Silage thread

Greengrass1

jaymla627 wrote: »

You not reckon it's pure madness cutting massive crops like that as bales, anything over 7 bales to the acre and you are making very dear silage

It's dry cow silage so happy enough. Doing it ourselves too.
prob pit the first cut next yr. Doubt we'll have the time.
170 bales of 10 ac and 30 bales off another piece

Timmaay

Gg I was down your neck of the woods yday, some ridiculously steamy headed out stuff being cut for silage ha, I couldn't see that being anything over 65dmd at best.

Greengrass1

Timmaay wrote: »

Gg I was down your neck of the woods yday, some ridiculously steamy headed out stuff being cut for silage ha, I couldn't see that being anything over 65dmd at best.

Ours wasn't too bad tbh. Was steamy alright but not alot of seed heads yet

Greengrass1

jaymla627 wrote: »

You not reckon it's pure madness cutting massive crops like that as bales, anything over 7 bales to the acre and you are making very dear silage

Did you not say last wk you were feeding meal to make silage? I'd say yours could be dearer than mine

jaymla627

Greengrass1 wrote: »

Did you not say last wk you were feeding meal to make silage? I'd say yours could be dearer than mine

Sure did 60% of grazing block has been cut to date with cows on this after grass now, another 20% being mowed tomorw and the rest has been topped, with the exception of 10% which is closed of for silage in two weeks time....
Never had the place as clean and booming with grass, love the way you go and take a comment like that out of context

Greengrass1

jaymla627 wrote: »

Sure did 60% of grazing block has been cut to date with cows on this after grass now, another 20% being mowed tomorw and the rest has been topped, with the exception of 10% which is closed of for silage in two weeks time....
Never had the place as clean and booming with grass, love the way you go and take a comment like that out of context

Sure would I better off cutting double the acres and getting half the yeild on them as what I got?
It's steamy alright but v little heads. Be fine for dry cows.
I've 50% of farm mowed here. 2 paddocks topped. Rest no need to cows cleaning out fine

Reggie.

Shaking the cobwebs off today

whelan2

Reggie. wrote: »

Shaking the cobwebs off today

is the ground wet?

jaymla627

Greengrass1 wrote: »

Sure would I better off cutting double the acres and getting half the yeild on them as what I got?
It's steamy alright but v little heads. Be fine for dry cows.
I've 50% of farm mowed here. 2 paddocks topped. Rest no need to cows cleaning out fine

Short answer yes, if your getting 10 plus bales an acre of grazing platform your really taking the good out of paddocks and knocking recovery time for aftergrass....
First cut and a couple of paddocks was cut here on 15 may, paddocks now back in rotation since weekend and covers of 1000 plus what's the turnaround for grazing on paddocks where you have taken your heavy cut of 10 plus bales to the acre

Greengrass1

jaymla627 wrote: »

Short answer yes, if your getting 10 plus bales an acre of grazing platform your really taking the good out of paddocks and knocking recovery time for aftergrass....
First cut and a couple of paddocks was cut here on 15 may, paddocks now back in rotation since weekend and covers of 1000 plus what's the turnaround for grazing on paddocks where you have taken your heavy cut of 10 plus bales to the acre

This ground is on milk block but not grazing ground don't need it yet and won't be grazing ground for another 2 yrs.
It gets well fed with P and k that's why the big crop is coming off it. Was due to ve cut 10 days ago but weather wasn't there.
If I have surplus paddocks there knocked asap not let bulk up

Reggie.

whelan2 wrote: »

is the ground wet?

The farmer just pulled that area with a grubber before we started stacking as it was badly poached. There was a few damp spots alright where old silage bales were left to rot and I had to move thrm

raypallas

Reggie. wrote:

Shaking the cobwebs off today

Would you not be worried about the top bale falling off when its stacked on the flat?

Got 330 bales made today, wrapped and stacked between ourselves and the neighbour. Another 100 for myself tomorrow and about 300 on Thursday between us all going well.

CloughCasey1

7 acres cut with 68 bales yesterday. Closed 7th April got dung end feb grazed last week in march and 2 bags gran lime and 2.5 bags cut sward before closing happy out with return and looked nice and leafy.

Reggie.

raypallas wrote: »

Would you not be worried about the top bale falling off when its stacked on the flat?

Got 330 bales made today, wrapped and stacked between ourselves and the neighbour. Another 100 for myself tomorrow and about 300 on Thursday between us all going well.

No it never moves. Stacked 170 yesterday. Another 100 to do today

RobinBanks

How long do ye let grass wilt before baling. I cut grass yesterday evening and baling this evening. Wondering should I leave it another day before baling

tanko

RobinBanks wrote: »

How long do ye let grass wilt before baling. I cut grass yesterday evening and baling this evening. Wondering should I leave it another day before baling

If you tedded it out I'd be baling this evening. A contractor told me today that lads are ringing him to come and bale sooner because they're panicking about stuff drying out too much. Who would have thought that would be a problem ten days ago.

