Is the weather worse this spring

farmerjj

Is this springs weather worse than last year,it seems worse 2me.Last year at least we got a ok jan/feb.

slippy wicket

I would rather have it like this than have last years April and May.

bbam

Damn right.
Hasn't turned April yet so it's not late.

Tiz still spring.

Figerty

At least there is a spring this year.
Last year there was Winter,, then Summer

simx

not much spring here yet, have cows out but in 3 fields to be reseeded so doesnt matter so much that they are marking them, meant to spray them off next wek so if any other fields are not dry enough will go back into shed, no point poaching for the sake of leaving them out

Conmaicne Mara

Ask me at the end of April.

The one negative is we had a fair bit of sleet, which is bad for any animal outdoors, worse than hail or rain. Last while very cold, was also fairly dry here. Give me the option I'll pick cold & dry over sleet any day.

But it's too early to say IMO.

Miname

Last year was better here for grass anyway. I have still to get round to getting fertilizer out. the fieldss that got slurry are greening nicely but still havent got any decent covers, im blaming it on leaving stock out too long as being part of the cause but not all of it. prices were a bit better last spring too.

Timmaay

Grazing certainly way more challenging this year, last year we only had the one really wet week around paddys weekend. However at least the grass is growing this year!!

Conmaicne Mara

Miname wrote: »

im blaming it on leaving stock out too long as being part of the cause but not all of it.

I dunno, I closed up around Dec 3rd and am still short of grass with fert being out a few weeks now. The weather has not been the best since mid December, an odd decent spell here and there but shag all in total.

The father gave me one of those ould timer "was that a compliment or not"'s last week, "Soon you'll almost have grass"

bbam

This time last year was better for grass. But late April and May were awful cold windy and wet, rather have that in March/April than April/May.
Everything has it's time.

tanko

At least this year, there seems to be plenty of fodder about.

Timmaay

tanko wrote: »

At least this year, there seems to be plenty of fodder about.

Not in the east coast. But cheaper grain, and a decent harvest of maize and wholecrop makes a huge different.

whelan2

bought 25 bales of silage for the sucklers for 20 euro each off a neighbour a few weeks ago when feed looked tight. The major difference between last year and this is the feed-silage and straw- is alot better quality. cows milking very well this year so far

Timmaay

Conmaicne Mara wrote: »

I dunno, I closed up around Dec 3rd and am still short of grass with fert being out a few weeks now. The weather has not been the best since mid December, an odd decent spell here and there but shag all in total.

Did you carry much cover over the winter, or when you closed up in Dec had every blade of grass been eaten down? Last winter was great for growth, this winter not as much, but grass definitely did grow by us here, it was helped by starting to close paddocks in early Oct, I had most stock in by mid Nov I think, that was due to my average farm cover being too low rather than poor grazing conditions. Holding over them few covers was much to the annoyance of my dad ha, who then proceeded to tell me I had made a mistake when grazing them out in Feb was very challenging! Ya can't win ha!

Conmaicne Mara

Timmaay wrote: »

Did you carry much cover over the winter, or when you closed up in Dec had every blade of grass been eaten down? Last winter was great for growth, this winter not as much, but grass definitely did grow by us here, it was helped by starting to close paddocks in early Oct, I had most stock in by mid Nov I think, that was due to my average farm cover being too low rather than poor grazing conditions. Holding over them few covers was much to the annoyance of my dad ha, who then proceeded to tell me I had made a mistake when grazing them out in Feb was very challenging! Ya can't win ha!

Shag all Tim, I kept more stock (lambs and ewes marked for selling) later into the year than I normally would as was looking at an avenue to increase stock levels that didn't work out.

I reckon the storms we had didn't help either, blew a lot of salt onto the land. I notice a good number of evergreens in particular in this area with one side burned brown.

bbam

whelan2 wrote: »

bought 25 bales of silage for the sucklers for 20 euro each off a neighbour a few weeks ago when feed looked tight. The major difference between last year and this is the feed-silage and straw- is alot better quality. cows milking very well this year so far

Jesus.
€20 !!
He's wasting his time at that money.

whelan2

bbam wrote: »

Jesus.
€20 !!
He's wasting his time at that money.

they where lovely bales, he's a good neighbour and has loads more if we want them , he delivered them

jack o shea

it seems to be getting harder every year to cope with the weather

Muckit

tanko wrote: »

At least this year, there seems to be plenty of fodder about.

Plenty of trailers of bales and pit silage going the road around here. As you say at least the fodder is there to be bought.

There is no nature in it yet. Wind that would cut you in two, high water table and feck all grass growth.

Time enough going with the bag yet. Too expensive.

kevthegaff

worst day of the year here still raining:-(

jack o shea

it would drive you to the pub,sick of it now.

Greengrass1

Grazing silage ground here now and its starting to get very sift under foot. Won't take much more rain

kevthegaff

Is it me or is the spring getting latter every year, i think housing is getting more and more important

jack o shea

i think the first of may will soon be the new paddys day in farming terms, now thats depressing.

lefthooker

No comparison between this year and last, this spring is a disaster.
Last year, cows out full time, this year only by day.
Last year, silage ground grazed, this year too soft to go near.
Last year, everywhere got a cwt of fert, this year only 2t spread in total.
Last year, slurry spread on paddocks after grazing, this year tanks full again.
Last year, corn was sown, this year only just taken the paint off the boards.
And I could go on and on and on.
I'll also take dry and cold over wet and soft any time

jack o shea

cows back in, were only out a few days here and there anyway, be lucky to be back out for easter goin by tonights forecast.

rancher

bbam wrote: »

Jesus.
€20 !!
He's wasting his time at that money.

He is taking no account of the N.P.K that's going out the gate in those bales

A good year here, ewes going out on 8 cms grass, this time last year there was 400kg nuts/day going out in the quad and snacker.
Have enough grass for 2-3 weeks and weather supposed to warm up in the next few days

whelan2

rancher wrote: »

He is taking no account of the N.P.K that's going out the gate in those bales

no he is being a good neighbour, great to have them, i will look after him for something else later in the year, great to see not everyone is out to make a quick buck

whelan2

such a doom and gloom thread, its still march , yes land is wet , theres nothing we can do about it. (except moan:cool:)

farmerjj

whelan2 wrote: »

such a doom and gloom thread, its still march , yes land is wet , theres nothing we can do about it. (except moan:cool:)

Still march..... just. Next weeks weather looks bad to,but all will be forgotten if the rest of year is good (fingers crossed)

I said

I ve a reseed here thats flying if it keeps going ill be baling it in around three weeks