Dairy Chit Chat- Please read Mod note in post #1

Waffletraktor

Dawggone wrote: »

freedominacup wrote: »

What is happening with the harrow?

I don't rightly know the science behind it, but it works a treat.

It's exposing I'm to oxygen and the good bacteria/fungi which break it down and release the carbon as co2 and the n. Worms then gobble through the remains and poo it out in a useable form for plants.
It's why ploughing/cultivations seem to give greener looking crops earlier on in the meantime degrading soils a little bit with less om and less wriggly fellas to gobble it up and causes more nutrient to be "locked" on a unavailable form needing more inputs.

Waffletraktor

Bloody phone, exposing organic matter

yosemitesam1

Keepgrowing wrote: »

Will you elaborate on process and how much bang is to be gotten

Robbing n locked up in om that would be supplied slowly in the future and getting it in one big hit now

Mooooo

Waffletraktor wrote: »

Dawggone wrote: »

freedominacup wrote: »

What is happening with the harrow?

I don't rightly know the science behind it, but it works a treat.

It's exposing I'm to oxygen and the good bacteria/fungi which break it down and release the carbon as co2 and the n. Worms then gobble through the remains and poo it out in a useable form for plants.
It's why ploughing/cultivations seem to give greener looking crops earlier on in the meantime degrading soils a little bit with less om and less wriggly fellas to gobble it up and causes more nutrient to be "locked" on a unavailable form needing more inputs.

In ground that would be just for grassland, perhaps re seeded every 10 years or more depending on condition would you suggest mintill over ploughing? On the wetter ground here I found ploughing better, partially as ground may be rough/ uneven due to ruts but seems to drain better. Have one field a few runs with heavy disc and then set with the one pass, plenty lime and fert but didn't do as well. On the other hand I'll have ground to do that won't have drainage issues but hasn't been touched in years would you plough or avoid the plough?

Waffletraktor

Mooooo wrote: »

In ground that would be just for grassland, perhaps re seeded every 10 years or more depending on condition would you suggest mintill over ploughing? On the wetter ground here I found ploughing better, partially as ground may be rough/ uneven due to ruts but seems to drain better. Have one field a few runs with heavy disc and then set with the one pass, plenty lime and fert but didn't do as well. On the other hand I'll have ground to do that won't have drainage issues but hasn't been touched in years would you plough or avoid the plough?

Bearing in mind I'm working from the extreme other end on soils that had no stock mostly for at least 25 years and was under an "over-til" rotation being pummelled to do what's wanted.
On grazing ground that's not being poached/compacted and reseeding to refresh or bury weed seeds so long as dry can't see an issue with ploughing so long as it's dry at plough depth. Subsoil after ploughing if it's needed. Would your. Ground that's wetter be able to mole plough? Plenty of grass people here to help for the rest!
There is a school of thought that graminacea type grass(cereals)plants produce toxic compounds/acids initially during breakdown over a few weeks days depending on rainfall as it takes longer a month or so for stubble a to green up vs days for osr

Buford T. Justice XIX

A novel approach to solve milk surplus appears in Austria.

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/pigs-drink-cows-milk-austrian-farm-a7198756.html

whelan2

Was in bank of Ireland today. This time last year there were posters of farmers saying how you could get loan approval for I think 30k within a few hours. This year there's pictures of mountains and lakes in their place

visatorro

whelan2 wrote: »

Was in bank of Ireland today. This time last year there were posters of farmers saying how you could get loan approval for I think 30k within a few hours. This year there's pictures of mountains and lakes in their place

Was in aib not too far from yourself and I seen an agri finance booklet alright but no backing brave signs.
Or maybe i didn't see it because the cheque I was lodging was 17 times smaller than the amount I'd to take out for the few bills!!

rangler1

whelan2 wrote: »

Was in bank of Ireland today. This time last year there were posters of farmers saying how you could get loan approval for I think 30k within a few hours. This year there's pictures of mountains and lakes in their place

Bank of ireland are charging .1% on deposits of over 10 million ......where'll the dairy farmers put their money now

Mooooo

rangler1 wrote: »

whelan2 wrote: »

Was in bank of Ireland today. This time last year there were posters of farmers saying how you could get loan approval for I think 30k within a few hours. This year there's pictures of mountains and lakes in their place

Bank of ireland are charging .1% on deposits of over 10 million ......where'll the dairy farmers put their money now

Shir we'll all get into sheep farming

mf240

rangler1 wrote: »

Bank of ireland are charging .1% on deposits of over 10 million ......where'll the dairy farmers put their money now

Going to move my confirmation money next week.

orm0nd

Mooooo wrote:

Shir we'll all get into sheep farming

A lot of dairy farmers tried this in the mid 80s. Vets had a field day for a few years before they got out.

pedigree 6

orm0nd wrote: »

A lot of dairy farmers tried this in the mid 80s. Vets had a field day for a few years before they got out.

