Grazing 2023

Mooooo

Growth was 95 last week, 64 this week but a few paddocks with cover prob helping that, wouldn't be surprised if it dropped to 40 next week, increased meal to counter grass quality but will how things go, all ground available bar 2 paddocks reseeding, paddocks baled and silage slow coming back

jaymla627

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120668552#Comment_120668552

Hard to fathom their not taking some kind if action re buffering to stretch out grass, if they run down afc under 550 and rain dosent come like predicted week after next their looking at basically a silage and meal diet for the foreseeable, unless they go back in grazing/zero-grazing silage ground

jaymla627

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120667775#Comment_120667775

Doesn't really work like that grazed paddocks here last week that should of been baled, topped after and mulched the clippings back in,

The clippings have retained moisture in the soil

Dark clay was pulled up from underneath the mulched grass

A heavy 2000kgs plus cover at the minute is sucking up 5mm daily of moisture out of the ground and all your getting is cardboard grass, I'd rather have a fresh 1000kg cover in a weeks-10 days time to go into then a paddock of shot out dead grass

DBK1

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120669526#Comment_120669526

100% accurate.

It’s hard to believe there’s still lads out there that don’t understand how to grow grass.

Tonynewholland

Where I am if the temperature goes to the mid 20s for a few days what grass that is there now would start to melt away. Slowing down the rotation doesn't always work out.

Silverdream

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120669314#Comment_120669314

Weather forecast models updated again at 1pm. They are now showing dry hotter weather until at least the 15th. Lads really need to be on top of there game now to manage the grass. Over grazing isn't the solution as paddocks grazed down too tight will suffer more than those with some cover left on them

kevthegaff

Ya I won't graze top tight, spread most of darm with can and 18 6 12 5 days ago. Would ye spread dairy washings? Would ye spray for docks?

older by the day

All good here. The cousin brought back 200 b&h from holiday.

On middling land cattle uses the grass a lot better than wet weather, where they walk and **** on it. Surely if things are tight 6kgs of the cheapest meal would lengthen thing out.

Jb1989

Middling land here in monaghan loving every minute of this dry spell.

kk.man

It's very hard to work outside in the middle of the day with this heat. I love the sun and tan no problem but never witnessed intense heat so early and fast after a deluge.

whelan2

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120671738#Comment_120671738

There's a big difference between being on holidays doing nothing in the heat and working in the heat

Dan Gibbons

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120670893#Comment_120670893

Sure is good to get work done on land that is normally wet.

Silverdream

Doesn't look like there's a pile of rain on the way over the next week. Forecasts have trimmed the rain back to light showers in places for a day or two over the next 10 days. Upland around me is roasted at the moment, grass is turning brown in places now. If we got a good shot of rain you'd see an explosion in growth with all the heat that is in the soil

jaymla627

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120693168#Comment_120693168

We are goosed here unless 30-50 ml is got shortly enough looking at the rainfall data for my area 2018 and if we see out June without the above rainfall levels we are in alot worse position than 2018, the east wind here has destroyed the place the last 3 weeks sucking moisture up out of the ground, you know your in bother when a bull delivererd yesterday from a ai rep from Carlow commented how yellow and scorhced the place was looking

Screenshot_20230609_073811_Chrome.jpg

whelan2

Are ye still getting hot days? It's only get-up to 14 or 15 here during the day and cloudly

Mooooo

Not as warm today, yday or the day before. With the dry weather we've had no still day, a breeze or wind everyday, it's doing more drying than the sun. Literally had a few drops yday but only noticed it cos I was sat in the car.

Edit to add had a growth of 40 the last week, from here on out if rain doesn't come things will stop up quick enough.

StevenToast

I was just wondering if anyone used in line toppers?

I was thinking of changing my 7ft maxi float topper to a 9ft in line topper?

Any issues with them?

memorystick

I cut silage this week and spread slurry at 4K gallons per acre (almost). Will that grow a second cut on its own? Thanks

Dakota Dan

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120669314#Comment_120669314

Still on the same ground with less grass each rotation, the cows have a pick of grass in the evening and on bare ground during the day, milk yields slipping sharply.

Dakota Dan

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120724777#Comment_120724777

9 units of n in 1000 gallons of undiluted cattle slurry so that’s 27 Units of nitrogen, you’d want 80 to 100 units an acre for second cut.

Cavanjack

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120724777#Comment_120724777

Yeah it’ll grow a second cut if it’s good ground and as long as a bit of rain and heat comes. It’ll be stemmy though and head out quick. Often meant to graze after first cuts and it’d end up getting too strong. We’d let it bulk up and cut it. Would be grand.

Saying all that I’d put a couple of bags on it though if intending to cut. Have spread 2.5 bags of cut sward on ground this week for second cuts.

jaymla627

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120725001#Comment_120725001

Would they be even doing 18 litres at that carry-on, they'll go down another 2-3 liters with the dm of whatever grass they can get into them been lower with the break in the weather

Bass Reeves

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120725041#Comment_120725041

9 units per 1k gallons would be tops even with a dribble bar or trailing shoe in this weather it could be half that unless you got rain after spreading. Dilution would help N if anything

IMO 70-80 units of N is plenty for second cut. It will tend to head out anyway. I generally like to cut 20-25th of July if possible.

Went with 1.5 bags of protected urea and sulphur (38N+7S) and about 3K gallons of diluted slurry via dribble bar (25-30%added water). I be calculating 70-75 units of N.

DBK1

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120725258#Comment_120725258

Yep, around 70 units is more than enough for second cut.

Agree about the slurry too, the watery the better at this time of year and I’d be calculating at 3-5 units per 1000 gallons best case scenario.

joe35

Thinking of going topping tomorrow, a lot of fields have gone very stemmy.

