Silage 2011

linebacker52

Contractor is here moving down a few paddocks that have gotten to strong for the cows. Was just wondering has anyone else cut anything yet.

ihatetractors

Seen stuff 2 weeks ago, S Kilkenny

rliston

did a bit of topping this evening if that counts!

I'd say they'll be starting this weekend around here. It'll be june before I even think of cutting anything.

whelan1

are they cutting lawns or bulky stuff ? also with a total lack of rain would the fertiliser not still be in the grass ?

GERMAN ROCKS

we will be cutting ours in about another 3 weeks. would love abit of rain to wash down fertilizer and get it working properly and to bring on my grass seeds in the reseeded field a bit. most of the ground is gone fairly hard.

stanflt

ive my discussion group meeting on our farm next- ill be getting a slap on the wrist because ive held up some paddocks for silage instead of cutting them immediately

id be worried about the nitrogen in the grass

may 10 is when ill be cutting first cut

dar31

stanflt wrote: »

ive my discussion group meeting on our farm next- ill be getting a slap on the wrist because ive held up some paddocks for silage instead of cutting them immediately

id be worried about the nitrogen in the grass

may 10 is when ill be cutting first cut

that early for first cut, did you graze any of it this spring

should be good stuff, wont cut here till last week in may

reps4

what are the "rules" people use around nitrogen in grass. Personally go with the day/unit nitrogen so 3 bags of 18.6.12 is approx 7.7 wks.

i noticed mentioned that people would prefer rain to wash nitrogen, have heard theroy that dry weather is better to absorp it..
also, if left cut in row an extra day it will absorp it if were still a bit worried..

stanflt

dar31 wrote: »

that early for first cut, did you graze any of it this spring

should be good stuff, wont cut here till last week in may

all ground grazed except for five acres which is actually behind the rest-closed off around paddy day

bogman_bass

neighbours cut 2 paddocks yesterday

Agri contractor

We were out last week round baling and picking up silage. 3 jobs on again this week for bales.

bob charles

you can assume silage ground will consume 2 units a day of nitrogen but I wouldnt cut earlier than 40 days since fert application if it was all in one hit ie 70units 40 days ago.

GERMAN ROCKS

bob charles wrote: »

you can assume silage ground will consume 2 units a day of nitrogen but I wouldnt cut earlier than 40 days since fert application if it was all in one hit ie 70units 40 days ago.

thats interesting. what about a pasture field- more or less the same?

ihatetractors

whelan1 wrote: »

are they cutting lawns or bulky stuff ? also with a total lack of rain would the fertiliser not still be in the grass ?

This was closed off last September!!, it's that fast growing Italianrye grass??
Hopes to get four cuts, as it's only in for 2/3 yrs for rotation.

Lofty0990

bob charles wrote: »

you can assume silage ground will consume 2 units a day of nitrogen but I wouldnt cut earlier than 40 days since fert application if it was all in one hit ie 70units 40 days ago.

fine weather yes - is it using up two units on a cloudy miserable day?

13spanner

Time to knock the dust offa the mower I'm thinking :rolleyes: wrapper and baler have been nothing but 2 expensive coat hangers since last september. Feels good to be facing into it again.

stanflt

knocked and picked up 50 acres today:D

babybrian

did you get it all done before the rain?

contractor baling and wrapping today for me but the god-damn baler calved so still some silage on the ground and it pi€€ed rain on it 2day :mad:

Image794.jpg

stanflt

babybrian wrote: »

did you get it all done before the rain?

contractor baling and wrapping today for me but the god-damn baler calved so still some silage on the ground and it pi€€ed rain on it 2day :mad:

Image794.jpg

all done and dusted

babybrian

happy head on you so

pajero12

babybrian wrote: »

did you get it all done before the rain?

contractor baling and wrapping today for me but the god-damn baler calved so still some silage on the ground and it pi€€ed rain on it 2day :mad:

Image794.jpg

Ah Claas Yeah? :P

GY A1

met a tractor yesterday with one of them pick up silage trailer wagons full of grass, thought it was bit early :eek:

13spanner

pajero12 wrote: »

Ah Claas Yeah? :P

Looks like a Krone from that photo. Sounds like one too

Muckit

He was taking no chances on hitting something at the headlands either! Not so bad when paying by the bale

6910

pajero12 wrote: »

Ah Claas Yeah? :P

what was the price for mowing ,bale and wrap,

Grecco

stanflt wrote: »

knocked and picked up 50 acres today:D

The ground looks very green under where its cut; I say you could have let it grow first

stanflt

Grecco wrote: »

The ground looks very green under where its cut; I say you could have let it grow first

84% dmd not like last years ****e at 74%

it pays to make better silage

big cuts and your only fooling yourself

Tipp Man

stanflt wrote: »

84% dmd not like last years ****e at 74%

it pays to make better silage

big cuts and your only fooling yourself

Surely that depends on what the silage is to be used for.

We are only producing maybe 2-3% of our milk with silage so the quality (within reason obviously) isn't that important, bulk is what we want. I can imagine the same would apply to suckler cows for instance as well

Obviously if you are producing a lot of winter milk then quality is much more important but with the price of silage in our area at 110-120 an acre its hard to justify a light cut no matter how good it is.

vincenzolorenzo

When you're cutting it as light as that would you not consider baling it rather than putting into the pit? Paying by the bale would work out a lot less than per acre when dealing with light crops.

whelan1

Grecco wrote: »

The ground looks very green under where its cut; I say you could have let it grow first

would alot of the fertiliser not still be in the grass, seeing as how there was very little rain before you cut... would this not lead to bad preservation ?

stanflt

Tipp Man wrote: »

Surely that depends on what the silage is to be used for.
the price of silage in our area at 110-120 an acre its hard to justify a light cut no matter how good it is.

75 an acre for light cut-paid as the harvester leaves-

bob charles

stanflt wrote: »

knocked and picked up 50 acres today:D

nice to see someone making some proper silage, find it hard to believe that tested to 84 DMD

stanflt

bob charles wrote: »

nice to see someone making some proper silage, find it hard to believe that tested to 84 DMD

it wont be tested for a couple of months-im hoping its above 78 tbh

jeff greene

stanflt wrote: »

75 an acre for light cut-paid as the harvester leaves-

Good value, what yield did you get? Great thing of cutting earlier is regrowth is instant as seen in your other photo, heavy late cuts, the field is white for ages.

There was talk a few years ago of charging by the ton, would be a fairer system if it could be done.