Cattle going out, is it to early..?

kingstown

Have a herd test tomorrow and was thinking of letting them off on tuesday after they are read, is it still to early...
I have plenty of silage / hay.

I'v seen cattle out here and there, but not in huge numbers. Drove down M5 in UK Somerset / Devon on Wednesday and didn't see a animal out at all only a few sheep here and there..

farmerjj

Nice few dairy cows out by day around here,ours will be left out tomorrow for there 1st day. Its a week or two later than usual. Might be a bit cold yet to leave much out by night.

kingstown

Yeah, thought that myself as well but it seems to have got a bit softer since Wednesday and hopefully we are over the harsh weather.
But as you know we could get snow anytime up until the end of March..

Its yearling bullocks i was going to let off, and the only other cattle other than Cows i saw out are about 25 handy friesian's at Rockwell farm, and they have been out for at least 10 days now and are out at night as well.

dodo mommy

I would say it depends on what part of the country your in pal, where abouts are you?

RedPeppers

dodo mommy wrote: »

I would say it depends on what part of the country your in pal, where abouts are you?

I could only ever dream of getting stock out this early, 1st of April last year for the milkers and will probably be something similar this year, it would be great to have the land some lads on here have

kingstown

dodo mommy wrote: »

I would say it depends on what part of the country your in pal, where abouts are you?

We are in south tipperary, farm is dry land. Could be described as 'warm' land but you could get cought out handy enough letting cattle out too early.
I work in Waterford so gone all day and home late therefore not able to be bringing them in in the evenings

all going well on Tuesday, I'll let them off out to the first field and let them have access to a yard and open shed if they want shelter.

I recon we will see a fair share of cattle let off this coming week

Miname

Replacements let off today with the bull and a few weanlings and some cows with calves. Any young stock have been well vaccinated so not too worried.

RobertKK

Seems to be some rainy days in the forecast.

Not settled yet.

Miname

RobertKK wrote: »

Seems to be some rainy days in the forecast.

Not settled yet.

I've autumn calved that are creeping out the field here and you'd be surprised the days they won't come in.

Willfarman

If the ground will carry them, then let out the smallest stock you have. Clipping off that aul autumn winter grown grass will crown the land

Farmer Pudsey

Left some of the strongest store off today. They spend the winter on silage only. On reduced rations for last week so put head down when they went out

Muckit

Their pelt looks in great order. Do you treat for lice puds?

Will probably take a chance on letting out a few myself before next weekend.

Bullocks

Farmer Pudsey wrote:

Left some of the strongest store off today. They spend the winter on silage only. On reduced rations for last week so put head down when they went out

They look in good order , the front two fr lads are look like great friesans

Farmer Pudsey

Muckit wrote: »

Their pelt looks in great order. Do you treat for lice puds?

Will probably take a chance on letting out a few myself before next weekend.

I did for fluke and worms at housing they all got an ivermectin and either flukiver or an oral dose. Normally do them again after six weeks with flukiver however it slipped this year and I did them in late January with a generic super ivermectin.

caseman

Farmer Pudsey wrote: »

Left some of the strongest store off today. They spend the winter on silage only. On reduced rations for last week so put head down when they went out

You have some great shelter an that farm pudsey.
Looks like reseeded ground.

Farmer Pudsey

Muckit wrote: »

Their pelt looks in great order. Do you treat for lice puds?

Will probably take a chance on letting out a few myself before next weekend.

The reason there coats are fairy good is I feed plenty of bagged minerals on silage. Also shed is very open so they have a hairy coat for a lot of the winter inside but start to lose it from mid February.

Bullocks wrote: »

They look in good order , the front two fr lads are look like great friesans

The fellas with the horns are fairly square to square. The white fresian bullock in the second picture I bought last may he was a bull and was 390kgs came in very right I think he was in the yard for 475 euro, He is a bit bellyish but is a big squarish bulock. The same day I bought home a Jex cross bull 345kgd in the yard for 350. I wish ever day in the mart was like that. The Jex was out all winter with another lad that was injured. He is a good bullock now.

Some big bullocks there some are plainish but happy enough the way they came out after the winter.

caseman wrote: »

You have some great shelter an that farm pudsey.
Looks like reseeded ground.

There are in a small field near the shed, orginally I outwintered for two years when I first bought the farm 12 years ago. Previous owner out wintered ont as well, reseed it 10 years ago. Good grass mix do not know what was in it. However being near the yard it often gets the end of the fertlizer spreader.

Reggie.

Farmer Pudsey wrote: »

Left some of the strongest store off today. They spend the winter on silage only. On reduced rations for last week so put head down when they went out

Some of them escape the hacksaw puds

Farmer Pudsey

Reggie. wrote: »

Some of them escape the hacksaw puds

Larry is not fussy about horns yet . They were part of a DD job lot last September. If you skulled them they would lose 2-4 weeks growth and vet call out etc it would be costing 10ish/head.