RobinBanks

tanko wrote: »

If you tedded it out I'd be baling this evening. A contractor told me today that lads are ringing him to come and bale sooner because they're panicking about stuff drying out too much. Who would have thought that would be a problem ten days ago.

Cheers tanko. Broke the f**king chain on the whilter when I was half way through a field of soft green grass. It will be probably be wet oul stuff when I'm feeding next spring

mahoney_j

tanko wrote: »

If you tedded it out I'd be baling this evening. A contractor told me today that lads are ringing him to come and bale sooner because they're panicking about stuff drying out too much. Who would have thought that would be a problem ten days ago.

Can't have bales dry enough ,40/50% dm no issue as long as no holes in plastic and stacked correct.

tanko

RobinBanks wrote: »

Cheers tanko. Broke the f**king chain on the whilter when I was half way through a field of soft green grass. It will be probably be wet oul stuff when I'm feeding next spring

If it's soft green stuff another day won't do it any harm, it all depends what kind of silage it is.

Reggie.

RobinBanks wrote: »

How long do ye let grass wilt before baling. I cut grass yesterday evening and baling this evening. Wondering should I leave it another day before baling

That's all it was left at the last place. Nearly hay here after 1 day on the ground

AP2014

20 acres done here with 288 bales, 14.4 per acre. Little disappointed with some but Mchale baler and big bales.

A neighbour wants to take some fields for a 2nd cut. He will fertilise and I am not short on grass. What would 2nd cut be making per bale and he fertilises?

Toby12345

Fierce weather we are having. There will be no bad silage this winter so far.

Reggie.

Toby12345 wrote: »

Fierce weather we are having. There will be no bad silage this winter so far.

Don't ya know someone will manage it

smokey-fitz

Toby12345 wrote: »

Fierce weather we are having. There will be no bad silage this winter so far.

Couple of lads around me pitted wet silage back in may, cut wet and picked up wet. Some dairy men too. Cant see that stuff being good..

freedominacup

smokey-fitz wrote: »

Couple of lads around me pitted wet silage back in may, cut wet and picked up wet. Some dairy men too. Cant see that stuff being good..

It'll be a damn sight better than first cut made after the first of June that's for certain. Half second cut knocked here this evening rest will be knocked in the morning. Should be pitted by finishing time tomorrow. A few strong paddocks going in first then main crop. A bit over 90% of the farm mowed at this stage. The balance due for reseeding next month so not overly concerned about mowing it. Six weeks between cuts but heading out very quickly due to drought stress.

mahoney_j

smokey-fitz wrote: »

Couple of lads around me pitted wet silage back in may, cut wet and picked up wet. Some dairy men too. Cant see that stuff being good..

Mix 2 kg good wheaten or oaten straw through it and as freedom said be a **** load better than anything cut after late May.neighbour of mine knocked first cut yesterday .growing since late November ,should of been cut a month ago at least .all gone to seed and fully headed out .wouldnt even be good enough to keep condition on heavy dry cows .

frazzledhome

freedominacup wrote: »

It'll be a damn sight better than first cut made after the first of June that's for certain. Half second cut knocked here this evening rest will be knocked in the morning. Should be pitted by finishing time tomorrow. A few strong paddocks going in first then main crop. A bit over 90% of the farm mowed at this stage. The balance due for reseeding next month so not overly concerned about mowing it. Six weeks between cuts but heading out very quickly due to drought stress.

Their cows are milking 1.9 kgms on aftergrass ATM while the guys who like bulk will graze in Aug having fed 400 kgs of meal to get over the tight time

Mad4simmental

We cut silage a few weeks ago a bit greener than we would have liked to. Cut Thursday eve raked and baled Saturday.

A week later than I would have liked and a week earlier than the boss man would have liked.

Got a bit of rain a few days before we cut but was cut dry and got no rain after. It was new grass so it could have done with another day or two down. 15mm of rain to fall that Monday so we worked away. The rain would have lodged the grass and left us with a field of sh!t so what do you do.

If it's to good pre calving or running through them well mix straw with the silage (straw is allot cheaper to remember)

If prefer good wet silage than sh!t dry silage any day. At least you get the aroma to go with it on your hands for the winter ha.

orm0nd

wrapped 174 yesterday , mowed monday rowed in 24 ft swarths lunch time yest. & started baling about 5pm

not a fan of too much tedding mainly cos of increased risk of picking up clay and soil (not good for sheep)

about 10 bales /ac on 6 weeks growth , contractor wouldn't believe that I had taken 3 grazings pre closing, his next stop was closed since last november

ellewood

Going to knock 5/6 paddocks that are fit - stopped since 10 May Mow today rake I the morning and bale tomorrow evening