Closing a field for silage this late ??

Grecco

Ok were nearly midway through August and I reckon I wont have enough silage for the winter so I`m wondering is it too late to close a field for silage, its not grazed down tight and I`m after topping it. The grass growth hasnt been hectic this year either

49801

Grecco wrote: »

Ok were nearly midway through August and I reckon I wont have enough silage for the winter so I`m wondering is it too late to close a field for silage, its not grazed down tight and I`m after topping it. The grass growth hasnt been hectic this year either

Have you considered whole crop
Be a good time to be looking for it so long as you know it is a 80% kind of year

GERMAN ROCKS

Grecco wrote: »

Ok were nearly midway through August and I reckon I wont have enough silage for the winter so I`m wondering is it too late to close a field for silage, its not grazed down tight and I`m after topping it. The grass growth hasnt been hectic this year either

give it plenty of nitrogen and slurry and it should be ready for christmas eve . you probably would have some bit of a cut suitable for bales for early october i would think and you might get a lot drier day then than you would now.

sh1tstirrer

GERMAN ROCKS wrote: »

give it plenty of nitrogen and slurry and it should be ready for christmas eve . you probably would have some bit of a cut suitable for bales for early october i would think and you might get a lot drier day then than you would now.

And the quality of grass cut for silage that time of year will be sh1te. He would be better off grazing any grass that grows from now on.

GERMAN ROCKS

sh1tstirrer wrote: »

And the quality of grass cut for silage that time of year will be sh1te. He would be better off grazing any grass that grows from now on.

i know that but its a lot of good come january telling the cows they have had the best of quality but its gone now is no good either. you must make sure you have enough too.

Grecco

sh1tstirrer wrote: »

And the quality of grass cut for silage that time of year will be sh1te. He would be better off grazing any grass that grows from now on.

I think you could right, the quality or feed value just wont be there

bob charles

why won't there be quality if its closed now, It would be cut by the 1st of October and depending on the sward it should be good quality. Are all 4th crops of silage ****e so aswell? we have had shag all growth so far this year so we maybe in for a surprise with growth over the next 60 days. Anyone remember 3 years ago when balers were flat out on the 15th of October

pakalasa

I cut silage one year in October. Nothing wrong with it either. Suckler cows went mad for it.
I was going to say that you will have to take a gamble on the weather, but no more a gamble than in July, I suppose.:rolleyes:

Figerty

Will all depend on your winter feed situation..you might be better building up grass,using the grass to extend your grazing season and buying feed or meal for later in the year.
If you are going to go for silage then Dose it it Nitrogen....wont be much aftergrass though!

caseman

Grecco wrote: »

Ok were nearly midway through August and I reckon I wont have enough silage for the winter so I`m wondering is it too late to close a field for silage, its not grazed down tight and I`m after topping it. The grass growth hasnt been hectic this year either

You could buy straw ,and hope for a good back end ,and eat the grass

Bleating Lamb

I would say chance for silage,up here several people made silage well into Oct a few years ago with way weather was,and as a old man said to me at mart lately....if it was October all cattle would be going in full time such is wetness of soil at mo.....chances are land will be more trafficable then.

Farmer Pudsey

There will be nothing wrong with the quality it will tend to be low in dry matter. A lot will depend on if you are able to get it baled and in out of the field. It will look green when you open the bale's in january however they will be perfect and will be around 70dmd. If you are lucky you might get a bit of frost before you bale it this will tend to incresase the DM content.

It will be between 15 and 20% DM so you will have a lot of bales considering the quanity but will be great for weanlings etc. Watch you fertlizer if you cut it mid october you will have about 65 days growth I'd allow at most 1.5 units/day if it is a relativly new reseed ( less than 5 Years) so 90 units, Split the application over two spreads one now and one before the closed season.

When baled get in off the fields straight away as they will flatten very fast. You will need a bit of luck with the weather.

Grecco

I`m going to give it a go now anyway, I`ll top it out today and spread a bag of CAN per acre.

whelan1

would a bag be enough? you are either going for the cut or not, i would put at least 2 bags on it....

Grecco

Ahh I suppose
i`ll throw out that extra bag (It does grow anything while still in the bag )

keep going

Grecco wrote: »

I`m going to give it a go now anyway, I`ll top it out today and spread a bag of CAN per acre.

if you are only throwing out a bag its a waste of time for silage but i would be inclined to throw extra manure over the whole farm instead of paying someone to make bales in oct.why top

Tora Bora

The fckuing horseflys are vicious today!!

