: »

Same here, urea being delivered here this week. Will go 40 units on whole farm regardless of covers. Next rnd will be 2.5* 18/6/12 on index 3&4 with 3.5 10/10/20 on 1&2's.

AsN to follow, aim to have 90 units out by end of first wk of April

Index P? What's k. Are we applying too muck k especially as most of the grazing ground will get a good coat of slurry. Would you not mine p from the index 4 ground this year with the low milk price.

frazzledhome

Brown Podzol wrote: »

Index P? What's k. Are we applying too muck k especially as most of the grazing ground will get a good coat of slurry. Would you not mine p from the index 4 ground this year with the low milk price.

I'm mining all the time. Am prepared to allow 4 to drop to 3, maintain 3's and rise all others to 3's. A tall order. No way will I take a P&k holiday. I'd cut N before P&k. 25% of farm gets lime each year and I don't see this year being any different.

We have to grow 18 tonne here so, can't let up.

Brown Podzol

frazzledhome wrote: »

I'm mining all the time. Am prepared to allow 4 to drop to 3, maintain 3's and rise all others to 3's. A tall order. No way will I take a P&k holiday. I'd cut N before P&k. 25% of farm gets lime each year and I don't see this year being any different.

We have to grow 18 tonne here so, can't let up.

All index 4 here last year p+k. No artificial p+k applied and took off 2200kg ms/ha. Awaiting results of soil samples and will correct any to index 3 if they have dropped below. I'll post results. All the farm needed lime but only half got it, the weather since Nov didn't allow. I only have to apply p, slurry seems to keep k at four.

frazzledhome

Brown Podzol wrote: »

All index 4 here last year p+k. No artificial p+k applied and took off 2200kg ms/ha. Awaiting results of soil samples and will correct any to index 3 if they have dropped below. I'll post results. All the farm needed lime but only half got it, the weather since Nov didn't allow. I only have to apply p, slurry seems to keep k at four.

That's some work and maintain P&k levels. Where are you mining it from?

Brown Podzol

frazzledhome wrote: »

That's some work and maintain P&k levels. Where are you mining it from?

I don't know if they are maintained last year on not, will see when soil analysis comes back.

1.1 ton meal per cow stocked at 3.75 per milking ha leaves out a good bit of p/k on the paddocks and buy in c. 60/70% silage needs. Two or three applications of dilute slurry/dirty water.Dung is targeted at the paddocks that grew the least amount of grass regardless of indexes.

frazzledhome

Brown Podzol wrote: »

I don't know if they are maintained last year on not, will see when soil analysis comes back.

1.1 ton meal per cow stocked at 3.75 per milking ha leaves out a good bit of p/k on the paddocks and buy in c. 60/70% silage needs. Two or three applications of dilute slurry/dirty water.Dung is targeted at the paddocks that grew the least amount of grass regardless of indexes.

Great going, good cows giving 580 kgms. How much winter feed do you buy in on top of nuts?
Did 480 here on 750 kg and was delighted.

What weight are your cows about 520-30kg average here

Deepsouthwest

Brown Podzol wrote: »

I don't know if they are maintained last year on not, will see when soil analysis comes back.

1.1 ton meal per cow stocked at 3.75 per milking ha leaves out a good bit of p/k on the paddocks and buy in c. 60/70% silage needs. Two or three applications of dilute slurry/dirty water.Dung is targeted at the paddocks that grew the least amount of grass regardless of indexes.

That's just another great reason why we should be buying more of our silage, ur effectively buying in a lot of p+k as well in this, something which is rarely factored into the €20 odd euro a bale price

Brown Podzol

frazzledhome wrote: »

Great going, good cows giving 580 kgms. How much winter feed do you buy in on top of nuts?
Did 480 here on 750 kg and was delighted.

