Reseeding silage ground in Spring

dh1985

Have some silage ground I am contemplating reseeding. It's good land but not satisfied with the yield from it over the past few years. Is spring a good time to reseed. Use the aftergrass for weanling this time of year so don't want to reseed in autumn if possible. What is the best method for reseeding. Plough and reseed v stitching? Would be grateful for any advice.

whelan1

dh1985 wrote: »

Have some silage ground I am contemplating reseeding. It's good land but not satisfied with the yield from it over the past few years. Is spring a good time to reseed. Use the aftergrass for weanling this time of year so don't want to reseed in autumn if possible. What is the best method for reseeding. Plough and reseed v stitching? Would be grateful for any advice.

have you soil tested the field?

dh1985

whelan1 wrote: »

have you soil tested the field?

No but intend to in the coming weeks

jersey101

dh1985 wrote: »

Have some silage ground I am contemplating reseeding. It's good land but not satisfied with the yield from it over the past few years. Is spring a good time to reseed. Use the aftergrass for weanling this time of year so don't want to reseed in autumn if possible. What is the best method for reseeding. Plough and reseed v stitching? Would be grateful for any advice.

have 12ac to do in the spring.its part of a 30ac field. I cut the silage off in 20th july and disced it and sowed forage rape. Grand covering of grass and rape now. Depending on what condition it is in the spring i will either plough or disc again but will prob disc it. Going to sow a hybrid grass in it then for silage

dh1985

jersey101 wrote: »

have 12ac to do in the spring.its part of a 30ac field. I cut the silage off in 20th july and disced it and sowed forage rape. Grand covering of grass and rape now. Depending on what condition it is in the spring i will either plough or disc again but will prob disc it. Going to sow a hybrid grass in it then for silage

What's the benefits of just discing it versus ploughing. Is it just a cost thing. When do you anticipate it to be ready for mowing if you reseed in early spring. Would you have a good crop of grass come early June. Sorry about all the questions.

jersey101

dh1985 wrote: »

What's the benefits of just discing it versus ploughing. Is it just a cost thing. When do you anticipate it to be ready for mowing if you reseed in early spring. Would you have a good crop of grass come early June. Sorry about all the questions.

i just disced it after the silage because i wanted a quick job. Its alot cheaper aswell. Ive low OM here and low P and K so dont want to be turning that down. I sowed italian this spring in march and i cut it in july. It woulsd have been cut earlier only of the cold spring. Im hoping to sow this in march and get a first cut in mid june

dh1985

jersey101 wrote: »

i just disced it after the silage because i wanted a quick job. Its alot cheaper aswell. Ive low OM here and low P and K so dont want to be turning that down. I sowed italian this spring in march and i cut it in july. It woulsd have been cut earlier only of the cold spring. Im hoping to sow this in march and get a first cut in mid june

Yeah that's what I wad be hoping to do also. Have no experience of reseeding though. Would there be a middling to good crop within a ten to twelve week period post reseeding or would it take longer for it to thicken up

jersey101

dh1985 wrote: »

Yeah that's what I wad be hoping to do also. Have no experience of reseeding though. Would there be a middling to good crop within a ten to twelve week period post reseeding or would it take longer for it to thicken up

if your using perenial ryegrass you will have to let it grow and then graze it and then take silage. if you want to use itailian you dont need to graze that just let it grow and cut it. You will get 3 cuts a year off it along with grazing in the backend but that will only last 3 year where perenial will last 7-8 yrs

Zts crystal

Arable silage. Grass and barley

freedominacup

Zts crystal wrote: »

Arable silage. Grass and barley

Worked well for us this year. 4 stone of barley broadcast with 10-10-20 just before one-pass and grass-seed out with one pass. Cut 10 weeks later results are in silage analysis thread. We also direct drilled another area later in year. If the ground you are re-seeding is well laid out then DD is the way to go much cheaper and faster. If you have a badly poached/rutted field the DD isn't going to be much good.

Zts crystal

I agree freedom

Dunedin

dh1985 wrote: »

Yeah that's what I wad be hoping to do also. Have no experience of reseeding though. Would there be a middling to good crop within a ten to twelve week period post reseeding or would it take longer for it to thicken up

don't let a new re-seed field straigth to silage. if you do then not enough light will get through to the crop and you will have tilering problems i.e. patchy grass.

Best method is to graze it first adn then you can let back to silage.

dh1985

Dunedin wrote: »

don't let a new re-seed field straigth to silage. if you do then not enough light will get through to the crop and you will have tilering problems i.e. patchy grass.

Best method is to graze it first adn then you can let back to silage.