Nettleman

Farmer Pudsey wrote: »

Larry is not fussy about horns yet . They were part of a DD job lot last September. If you skulled them they would lose 2-4 weeks growth and vet call out etc it would be costing 10ish/head.

If he does damages te other ones, it could be very costly.

Willfarman

A horn often done costly damage...

Bullocks

Willfarman wrote: »

A horn often done costly damage...

Tell me about it , I'm still paying for mine and I only used it twice !

Willfarman

Bullocks wrote: »

Tell me about it , I'm still paying for mine and I only used it twice !

I'd say the hacksaw will stay in the workshop all the same!

Bullocks

Willfarman wrote: »

I'd say the hacksaw will stay in the workshop all the same!

T'wud be a shame to get rid of it alright

Reggie.

Bullocks wrote: »

T'wud be a shame to get rid of it alright

As troublesome as it is

Bullocks

Reggie. wrote: »

As troublesome as it is

Fierce troublesome, it keeps me awake some nights

Reggie.

Bullocks wrote: »

Fierce troublesome, it keeps me awake some nights

Rolling over and its like a bike stand on ya

F.D

Let out 20 yearlings on saturday, they were in a fairly open straw bedded shed
which i need for calves now, that's why they got booted out, Saturday was a great day but the rain and wind since is making me wonder did i slip up.
there on a fairly sheltered field with reasonable grass cover and about 1kg of meal per day

have2flushtwice

I opened the gate from the shed into a small paddock two weeks ago, the weanlings are going in and out as they please. i've a square made that I could move if they were doing damage but they are light so not much done. I turned them out yesterday morning and they walked the length of it and came back in again. there was a bit of new grass made available but they weren't too interested.

Reggie.

have2flushtwice wrote: »

I opened the gate from the shed into a small paddock two weeks ago, the weanlings are going in and out as they please. i've a square made that I could move if they were doing damage but they are light so not much done. I turned them out yesterday morning and they walked the length of it and came back in again. there was a bit of new grass made available but they weren't too interested.

Your spoiling them too much. That's your problem

have2flushtwice

Reggie. wrote: »

Your spoiling them too much. That's your problem

definitely not.
Everything on grass with the smaller ones having access to a shed is the plan for the end of this month.
dairy lad next door has carpets of green - cant help but envy him and his debts.

ellewood

have2flushtwice wrote: »

definitely not.
Everything on grass with the smaller ones having access to a shed is the plan for the end of this month.
dairy lad next door has carpets of green - cant help but envy him and his debts.

How do ya know he has debts?:D

have2flushtwice

ellewood wrote: »

How do ya know he has debts?:D

90 cows last year up to 140 this year.
if he is not in debt then all the luck in the world to him!

ellewood

have2flushtwice wrote: »

90 cows last year up to 140 this year.
if he is not in debt then all the luck in the world to him!

Maybe he won the lotto:P

Farmer Pudsey

F.D wrote: »

Let out 20 yearlings on saturday, they were in a fairly open straw bedded shed
which i need for calves now, that's why they got booted out, Saturday was a great day but the rain and wind since is making me wonder did i slip up.
there on a fairly sheltered field with reasonable grass cover and about 1kg of meal per day

I left 23 strong stores out Saturday. They were in a small field a little over an acre. It should have lasted 3-4 day had to move them early this morning. However they are out and fairly settled. It is staying fairly mild so grass will grow strongly and I have a few good covers. If I do not stary getting them out quality will go to sh!t by May. It is a case of play it by ear and move them. First field in this situatation will take a bit of a hammering but as long as you do not allow them to plough it will recover.

In a two months time your cattle will be 20 kgs heavier than if you weighted three weeks.

Willfarman

There's a lot to be said for the wooly white vermin for grassland management in heavy ground.

Muckit

Farmer Pudsey wrote: »

I left 23 strong stores out Saturday. They were in a small field a little over an acre. It should have lasted 3-4 day had to move them early this morning. However they are out and fairly settled. It is staying fairly mild so grass will grow strongly and I have a few good covers. If I do not stary getting them out quality will go to sh!t by May. It is a case of play it by ear and move them. First field in this situatation will take a bit of a hammering but as long as you do not allow them to plough it will recover.

In a two months time your cattle will be 20 kgs heavier than if you weighted three weeks.

You are right. Less than 8 weeks to May day. A lad needs to be brave NOW. A bit of kindness in the temperatures. It was the first time I noticed a bit of heat in the sun over the weekend.

From other years l've learnt that it's too late when the real burst of growth comes to be letting them out. Chasing my tail then playing catch up and l never really do.

This is where a few calculations on what grass l have for to let out a few comes in. Bales are handy this time of year to feed the ones left inside.