I wouldn't say all got out.
There's a few former dairy farmers near me still at the sheep.
I think if you're a good stockman with cows and calving cows, you should be able to put the same attention to lambing ewes and have condition right and not overfat but just right.
Attention to detail.:) and grassland management.

I think you probably have to be brought up to it as well. A lot of farmers around here grew up with dairy and sheep (myself included) bigger shock if you have no experience.

Keepgrowing

pedigree 6 wrote: »

I wouldn't say all got out.
There's a few former dairy farmers near me still at the sheep.
I think if you're a good stockman with cows and calving cows, you should be able to put the same attention to lambing ewes and have condition right and not overfat but just right.
Attention to detail.:) and grassland management.

I think you probably have to be brought up to it as well. A lot of farmers around here grew up with dairy and sheep (myself included) bigger shock if you have no experience.

My neighbour had a great plan to follow cows with sheep :)
Lasted till ramp was up and sheep lasted about 3 weeks as I think that's how long it took him to round them up. He's still getting slagged about it

stanflt

freedominacup wrote: »

If growth had stopped and all you get US that spill of rain last night you could well see your money wasted. Happened here in '14 around the same time of the year. We got absolutely no response. One wet night and it dried up for another six or seven weeks. Mineralised N will support gr up to 20kg/day after droughts. Fert is no advantage until gr are higher than this.

Got lucky

pedigree 6

Keepgrowing wrote: »

My neighbour had a great plan to follow cows with sheep :)
Lasted till ramp was up and sheep lasted about 3 weeks as I think that's how long it took him to round them up. He's still getting slagged about it

Who's slagging him?;)

Different strokes for different folks.

kevthegaff

We had a few hundred 20 yrs ago, serious for grass quality. Very good to improve ones patience

orm0nd

Keepgrowing wrote: »

My neighbour had a great plan to follow cows with sheep :)
Lasted till ramp was up and sheep lasted about 3 weeks as I think that's how long it took him to round them up. He's still getting slagged about it

LOL

that's my system but I'll admit it took me about 40 years to get it right,

then I'm a martyr for punishment, (or maybe just a slow learner )

whelan2

First cow calved this evening , she had an lwr bull calf-very black- she was my first calving cow last year on 30th august and had a yad heifer calf then. Some might say its too early too calve but calf sales will pay for kids going back to school. Had a smasher of a ABO heifer calve last night with an angus heifer calf...... cash flow

Mooooo

whelan2 wrote: »

First cow calved this evening , she had an lwr bull calf-very black- she was my first calving cow last year on 30th august and had a yad heifer calf then. Some might say its too early too calve but calf sales will pay for kids going back to school. Had a smasher of a ABO heifer calve last night with an angus heifer calf...... cash flow

Best of luck for the season, a system that suits you is important as well

Mooooo

whelan2 wrote: »

First cow calved this evening , she had an lwr bull calf-very black- she was my first calving cow last year on 30th august and had a yad heifer calf then. Some might say its too early too calve but calf sales will pay for kids going back to school. Had a smasher of a ABO heifer calve last night with an angus heifer calf...... cash flow

Best of luck for the season, a system that suits you is important as well

whelan2

Mooooo wrote: »

Best of luck for the season, a system that suits you is important as well

Calving outside, hopefully weather will play ball

whelan2

Those of you who were looking for rain , have ye enough now?

Keepgrowing

whelan2 wrote: »

Those of you who were looking for rain , have ye enough now?

Another couple of days would be nice

Timmaay

Keepgrowing wrote: »

Another couple of days would be nice

Last few days extremely welcome but keep it coming for another week please!

stretch film

whelan2 wrote: »

Those of you who were looking for rain , have ye enough now?

Nope. Very hit and miss .

freedominacup

stretch film wrote: »

Nope. Very hit and miss .

Yeah not much really after landing yet. Enough to keep her lit but you'd want to ve sure of a bit every week for the next few.

Mooooo

Ideally if we just got a heavy drizzle after the cows have eaten their fill in the night time and dry during the day.....pigs might fly as well. Have had a good drop here now, wouldn't mind a few dry days to finish a bit of fert and get the most out of the after grass. Cows tearing through grass, thought I had enough with an extra 40 acres in but may have to feed a bit of silage for a week or so tI slow em down a bit

Buford T. Justice XIX

whelan2 wrote: »

Those of you who were looking for rain , have ye enough now?

We were tipping along nicely, just as things were looking to get tight we got a day or two of rain to keep us going.

Big jump in growth today, very warm and a constant drizzle all day here but have a bit of silage to cut so hoping for a few dry days before the rain starts again.

blackdog1

Cows down a litre or 2 with this rain and wind. Grass is starting to get tight so hopefully we get that sun from Wednesday on. Planning on opening the whole crop in 2 weeks and buffer feeding from then on. Might have to open it sooner if needed. 1 thing I learned this spring is 10 kg of whole crop per cow is alot better than a few kilos of extra meal.