Land idle for years! Can grass be grazed?

REBEL COUNTY1

Ive been offered land to graze cattle if i want it. Its belonging to a man who had it bought for developing about 5 years ago. The grass hasnt been grazed since and has fallen over and is dead for the most part.

The grass is lying too flat for topping to be any addition. I need to get the grass grazed off so itll come again. Im thinking of strip grazing it to graze it off but would cattle eat the grass at all in that condition? I know there wont be much substance in the grass and will be giving concentrates to keep condition but will grass in that condition cause any health difficulties with cattle?

mahoney_j

If twas me id get a heap of sheep in to graze it off quick and then blacken it with pig slurry preferably or cattle slurry.Wouldnt fancy letting any cattle on to it if its like u described

grange mac

Field by me with long white dead scutch grass...not grazed in years, sheep in it at moment!

REBEL COUNTY1

mahoney_j wrote: »

If twas me id get a heap of sheep in to graze it off quick and then blacken it with pig slurry preferably or cattle slurry.Wouldnt fancy letting any cattle on to it if its like u described

Wouldnt like the idea and cost of fencing the whole area for sheep! Especially as i wouldnt be sheep farming myself. Why would you be hesitant to leave cattle on it?

REBEL COUNTY1

Some pictures of the grass below:

redzerologhlen

REBEL COUNTY1 wrote: »

Wouldnt like the idea and cost of fencing the whole area for sheep! Especially as i wouldnt be sheep farming myself. Why would you be hesitant to leave cattle on it?

In one word redwater I would say but should be ok this time of year because the ticks arent very active until it warms up. Cows would do away in it if they were getting 2 or 3kg of nuts a day. Have often done it in places that have been left growing for a year but our cattle would be immune to redwater.

REBEL COUNTY1

Pic

REBEL COUNTY1

Idea would to get heap of steers in and redden it!

mf240

Horses, eat it to the clay then slurry.

Good loser

REBEL COUNTY1 wrote: »

Idea would to get heap of steers in and redden it!

That will do fine. The sooner the better.

REBEL COUNTY1

Good loser wrote: »

That will do fine. The sooner the better.

Is there any breed of cattle might be suited better?

Damo810

REBEL COUNTY1 wrote: »

Is there any breed of cattle might be suited better?

We had a bunch of Angus heifers on some wettish land that hadn't been grazed for 2 or 3 years and they were fine. Just keep an eye out for redwater. Should be ok though.

REBEL COUNTY1

Damo810 wrote: »

We had a bunch of Angus heifers on some wettish land that hadn't been grazed for 2 or 3 years and they were fine. Just keep an eye out for redwater. Should be ok though.

Were you treating them with bayticol or imizol?

REBEL COUNTY1

Does all land left idle have redwater ticks or does it just depend on area?

yellow50HX

was offered a field a few years back that hadnt been grazed in years. we actually went to cut hay off it (picked out any wagworth) but then it rained on it so we wrapped it. cattle eat the silage fine over the winter. did the same the following year too. that lad that has it now is grazign horses in it. Its an old meadow so has grass that the horses can eat easier.

blue5000

OP If you can strip graze it then you can block graze it. Takes a bit more time I know but they will walk in the white stuff they don't eat and they won't be walking back and nibbling the re-growth.

You give them a small area approx 30 x 30 m every day, or whatever they can graze bare in a day for the number of cattle on it.

Best way to set it up is with long lanes (which you leave up) the full length of the field with 3 cross wires which you move the back one every day to set up a new block ahead of where you move them that day.
The secret is to have the next block set up so that as soon as the cattle see you they get fresh (white:rolleyes:) grass.

If you are getting it for nothing you can buy a few dozen pigtails and 500m rolls of poly wire. You don't have to buy 50e geared reels, get some empty MIG reels from a welder.

By moving them first thing in the morning when the grass is damp they won't need water, but don't do this if it's frosty, wait till the frost has melted.

Timmaay

blue5000 wrote: »

You don't have to buy 50e geared reels, get some empty MIG reels from a welder.

Oooh, are they geared?? I think I'll be dropping by my local engineering shop over the next few days!

blue5000

Timmaay wrote: »

Oooh, are they geared?? I think I'll be dropping by my local engineering shop over the next few days!

No gears, but us beef lads can't be splashing out for 7 or 8 geared reels at 50-60 e a pop. I hope your local engineering shop isn't mine:pac:

Farmer Pudsey

OP I would graze it well as blue 5000 suggested if you have it for the year I spread a bag of granlime to the acre if you think you will have it longterm soil sample it. It's PK content may be quite high if it has not been grazed for a few years so nitrogen may be all you need for a year or two. This idea of blackening places with slurry is a joke. Slurry has an economic value if spread correctly.

Redwater will be your biggest risk watch for it in May/June and again in September these are the danger months. Use an ivermectin in early May it should give you some protection for a few weeks and will cover worms as well. The tick that carries redwater can survive the winter in area's where there is long grass and this winter was mild as well.

After the first graze along with the granlime chainharrow the **** out of it this will remove dead grass and liven up the sward

Damo810

REBEL COUNTY1 wrote: »

Were you treating them with bayticol or imizol?

Nope. Didn't give them anything to prevent it. You should be fine this time of year. Just keep an eye. As long as the cattle are over a year old they should be ok. I'd be a little reserved on putting anything younger on it though.

Good loser

REBEL COUNTY1 wrote: »

Does all land left idle have redwater ticks or does it just depend on area?

No. It's much less common than it was.