What weight are your cows about 520-30kg average here

1 acre maize per 6 cows, 1.2 ton s/beet per cow and 1 acre per 2.5 cows grass silage, but I have another follower on the farm for every cow. I've an out farm and I'd nearly prefer if I never got a ton of silage off it after counting the fert and contractor cost. Overbought last year, a lot will be leftover. Will buy again this year if the quality is avalaible locally.

Cows are c. 600kg and getting bigger. That's because I started with 100% hol, crossed with NZ fr and back to hol again. These are coming into the herd now but they are incalf to smaller bulls again. For instance Twists(s1036)that are out of hugo(uyc) cows are incalf to hmy so expect to drop size again and hopefully maintain output.

Milked out

Brown Podzol wrote: »

1 acre maize per 6 cows, 1.2 ton s/beet per cow and 1 acre per 2.5 cows grass silage, but I have another follower on the farm for every cow. I've an out farm and I'd nearly prefer if I never got a ton of silage off it after counting the fert and contractor cost. Overbought last year, a lot will be leftover. Will buy again this year if the quality is avalaible locally.

Cows are c. 600kg and getting bigger. That's because I started with 100% hol, crossed with NZ fr and back to hol again. These are coming into the herd now but they are incalf to smaller bulls again. For instance Twists(s1036)that are out of hugo(uyc) cows are incalf to hmy so expect to drop size again and hopefully maintain output.

How did you find the nz fr crossed on to the hol? Put a few lic bulls on later calving spring cows here, mainly because I was looking for one bull off them, lamont, and I said I'd take a few others to try and get him to send a few my way, talking to him there a few months ago the bull I was looking for broke his leg apparently with feck all seem in the export collection centre.

Brown Podzol

Milked out wrote: »

How did you find the nz fr crossed on to the hol? Put a few lic bulls on later calving spring cows here, mainly because I was looking for one bull off them, lamont, and I said I'd take a few others to try and get him to send a few my way, talking to him there a few months ago the bull I was looking for broke his leg apparently with feck all seem in the export collection centre.

I went a bit mad and bought 5 uyc straws for every cow I had so almost all the cows here are either by uyc or out of uyc dams. On pb hols you should get 80% of the hybrid vigour you'd expect from a je cross. With uyc I held the pb status. Rose protein from 3.3to 3.62 and fat from 3.6 to 4.2. I'll only use daughter proven bulls. If you are confident of the bull and you can compromise a bit on type you can't go wrong. A much more efficient animal.

frazzledhome

Brown Podzol wrote: »

I went a bit mad and bought 5 uyc straws for every cow I had so almost all the cows here are either by uyc or out of uyc dams. On pb hols you should get 80% of the hybrid vigour you'd expect from a je cross. With uyc I held the pb status. Rose protein from 3.3to 3.62 and fat from 3.6 to 4.2. I'll only use daughter proven bulls. If you are confident of the bull and you can compromise a bit on type you can't go wrong. A much more efficient animal.

Wise perspective

GERMAN ROCKS

is grass growing anything at all currently? or does anybody have figures for say this week.

mahoney_j

GERMAN ROCKS wrote: »

is grass growing anything at all currently? or does anybody have figures for say this week.

It's growing but ground is Fookin near saturated again.mild damp misty miserable day here .no drying whatsoever .

Timmaay

AFC 898, GR of 7 over the winter. Highest cover 1350 at the second. Management of high covers on any of the wet paddocks are going to be fun moving forward! We closed in around 600 back in November, aside from the lighter heifers who kept grazing away and would have effectively made that figure more alike 550. I know it's been an exceptional winter for growth, however moving forward I'd say I'll risk closing lower, closer to an afc of 500.

frazzledhome

3.5% of dairy platform grazed to date. Really need to get cracking but ground is moving. I see no point in forcing cows out that are going to do damage that will last.

First year to fail to get out cows as they calve, I often thought it was wet before but this is unreal.

All facilities, roads, gaps dry ground etc just can't cope with these conditions. Forecast a little more promising tonight but will need some drying after what rain fell today.

