Grazing 2021

Dunedin

Zero growth here at the minute. Giving cows out a bale every day as was worried about the frost at night. Heavy rain yesterday did a lot of harm. Will be staying putting out a bale for the next while

Reggie.

Dunedin wrote: »

Zero growth here at the minute. Giving cows out a bale every day as was worried about the frost at night. Heavy rain yesterday did a lot of harm. Will be staying putting out a bale for the next while

You got that rain too

Dunedin

Reggie. wrote: »

You got that rain too

Sure did. And cattle on reseeds which are tender so did a good bit of harm yesterday. Thank God today was a good day.

Dunedin

Was hoping to sow the spuds this week and that’s gone out the window too.

Reggie.

Dunedin wrote: »

Sure did. And cattle on reseeds which are tender so did a good bit of harm yesterday. Thank God today was a good day.

Yeah same here. Ill just run the guttler through the paddocks when it dries out more. Jaysus it came outta no where

lab man

Where was all this rain lads in clare here and tis shirt weather with last 3 days hard frost last night with heavy sea fog this morning

endainoz

lab man wrote: »

Where was all this rain lads in clare here and tis shirt weather with last 3 days hard frost last night with heavy sea fog this morning

Small bit of rain on Sunday but not much else, growth has slowed a bit but certainly hasn't stopped. Cattle are catching up grazing the meadow though, but that won't be cut until July anyway.

memorystick

Dunedin wrote: »

Was hoping to sow the spuds this week and that’s gone out the window too.

https://www.france24.com/en/europe/20210407-french-farmers-find-innovative-solutions-to-battle-unexpected-cold-spell

Reggie.

lab man wrote: »

Where was all this rain lads in clare here and tis shirt weather with last 3 days hard frost last night with heavy sea fog this morning

It was more of a sudden downpour across the Midlands the other night. Something like a summers thunderstorm. Serious water fell in about 15mins

Tomjim

will the grass grow in this type of weather, or will the frost be a problem?

Reggie.

Tomjim wrote: »

will the grass grow in this type of weather, or will the frost be a problem?

Slow enough here in the Midlands with the frost at night

Hershall

Tomjim wrote: »

will the grass grow in this type of weather, or will the frost be a problem?

I walked a field today that I will be grazing at the weekend there was more grass in it last week.
Badly burnt by the frost

Mooooo

Walk the farms and see how ye are fixed, how many days ahead etc. If things are very tight go in with a bit of silage or meal. If conditions suit put a round feeder in the paddock while they graze it and move them on once grazed. Alternatively bring them to the yard to eat a bite of meal

Finty Lemon

Mooooo wrote: »

Walk the farms and see how ye are fixed, how many days ahead etc. If things are very tight go in with a bit of silage or meal. If conditions suit put a round feeder in the paddock while they graze it and move them on once grazed. Alternatively bring them to the yard to eat a bite of meal

Walked the farm this evening with the help of an experienced grass man. I was thinking 'its tight' but his advice was to push on. April is a month for living on the edge. I was surprised there was as much on some fields tbh.

Demand is low with cattle just settling now and I have at least 15 days grass ahead. He was predicting I will be flush in a week when growth kicks in. Closing up some silage without grazing it if it goes that way. Happy enough.

memorystick

Getting tight here. Should I strip grazing a few acres of silage ground which hasn’t a whole lot on it or open a few bales? I make too much silage anyway but I’ve bales left. Thinking bad of feeding bales as they’re out 4 weeks and I’ve settled into summer mode! Thanks

Bass Reeves

memorystick wrote: »

Getting tight here. Should I strip grazing a few acres of silage ground which hasn’t a whole lot on it or open a few bales? I make too much silage anyway but I’ve bales left. Thinking bad of feeding bales as they’re out 4 weeks and I’ve settled into summer mode! Thanks

It would really depend on how much fertlizer the silage ground got. This year I left about 20% of the silage ground with Slurry (2K gallons/acre) and 25 units of N. If I have to graze it I will. I have about 8-10 days grazing before starting second rotation. However the covers are heavy and dry weather is allowing mw to graze tight.