Farmer Pudsey

Grecco wrote: »

Ahh I suppose
i`ll throw out that extra bag (It does grow anything while still in the bag )

keep going wrote: »

if you are only throwing out a bag its a waste of time for silage but i would be inclined to throw extra manure over the whole farm instead of paying someone to make bales in oct.why top

It is a waste of money heavy with fertlizer with the weather we are getting I presume that Greco intends to split the application, however I be inclined to use a bag of urea with the way the weather is at present. The reality is that half a ton of fertlizer will not go far accross the whole farm. Utilisation is another factor say you get 8-10 bale's an acre off 6 acres this will give 50-60 bales. If the cows are out grazing in december and you want it to last you have to strip graze on some land it is not a runner. At some stage between October and january you will get a chance to get the silage more than likly.

Each bale would keep 20 weanling going for a day. so you have 50 -60 days feed for them and if you supplement it with 2kgs ration you could limit there intake of silage and strech it out towards 100 days feeding. ^ acres or even 12 acres of grass will not do that for you and the field is growing grass again for next March/april

Grecco

keep going wrote: »

why top

Theres stemmy grass and Dock stalks plus it encourages regrowth

Farmer Pudsey wrote: »

It is a waste of money heavy with fertlizer with the weather we are getting I presume that Greco intends to split the application, however I be inclined to use a bag of urea with the way the weather is at present.

I have CAN left over so I intend using it in two splits
Also feed 2kg of meal is an option but I`ll try for bales first and if that fails then its an option

Sam Kade

Farmer Pudsey wrote: »

It is a waste of money heavy with fertlizer with the weather we are getting I presume that Greco intends to split the application, however I be inclined to use a bag of urea with the way the weather is at present. The reality is that half a ton of fertlizer will not go far accross the whole farm. Utilisation is another factor say you get 8-10 bale's an acre off 6 acres this will give 50-60 bales. If the cows are out grazing in december and you want it to last you have to strip graze on some land it is not a runner. At some stage between October and january you will get a chance to get the silage more than likly.

Each bale would keep 20 weanling going for a day. so you have 50 -60 days feed for them and if you supplement it with 2kgs ration you could limit there intake of silage and strech it out towards 100 days feeding. ^ acres or even 12 acres of grass will not do that for you and the field is growing grass again for next March/april

Expecting 8-10 bales/acre from ground closed in mid august and cut 6 weeks later is a bit optimistic.

Farmer Pudsey

Sam Kade wrote: »

Expecting 8-10 bales/acre from ground closed in mid august and cut 6 weeks later is a bit optimistic.

Not if fertlized correctly also it will be mid to late October 7-10 weeks idealy. And finially the bale will be only 15-20%DM as you wil get no wilt so you will have a 8-10 bales/acre. I have done it before and I know it was a new reseed cut mid august and again Mid October 36 bales from 4 acres. The quality will be grand the quanity will be good but the DM will be low.

bob charles

Farmer Pudsey wrote: »

Not if fertlized correctly also it will be mid to late October 7-10 weeks idealy. And finially the bale will be only 15-20%DM as you wil get no wilt so you will have a 8-10 bales/acre. I have done it before and I know it was a new reseed cut mid august and again Mid October 36 bales from 4 acres. The quality will be grand the quanity will be good but the DM will be low.

correct as above, being there and done it, perfect quality stuff if tested could be over 72DMD

royalmeath

I am in the same boat as Grecco, i have to close up 10 acres to try and get a crop of silage for round bales.
I found myself in the sam,e situation in 2010, I had a meadow that just got slurry after its first cut albeit it was
cut in mid june, I then got it baled around 10th of October. I got around 50 bales off five acres, and tbh its alot
easier than forking maybe 25 to 30 euro a bale in the depths of winter

Grecco

I have about 8 acres closed with a fortnight now (the growth isn't inspiring so far),
Anyway what do ya think about closing more ground now as were only a day or two from the 1st of September, is this too late as I now have to buy more fertilizer if I'm going to close it
so would it be economical at this stage??

bob charles

Grecco wrote: »

I have about 8 acres closed with a fortnight now (the growth isn't inspiring so far),
Anyway what do ya think about closing more ground now as were only a day or two from the 1st of September, is this too late as I now have to buy more fertilizer if I'm going to close it
so would it be economical at this stage??

it probably would be economic, depends on the price of quality silage later in the winter, my mate said I can take some acres of him for silage so applied slurry to it last week and will give it some nitrogen in the next week or so, hoping to pick a couple of hundred bales or else a pit around 15th of Oct depending on weather. hoping to get nice dry stuff after a couple of beds

grange mac

Lads, are ye finding the growth for the last month pretty shocking...hav fields closed with 5weeks got plenty fert and slurry but no responce....if dont improve soon will b in a state....could be the rain as just shocking here new reseeded field got lime etc but tips going yellow is the rain making it turn??? Now field aint shockin bad but v last year at this stage no comparson....