Our plan (need) to graze 40% by March 1 is slipping away. Heifers may need to be drafted in to get on top of things. I'm not too worried about cows staying indoors as plenty of space but the chance to set up the farm properly for the season ahead is my worry.

Nothing can be done only wait it out. Going to be some burst when it stops raining as slurry situation is reaching critical, Fert has to be spread and cows calved.

Nothing like a challenge, eh?

trixi2011

frazzledhome wrote: »

3.5% of dairy platform grazed to date. Really need to get cracking but ground is moving. I see no point in forcing cows out that are going to do damage that will last.

First year to fail to get out cows as they calve, I often thought it was wet before but this is unreal.

All facilities, roads, gaps dry ground etc just can't cope with these conditions. Forecast a little more promising tonight but will need some drying after what rain fell today.

Our plan (need) to graze 40% by March 1 is slipping away. Heifers may need to be drafted in to get on top of things. I'm not too worried about cows staying indoors as plenty of space but the chance to set up the farm properly for the season ahead is my worry.

Nothing can be done only wait it out. Going to be some burst when it stops raining as slurry situation is reaching critical, Fert has to be spread and cows calved.

Nothing like a challenge, eh?

A bit of frost could soon sort things out. In a simular situation here but dont have enough accomadation for all milking cows if we cant get out full time later in the month. Thinking of spreading the dryier ground with urea this week if it drys up a bit and get cows out during day touch wood . Only .1 of a ha grazed so far and 40 acres looked to have died due to the floods .

mahoney_j

frazzledhome wrote: »

3.5% of dairy platform grazed to date. Really need to get cracking but ground is moving. I see no point in forcing cows out that are going to do damage that will last.

First year to fail to get out cows as they calve, I often thought it was wet before but this is unreal.

All facilities, roads, gaps dry ground etc just can't cope with these conditions. Forecast a little more promising tonight but will need some drying after what rain fell today.

Our plan (need) to graze 40% by March 1 is slipping away. Heifers may need to be drafted in to get on top of things. I'm not too worried about cows staying indoors as plenty of space but the chance to set up the farm properly for the season ahead is my worry.

Nothing can be done only wait it out. Going to be some burst when it stops raining as slurry situation is reaching critical, Fert has to be spread and cows calved.

Nothing like a challenge, eh?

Dry ground here just like u and land is sobbing wet,the rain that fell since 3 am this morning has really made a mess of things .massive volume of grass out there that hasn't stopped growing and it's going to be a challenge to hitvtargets for April grass .

darragh_haven

frazzledhome wrote: »

3.5% of dairy platform grazed to date. Really need to get cracking but ground is moving. I see no point in forcing cows out that are going to do damage that will last.

First year to fail to get out cows as they calve, I often thought it was wet before but this is unreal.

All facilities, roads, gaps dry ground etc just can't cope with these conditions. Forecast a little more promising tonight but will need some drying after what rain fell today.

Our plan (need) to graze 40% by March 1 is slipping away. Heifers may need to be drafted in to get on top of things. I'm not too worried about cows staying indoors as plenty of space but the chance to set up the farm properly for the season ahead is my worry.

Nothing can be done only wait it out. Going to be some burst when it stops raining as slurry situation is reaching critical, Fert has to be spread and cows calved.

Nothing like a challenge, eh?

Will you have to spread slurry on heavy covers? Trailing shoe coming here as soon as land will allow. But will have to spread on ground that hasn't been grazed.

Timmaay

Slurry is wayyy too valuable to me, but might be forced into giving some to a tillage neighbour soon, 2bh will be my own fault for not getting enough out back the middle of January when I had the chance. I actually got out on Friday with 3loads, near side of the Paddock ok but ploughed up the place trying to turn, defo not worth that.

Milked out

frazzledhome wrote: »

3.5% of dairy platform grazed to date. Really need to get cracking but ground is moving. I see no point in forcing cows out that are going to do damage that will last.