It's very sandy ground with hills in it gone all yellow.

Would it be good to top this now with the bit of rain forecast

Bass Reeves

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120725417#Comment_120725417

A lot will depend on whether you get rain or not. I got a right thunder shower about 6-8 hours after getting it spread. That would really give the N a good chance to go into the ground. I would be hoping for 5-6 in that situation.

Dakota Dan

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120725209#Comment_120725209

Average 19.5 last collection, down from 28 the start of May.

whelan2

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120725438#Comment_120725438

I've been topping all along, heavy ground though

Bass Reeves

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120725679#Comment_120725679

I have been topping ( actually cleaning heaver cover 24-48 hours before the finishing cattle move on) for the last three weeks.

Ya regrowth has been slow but as the weather was very dry when I cut silage I did not take out 4-5 acres of heavy paddocks. Cattle are now catching up with the grass.

K.G.

I ll probably cop alot of flak for saying this but horse on the fertiliser for the rest of the year.everybody got into a habit of sparing last year and it continues this year as people were trying to hold off for dropping prices but the time has come to drop the hammer.in most yards last year there was more feed eaten than made and stocks were eaten into.we had an early enough winter which was one of the worst I ve ever seen for winter growth.we followed on to at best a mediocore spring and a much delayed planting season. Now we are in the teeth of a drought and while there was alot of good silage made it wasn't heavy and growing conditions since cutting have been poor on cut ground.what I am saying is in the last 12 months we have had a run of weather which if which could leave us in a very sticky place if the coming winter goes wrong

Bass Reeves

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120725851#Comment_120725851

You are probably not too far wrong. However it all depends on the system. I did not spread any less last year than other years and this year will be the same. I had about 40 bakes left over after the winter and first cut was actually heavier than last year because the spring was better to me.

I expect to cut much the same for second cut as I did last year. My demand is 250 bales, for a fairly normal winter like the last one. I should have 260+ between first and second cut

Dakota Dan

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120725851#Comment_120725851

They say spread the bulk of your fertiliser in April May June as they are the peak grass growing months. Horsing out large quantities from July on you may as well go to the pub and drink it instead.

K.G.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120726658#Comment_120726658

As long as you ve enough feed for the winter drink away

Dunedin

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120725851#Comment_120725851

Shook two ton on grazing today. It’s the weather for it and it lets me build up a bank of grass as I’m heavily stocked.

I think it’s madness spreading fertiliser with these showers going about on top of rock hard ground with half inch cracks running through them. Lads should hold off till end of the week I think. I’m surprised on my farm grass never totally stopped growing.

Dunedin

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120727193#Comment_120727193

Flat ground with nice bit of grass cover. Certainly no cracks!!! Every farm is different…..

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120727397#Comment_120727397

That’s true, early on in spring I was hoping for rain when others were asking when is it going to stop.

Who2

The main grazing block here all got slurry or fertiliser over the last two days . The rains coming nice and softly around me so I’m taking the chance.

the general opinion seems to be we will be heading back into warm weather next week again, it would be worse if we missed the opportunity and head back into drought without having spread anything.

Seadin

Is there need to spread fertilizer for grazing drystock for the rest of the year now? We have all the silage finished, and slurry out on the cut silage fields and some of the grazed fields, they were topped before spreading slurry. We have one 5 acre field that I must close up for 2nd cut silage but that's it so il get fertilizer out on that but, as fertilizer is still expensive, I am reluctant to spread any more fertilizer on grazed fields. Maybe I should spread lightly but I don't know Is it a waste of money right now. Maybe someone might advise me better? I have small setup and only part time at it.

Bass Reeves

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120728368#Comment_120728368

What is your system

Seadin

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120728424#Comment_120728424

Calf to beef.

Dunedin

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120728368#Comment_120728368

If you need grass, you need fertiliser. If you don’t, it’s a waste of money.

Bass Reeves

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120728473#Comment_120728473

Even a light cover of N now will drive grass growth. Biggest thing is to have cattle tou utilize it. Too much ISAs bad as too little. All my slurry goes on the silage ground but I get it out on first and second cut and spread very little P&K in signage ground. At present it nearly all 18-6-12 on grazing ground.

I definitely be spreading 15 units of N in the form of protected urea to really get a burst of grass especially if on light ground.

As well I definitely spread the whole farm in the month of August with about 20-30 units of N from normal urea.

However I am stocked at 170 units N/ HA

Danzy

I don't think I have ever seen as much growth in a weekend.

Freejin

Didn't spread anything much over the last few weeks with the dry weather,have a bit of catch up to do. On fields that will be grazed in say a weeks time,would you spread now or wait until after grazing? Would the nitrogen end up going out the gate with the cows?

Dakota Dan

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120728368#Comment_120728368

Not much nitrogen from slurry this time of year.

Seadin

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120734200#Comment_120734200

Normally I don't put out the slurry until June after first cut silage, as I have plenty of storage for it.

Silverdream

Watery Slurry gone out on meadows after taking a crop of hay. Super growth already but I think it's more to do with the built up heat in the soil along with the burst of growth with the rain. Either way I'm not complaining, it's 12 days since I cut the hay and there is already an 8 inch crop cover again

memorystick

How are lads fixed for grass? A famine a few weeks ago has turned into strong paddocks here. Gaps in scutter. Going to sow grass seeds around gaps when they dry out. Plenty of bald patches under ditches. Cattle should be mostly sold in a few weeks so will level and get one pass. I’ve no Vicon.

Me wellies are leaking all summer but I refuse to buy winter wear in the summer.

Kevhog1988

Lambs in on some ground my uncle reseeded this afternoon.

Unsure why my photos are always sideways....