Silage 2024

morphy87

I’m going spreading fertilizer the weekend on ground that was reseeded last year and will be baled tomorrow, what should this be like quality wise the end of August?

DBK1

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122337190#Comment_122337190

Depending on growth between now and then you’ll probably only have around 5 or 6 bales an acre on it by end of august but it should be top quality.

Bass Reeves

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122337190#Comment_122337190

You will have about eight weeks from.the weekend to the September 1st. A lot will depend on weather when you are going to cut it. Three bags of 18-6-12 to the acre will give you the option of cutting it from the 20th August on. It may be light but it will be decent stuff

Sami23

Well lads n ladies do ye think there will be a weather window next week to cut another bit of silage or what's your thoughts ?

Some of the forecaster are predicting higher temps and less rain I believe.

Fine Day

Dam all on my bit of second cut yet. Walked it yesterday. Will be a few more weeks before I will cut. The ground was fare hard when I was walking it, was very surprised. I suppose the wind is drying all before it. Forecast until Monday anyways from Met eireann is broken. Hopefully the temperatures pick up. Very cold in the mornings and evenings. It's really fecking up the growth.

2smiggy

many of the larger over stocked dairy outfits could really struggle later for fodder. Where as they normally try to buy feeding later in the year for a pittance off lads who have a surplus of bales, hopefully they will be caught with their pants down

Fine Day

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122342328#Comment_122342328

I hate to see anyone caught out. I have often had a surplus and sold off in the month of March but always got a fair price. If not I'd leave it there. I don't think I will have a surplus next winter.

Jack98

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122342328#Comment_122342328

I’m sure most were well able to do a fodder budget by now, we had about 150 bales left in the yard here when we eventually got cows out full time this year. Bought 250 bales off contractor during the first cuts at the end of May all in the yard now along with what we made ourselves that will be a great insurance in the back end and next spring.

Danzy

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122342293#Comment_122342293

Driving up to look at cattle yesterday there were patches of grass in the boreen centre fierce green, then yellowish the rest of the way. Twas the shade of hawthorn trees keeping the wind off

2smiggy

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122342420#Comment_122342420

there are plenty around here who try to buy very cheap from smaller farmers late in the year. over stocked and nearly taking it as a given that why make their own bales when they can just buy for a fraction of the cost late in the year, and even get them to deliver the bales too !! It back fired last year, and hopefully will do the same this year.

locha

Any idea what the going rate is for second cut ground? Neighbour approached me to see if I’d be interested. It’s 15 acres and has been slurried after the first cut. Could really do with it this year but have never rented this way before

visatorro

The journal had an article of auctioneers auctioning meadows. Every field Is different. Maybe say you'll take it and pay a tenner a bale and you pay your contractor

Bass Reeves

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122342293#Comment_122342293

I took first cut the last week in May. It got slurry and about 60 units of N. There is a nice cover on it now. It needs heat now to push ot along.

Water John

Would €1K get it? What's having it worth to you is the question?

TinyMuffin

done our main 1st cut 1/2 June. It got 2000 gallons of slurry 2 weeks ago and 2.5 bags of cut sward yesterday. Greening up but needs growthy weather.

Water John

Regrowth has been quite slow, so winter supplies might be tight enough around the country.

Dunedin

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122346267#Comment_122346267

allowing €14 to mow rake bale. €3.50 for plastic and €1.50 to draw in, etc. that works out €29 a bale which would be a low price. Maybe €15 a bale would be a fair price. .

KingPanko

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122347073#Comment_122347073

All in what would be a fair price to buy / sell bales out of the field at the moment?

i.e. Contractor will mow, bale and wrap, fertiliser already spread and customer will come to field with loader, trailer and draw them away from the field