First year to fail to get out cows as they calve, I often thought it was wet before but this is unreal.

All facilities, roads, gaps dry ground etc just can't cope with these conditions. Forecast a little more promising tonight but will need some drying after what rain fell today.

Our plan (need) to graze 40% by March 1 is slipping away. Heifers may need to be drafted in to get on top of things. I'm not too worried about cows staying indoors as plenty of space but the chance to set up the farm properly for the season ahead is my worry.

Nothing can be done only wait it out. Going to be some burst when it stops raining as slurry situation is reaching critical, Fert has to be spread and cows calved.

Nothing like a challenge, eh?

Will the heifers be able to graze ground in next week which cows may not and would be for start of second round or is it more a case of containing the situation by getting thru ground to limit feeding which may be required in second round to first few days of it?

frazzledhome

darragh_haven wrote: »

Will you have to spread slurry on heavy covers? Trailing shoe coming here as soon as land will allow. But will have to spread on ground that hasn't been grazed.

Have 35 acres grazed with heifers. Across motorway so can't pump to it. We have culverts running under mway for umbilical but 3 miles from slurry tank and crossing 2 public roads, tankers it'll be.

frazzledhome

Milked out wrote: »

Will the heifers be able to graze ground in next week which cows may not and would be for start of second round or is it more a case of containing the situation by getting thru ground to limit feeding which may be required in second round to first few days of it?

Enough heifers to get through ground and it's a matter of having farm grazed by April 1, tall order. Have winter milkers so will now through ground when we get going. It's all about the second round IMO. I'd consider that to be the critical thing.

Deepsouthwest

Ah lads relax, it's the first wk of Feb and ye guys are panicking about not having enough grazing done yet.
Yes, there's been three months of serious rain, but could there possibly be a better time to get it. February grazing is always seen as a bonus around here, and weather normally dosent permit v much of it for the last few yrs anyway. Don't know anyone batting an eye lid at the moment around here other than maybe getting a bit more slurry out, most people are fine.
I wouldn't be getting too caught in hitting grazing targets, u can only play the hand ur dealt. Normally don't reach those targets here, except for maybe 100% grazed for the first wk of April, and we don't work out too bad for the rest of the yr.
Having cows still housed by night until early May(I remember picking cows out of a cubicle house to AI them) after a March and April of Baltic weather conditions, with v little feed and none to be bought for 100 miles(I ended up drawing **** silage by artic from nearly 100 miles away).
Has everyone forgotten Spring 2013? Now that was a challenge!!

freedominacup

After all I said about grass this time of year over the weekend a couple of young cows thought they had been left behind this morning. Sight to see them leaning into the bend going out of the yard in a flat Sprint in case they were held back.

keep going

Deepsouthwest wrote: »

Ah lads relax, it's the first wk of Feb and ye guys are panicking about not having enough grazing done yet.
Yes, there's been three months of serious rain, but could there possibly be a better time to get it. February grazing is always seen as a bonus around here, and weather normally dosent permit v much of it for the last few yrs anyway. Don't know anyone batting an eye lid at the moment around here other than maybe getting a bit more slurry out, most people are fine.
I wouldn't be getting too caught in hitting grazing targets, u can only play the hand ur dealt. Normally don't reach those targets here, except for maybe 100% grazed for the first wk of April, and we don't work out too bad for the rest of the yr.
Having cows still housed by night until early May(I remember picking cows out of a cubicle house to AI them) after a March and April of Baltic weather conditions, with v little feed and none to be bought for 100 miles(I ended up drawing **** silage by artic from nearly 100 miles away).
Has everyone forgotten Spring 2013? Now that was a challenge!!

Ah deep, did ya not listen in darrara 2 weeks ago

Deepsouthwest

keep going wrote: »

Ah deep, did ya not listen in darrara 2 weeks ago

I wasn't in Darrara, different land type to mine! What did they say?

PMU

mods, can we shut this topic down and start grass 2016? thanks