49801

would you not save your tillage neighbour the ball ache of harvesting wet grain and get some whole crop in the pit. The crops are there already and you will have a fair idea of what you'll be getting and not hoping for good weather and your fert being washed away.

I know there is a fair amount of scare mongering going on about winter fodder shortage but its not unfounded either.
Seen trucks and tractors and trailers loaded up with silage bales on the roads the last few weeks.

Farmer Pudsey

Grecco wrote: »

I have about 8 acres closed with a fortnight now (the growth isn't inspiring so far),
Anyway what do ya think about closing more ground now as were only a day or two from the 1st of September, is this too late as I now have to buy more fertilizer if I'm going to close it
so would it be economical at this stage??

You are gone very borderline you only have 6-7 week growth you may be lucky also if the weather turns. Have you tried around for a few acres that have benn closed since june, However as hay is costing 26 out of the field plus haulage of around 10 from east to west it may be your only choice if along the west cost. Give it watery slurry if you have it and some nitrogen try to let the nitrogen 2 weeks after the slurry.

redzerologhlen

49801 wrote: »

would you not save your tillage neighbour the ball ache of harvesting wet grain and get some whole crop in the pit. The crops are there already and you will have a fair idea of what you'll be getting and not hoping for good weather and your fert being washed away.

I know there is a fair amount of scare mongering going on about winter fodder shortage but its not unfounded either.
Seen trucks and tractors and trailers loaded up with silage bales on the roads the last few weeks.

Going by the small amount of tillage I have seen in Clare it is unlikely that grecco has any tillage neighbours. Probably a good option in other parts of the country alright though but the geography of Clare doesnt lend itself too well to it.

20silkcut

grange mac wrote: »

Lads, are ye finding the growth for the last month pretty shocking...hav fields closed with 5weeks got plenty fert and slurry but no responce....if dont improve soon will b in a state....could be the rain as just shocking here new reseeded field got lime etc but tips going yellow is the rain making it turn??? Now field aint shockin bad but v last year at this stage no comparson....

Yes I have an 8 acre field of second cut silage closed since end of June and nothing on it. Reckon the fertiliser was washed out of it put more on yesterday should have something in mid sept. July was an unbelievably **** month this year.

bob charles

49801 wrote: »

would you not save your tillage neighbour the ball ache of harvesting wet grain and get some whole crop in the pit. The crops are there already and you will have a fair idea of what you'll be getting and not hoping for good weather and your fert being washed away.

I know there is a fair amount of scare mongering going on about winter fodder shortage but its not unfounded either.
Seen trucks and tractors and trailers loaded up with silage bales on the roads the last few weeks.

I have plenty of decent fodder to make in the next few months starting with wholecrop tomorrow, but I have no grass silage, and I need some for animals coming into that have never seen the fancy food that we have here.

Grass Hopper

bob charles wrote: »

I have plenty of decent fodder to make in the next few months starting with wholecrop tomorrow, but I have no grass silage, and I need some for animals coming into that have never seen the fancy food that we have here.

Your an awful man you didnt cut that today and we all standing around the yard looking at each other

bob charles

Grass Hopper wrote: »

Your an awful man you didnt cut that today and we all standing around the yard looking at each other

I told him it was ready to be done at 10am this morning and he said you boys would be on tomorrow/thursday, one field is close on 15% moisture:D. I have a lovely new awkward field entrance for you, remember you nearly capsized a trailer of maize coming out last year. I will have the camera at the ready

nashmach

bob charles wrote: »

I told him it was ready to be done at 10am this morning and he said you boys would be on tomorrow/thursday, one field is close on 15% moisture:D. I have a lovely new awkward field entrance for you, remember you nearly capsized a trailer of maize coming out last year. I will have the camera at the ready

Keep him on his toes Bob

Grass Hopper

bob charles wrote: »

I told him it was ready to be done at 10am this morning and he said you boys would be on tomorrow/thursday, one field is close on 15% moisture:D. I have a lovely new awkward field entrance for you, remember you nearly capsized a trailer of maize coming out last year. I will have the camera at the ready

Ah the pit is handy though,you'll have the boss driving for today