In saying that l wonder will l put my money where my mouth is before the weekend! !?

whelan2

Willfarman wrote: »

There's a lot to be said for the wooly white vermin for grassland management in heavy ground.

Yup they will eat it to the clay over the winter and when you get a crap spring there will be no grass for any stock

Muckit

whelan2 wrote: »

Yup they will eat it to the clay over the winter and when you get a crap spring there will be no grass for any stock

But the thing is on heavy ground even if you had grass you couldn't let out cattle or they would plough it up. Seen neighbours who take in sheep have really tight swards.

I know what you are saying though too about no grass but when it comes the quality would be excellent.

Willfarman

A crap spring is a crap spring. The ground that was ate bare will throw up a haze of very nutritious fresh growth. Heavy land that's not grazed has a covering of semi dead autumn winter grass that does nothing for stock mid April.

have2flushtwice

Muckit wrote: »

But the thing is on heavy ground even if you had grass you couldn't let out cattle or they would plough it up. Seen neighbours who take in sheep have really tight swards.

I know what you are saying though too about no grass but when it comes the quality would be excellent.

saw a field Saturday which looked like it was ploughed.... on a closer look there were cattle in it - a good three acres in pure clay. hope hes planning on reseeding it.

Muckit

Hmmmmm.... This week may not be the week. Looks like v changeable temps between night and day. Will give me time to get fences etc in order!

whelan2

Willfarman wrote: »

A crap spring is a crap spring. The ground that was ate bare will throw up a haze of very nutritious fresh growth. Heavy land that's not grazed has a covering of semi dead autumn winter grass that does nothing for stock mid April.

I know. But some grass is better than no grass. Learnt the hard way in 2013

Bullocks

Willfarman wrote: »

A crap spring is a crap spring. The ground that was ate bare will throw up a haze of very nutritious fresh growth. Heavy land that's not grazed has a covering of semi dead autumn winter grass that does nothing for stock mid April.

Hope that's right , I have mine on a few acres that usually doesn't get ate before the first cut of silage because it's soft for cattle . I'm going to skin it

Farmer Pudsey

A few follow up pictures. First few are of middle of the day yesterday got about 17mm rain from forecast on Saturday night. Cattle are fairly settled but you can see how grass has suffered. I put in a picture of the expensive Jex that I bought last May He is one of GG calves I say.. He was out all winter with a bullock that I could not house. He a big Ho bullock who broke his Rod last spring. I think I got him off Freedom or Mahoney. Have uploaded a max of Five photo's so will have to put rest on another post.

Greengrass1

Farmer Pudsey wrote: »

A few follow up pictures. First few are of middle of the day yesterday got about 17mm rain from forecast on Saturday night. Cattle are fairly settled but you can see how grass has suffered. I put in a picture of the expensive Jex that I bought last May He is one of GG calves I say.. He was out all winter with a bullock that I could not house. He a big Ho bullock who broke his Rod last spring. I think I got him off Freedom or Mahoney. Have uploaded a max of Five photo's so will have to put rest on another post.

Feckin hols always causing problems puds

Farmer Pudsey

I moved the cattle to another smallish paddock this morning early. The next picture are of the paddock after them this evening. Last pictures are of them this evening they are well settle afraid of the fence and no longer galloping around the place.

Willfarman

Great bunch of store there. Look ready to pile on the kilos. textbook stuff!

Muckit

Farmer Pudsey wrote: »

I moved the cattle to another smallish paddock this morning early. The next picture are of the paddock after them this evening. Last pictures are of them this evening they are well settle afraid of the fence and no longer galloping around the place.

Would you have liked them to clean it out better? You would think they'd eat it to the clay.

Farmer Pudsey

Muckit wrote: »

Would you have liked them to clean it out better? You would think they'd eat it to the clay.

Got 17mm of rain Saturday night, and 4-6 Sunday night according to forecast. Could have tried to have left them on it Monday however having left cattle out in this sort of weather before I am aware that real damage is done when cattle are hungry grass is dirtish and cattle start to walk around hungry.

I am getting slurry spread this week. Will give it 1.5-2K gallons and if weather dry's give it a run of the chain harrow. Will then graze it tight next time.

_Brian

Our ground is heavy here.
Will be about another three weeks of indoor feeding. Have plenty of bales.

Farmer Pudsey

Have 50 out of 70 out. Biggest issue is not being able to spraed fertlizer as it is too wet. Cattle that are out are doing well. grass growing well on lad that got slurry.

Lost a bullock to a brain infection. Saw him and called vet(bullock going sideways) vet thinks it was a middle ear infection and only gave him a 50/50 chance.. Pumped him with cortizone and an antibiotic every 12 hours. However he went down the following day and his swallow went. Had to get the Knackery to put him down. One of the best Fr I had must have been at or near 600kgs LW an O= bullock.

However all we can do is soldier on as at least it is outside the door.