It's probably preferable to reseed post silage so and let cattle eat it off in the back end of the year or early springtime. Will probably wait until next July so after June aftergrass is eaten.

dh1985

jersey101 wrote: »

if your using perenial ryegrass you will have to let it grow and then graze it and then take silage. if you want to use itailian you dont need to graze that just let it grow and cut it. You will get 3 cuts a year off it along with grazing in the backend but that will only last 3 year where perenial will last 7-8 yrs

Does the Italian rye give a better yield than perennial. Don't want to graze silage ground after reseeding at that time of year as silage willrun later than I would like. Thinking of leaving this spring and do it after silage is completed.

jersey101

dh1985 wrote: »

Does the Italian rye give a better yield than perennial. Don't want to graze silage ground after reseeding at that time of year as silage willrun later than I would like. Thinking of leaving this spring and do it after silage is completed.

ye you will get 3 very bulky crops and high quality silage to. Just sow it and let it grow

dh1985

jersey101 wrote: »

ye you will get 3 very bulky crops and high quality silage to. Just sow it and let it grow

Must investigate some more into the Italian grass. Wouldn't be over gone on having to reseed every three years as you said but if it allows for greater cattle numbers then it may be well worth it. After three years does yields fall back dramatically? Just in case I lose count of the years rolling by!

jersey101

dh1985 wrote: »

Must investigate some more into the Italian grass. Wouldn't be over gone on having to reseed every three years as you said but if it allows for greater cattle numbers then it may be well worth it. After three years does yields fall back dramatically? Just in case I lose count of the years rolling by!

hybrid might suit you better lasts for 7yrs+ im sowing it next year. Get 3 cuts off that too. The Italian will just dye ull know when its gone

dh1985

jersey101 wrote: »

hybrid might suit you better lasts for 7yrs+ im sowing it next year. Get 3 cuts off that too. The Italian will just dye ull know when its gone

Is there any benefits of choosing the perennial over the hybrid so. Would hybrid be the best option available in your opinion.

just do it

dh1985 wrote: »

No but intend to in the coming weeks

Maybe wait until the New Year. Ideally you'd soil test 6 months since the last fertiliser whether that be chemical or slurry.

jersey101

dh1985 wrote: »

Is there any benefits of choosing the perennial over the hybrid so. Would hybrid be the best option available in your opinion.

the only benefit would be the 3 cuts of silage. If you have good p and k and not tight for ground go for the perenial. Im sowing because ive a high stocking rate and need to get as much silage as i can

just do it

dh1985 wrote: »

It's probably preferable to reseed post silage so and let cattle eat it off in the back end of the year or early springtime. Will probably wait until next July so after June aftergrass is eaten.

Take a second cut early to mid-August and you could have it reseeded a day later. Spray 5 days before harvesting the silage. That way you've the best of new grass for your weanlings in mid-October. First grazing with light stock before closing for the winter is ideal. Then the following Spring get another grazing in before closing for silage.

Italian and hybrid are worth looking into alright for silage ground. Plan in doing so myself!

dh1985

jersey101 wrote: »

the only benefit would be the 3 cuts of silage. If you have good p and k and not tight for ground go for the perenial. Im sowing because ive a high stocking rate and need to get as much silage as i can

would be reasonably well stocked for the amount of land I have. But if there was scope to increase numbers due to reseeding I would definitely consider the hybrid.

freedominacup

just do it wrote: »

Take a second cut early to mid-August and you could have it reseeded a day later. Spray 5 days before harvesting the silage. That way you've the best of new grass for your weanlings in mid-October. First grazing with light stock before closing for the winter is ideal. Then the following Spring get another grazing in before closing for silage.

Italian and hybrid are worth looking into alright for silage ground. Plan in doing so myself!

I think Italian ryegrasses are a bit like flares or paisley shirts, wait long enough and someone will be blathering on about how revolutionary they are and how they're the next big thing. I've seen a few paisley shirts making an appearence lately so Italian must be due an airing out by now as well.

jersey101

dh1985 wrote: »

would be reasonably well stocked for the amount of land I have. But if there was scope to increase numbers due to reseeding I would definitely consider the hybrid.

id be hoping to get no less than 15- 16 bales/acre for first and second cut 10 -12 for third

dh1985

just do it wrote: »

Take a second cut early to mid-August and you could have it reseeded a day later. Spray 5 days before harvesting the silage. That way you've the best of new grass for your weanlings in mid-October. First grazing with light stock before closing for the winter is ideal. Then the following Spring get another grazing in before closing for silage.

Italian and hybrid are worth looking into alright for silage ground. Plan in doing so myself!