It really never worries me about feeding bales or grazing a paddock set for silage. If you think you have a good reserve of silage I would strip graze a few acres. However if its got Slurry and 70-80 units of N I be more inclined to throw out a few bales

memorystick

It got no slurry but 4 bags of Cut Sward. I think I’ll graze it. I’ll use my bales first next winter or maybe sell in July when the heatwave kicks in.

memorystick

Very little on silage ground so back with a bale in a round feeder.

TooOldBoots

Had a lad call yesterday looking to take some bales. He had all the cattle out with 3 weeks and they have gone through the fields like locust. He has fertilizer out but still no good. He's gone with 38 bales I had planned for next winter.

lab man

TooOldBoots wrote: »

Had a lad call yesterday looking to take some bales. He had all the cattle out with 3 weeks and they have gone through the fields like locust. He has fertilizer out but still no good. He's gone with 38 bales I had planned for next winter.

Couple of weeks ago fellas were telling a lad with 2019 bales to give em away, the likes of that friend of yours would have bought em

wrangler

TooOldBoots wrote: »

Had a lad call yesterday looking to take some bales. He had all the cattle out with 3 weeks and they have gone through the fields like locust. He has fertilizer out but still no good. He's gone with 38 bales I had planned for next winter.

Hope you charged him enough

Limestone Cowboy

endainoz wrote: »

Small bit of rain on Sunday but not much else, growth has slowed a bit but certainly hasn't stopped. Cattle are catching up grazing the meadow though, but that won't be cut until July anyway.

Some difference in a few miles, no bit of growth here at all yet. Was out your way the other evening and couldn't get over the grass in places.

whelan2

wrangler wrote: »

Hope you charged him enough

No point riding anyone either. What goes around comes around

GrasstoMilk

High Dry matter in the grass really aiding to stretching it out
We're half way through 2nd round and going okay
Just done a walk and will be bursting with grass this day week if the bit of rain comes, was going to be tight going by the walk I had done on Monday
65u of N out plus 2k slurry and 13 units of available phos has kept things right
Stocked at 4 cows per ha and no silage fed since mid march

Gillespy

Some warmth is wanting more than moisture here. Looks a week away to anything mid teens again. Defiantly true regarding the dry matter, 24hrs worth doing another grazing with no fuss.

TooOldBoots

wrangler wrote: »

Hope you charged him enough

450 euro. 2019 second cut bales a bit on the small side but the stuff is good. Not an outrageous price, I know the man so I wouldn't be out to screw him

whelan2

Raining here

endainoz

Limestone Cowboy wrote: »

Some difference in a few miles, no bit of growth here at all yet. Was out your way the other evening and couldn't get over the grass in places.

Ah I'd be under a bit of pressure if I wasn't grazing the meadow so late.

Got a nice drop last night too, ground temps coming up a bit too and no overnight frosts anymore, I think this will shoot off over the next few days.

I says

Spread 18-6-12 during the week on grazing ground the drizzley wet day will wash it in. Roll on the warm weather.

Bass Reeves

Grazing conditions are excellant. Cattle cleaning out ground very well. Still on first rotation since turnout over 4 weeks ago. Silage ground cleaned by start of April. Land that got fertlizer in late February really benefited from it. One or two places that were wet had to be stayed out of these did not power ahead like rest of the paddock they were in. May have tp feed a few bales to one bunch that are away from main land bank but the other two bunches have 7-10 day grazing to finish first rotation unless grazing conditions do not hold up. Intend on getting out with fertlizer on ground alreadly grazed this week.

Cattle have done some thrive. A lot have grown. Friesians are coming faster than a lot of the coloured cattle. Its a matter of pushing on magic day cannot be far away. Silage grounds are ready to burst ahead if temperatures raise 3-5 degrees. According to Met Eireann soil temp are just hitting 10C if they rise 2-3 degrees grass will power ahead