Yeah I have been always told by friends that are more knowledgeable about reseeding than that the best time to reseed was august or September. I think I should have acted sooner this year as had second cut taken august bank holiday weekend. Could be looking at a new field of grass now. Will probably end up waiting until next august now. Were conditions good this year for reseeding considering the uncharacteristically hot spells without rain

dh1985

jersey101 wrote: »

id be hoping to get no less than 15- 16 bales/acre for first and second cut 10 -12 for third

Lord that would be a serious yield. Cut the first weekend of June this year. Got 6-7 bales to the acre with land after getting 3 bags of cut Sward in april and a dose of cattle / pig slurry in February / March. had good expectations after walking through it but It failed to deliver. Know growing conditions were not hectic but still disappointing.

jersey101

dh1985 wrote: »

Lord that would be a serious yield. Cut the first weekend of June this year. Got 6-7 bales to the acre with land after getting 3 bags of cut Sward in april and a dose of cattle / pig slurry in February / March. had good expectations after walking through it but It failed to deliver. Know growing conditions were not hectic but still disappointing.[/quo

Same every where im afraid. I sowed the itailian in april and didnt cut till july. Was set up for a second cut but had to graze it since

agriman27

dh1985 wrote: »

Have some silage ground I am contemplating reseeding. It's good land but not satisfied with the yield from it over the past few years. Is spring a good time to reseed. Use the aftergrass for weanling this time of year so don't want to reseed in autumn if possible. What is the best method for reseeding. Plough and reseed v stitching? Would be grateful for any advice.

I'm in the same situation wasn't really prepared to reseed this year. I hope to buy my own machinery over the next few months to reseed when I want to and not have to rely on contractors who plough too deep. I hope by reseeding I will be able to carry more stock as well and make high quality silage.

Farmer Pudsey

OP it depends on how much silage you want. hybrids and Italians are very good if you want 3 cuts/year. Yes you have to reseed ever 3-4 years but on the other hand it is very easy to DD into them, DD cost 40-60/acre and with seed (hybrids and Italians are usually cheaper than ordinary grass seed but you need slightly more per acre as they are bigger seeds) spray slug pellets and fertilizer. So reseeding would cost less than 200/acre if you can spray and roll yourself. With adequate fertilizer they will average 30/bales acre a year.

You can include redclover in the mix so as to reduce nitrogen costs. This year I cut them the 25th May and got slightly over 11 bales/acre and they were fairly well wilted, got 7bales/acre on 2nd cut ( this was haylage) and got 8 on the third cut which was again very well wilted. Will get a graze before Christmas. They were in two 4 acre fields/paddocks one was a hybrid in its 4th year that had gone very sparse (did not count it 3rd cut in the figures as I reseeded it)

If sowing a hybrid in spring consider grazing after 4ish week to thicken and then cut 8-10 weeks later. You can do this in the first year as it will not go to seed in its first year. The other option is to increase you seed rate under sow to barley (3-4 stone/acre) and get a good cut of silage after 12-14 weeks and a second cut in September.

With hybrids/Italian I go for a good first cut at around it heading date (usually around 20thMay) 2nd cut is usually poorish as it head fast however 3rd cut can be fairly ok. This year I think the field that I reseeded set back the total as it was in its forth year.

jersey101

Farmer Pudsey wrote: »

OP it depends on how much silage you want. hybrids and Italians are very good if you want 3 cuts/year. Yes you have to reseed ever 3-4 years but on the other hand it is very easy to DD into them, DD cost 40-60/acre and with seed (hybrids and Italians are usually cheaper than ordinary grass seed but you need slightly more per acre as they are bigger seeds) spray slug pellets and fertilizer. So reseeding would cost less than 200/acre if you can spray and roll yourself. With adequate fertilizer they will average 30/bales acre a year.

You can include redclover in the mix so as to reduce nitrogen costs. This year I cut them the 25th May and got slightly over 11 bales/acre and they were fairly well wilted, got 7bales/acre on 2nd cut ( this was haylage) and got 8 on the third cut which was again very well wilted. Will get a graze before Christmas. They were in two 4 acre fields/paddocks one was a hybrid in its 4th year that had gone very sparse (did not count it 3rd cut in the figures as I reseeded it)

If sowing a hybrid in spring consider grazing after 4ish week to thicken and then cut 8-10 weeks later. You can do this in the first year as it will not go to seed in its first year. The other option is to increase you seed rate under sow to barley (3-4 stone/acre) and get a good cut of silage after 12-14 weeks and a second cut in September.

With hybrids/Italian I go for a good first cut at around it heading date (usually around 20thMay) 2nd cut is usually poorish as it head fast however 3rd cut can be fairly ok. This year I think the field that I reseeded set back the total as it was in its forth year.

i thought tge hybrid lasted for about 6 yrs??

Robson99

jersey101 wrote: »

hybrid might suit you better lasts for 7yrs+ im sowing it next year. Get 3 cuts off that too. The Italian will just dye ull know when its gone

What Hybrid grass would you recommend Jersey. 7 yrs would be excellent