Advise on what to put in this field

ddogsbollix

There is 20 acres in this field. I have 5 acres fenced off which is what the pictures are from. I want an animal to graze it. I don't want it planted. I just want to put something in it that will eat it down and be content. I would prefer cattle as we have cattle at the minute. Would Dexters or what breed of cattle could you put in it. I am looking for advise from someone who has done something like this. There is a lot of heather in it. i don't particularity want ponies in it. any advise would be brilliant thanks. I am from Mayo

Sam Kade

Can't see the pictures

pedigree 6

Click on-- preview post-- beside the -- submit reply-- if unsure that the embedding pictures will show before posting. Helps me anyway.

Edit: looking at your post I think if you had each picture spaced on a different line or skip a line between pics like I do. It would help.
I think they are just jumbled and thrown on top of one another and boards can't recognise them.
You have 8 pics there so post a pic skip a line post a pic skip a line.
You should be able to edit that post and spread out the pictures and it might work or even the mods might give it go and see if it works.

ddogsbollix

pedigree 6

No still not working.:(

I think a poster called kovu had some advice on posting pics in the photo competition section.

Not sure of embedding from phones maybe just leave it as a link.
But what I do is use dropbox. Pics from phone will automatically upload to dropbox then I use postimage and upload the pic from dropbox to postimage. Copy the direct link to that pic in postimage and paste that in the message. Safer than from direct from pc, not recommended anyway with hacking etc.

Then to embed I put

OverRide

You need to upload the images to somewhere like imgur and then post the image links with the img tags

Alternatively just use the manage attachments function when posting and choose them from your phones photo library and tap upload
I think only 1 per post that way though

Mooooo

I can see em on mobile site anyway. If your looking for something to graze it down I don't think cattle would do. It looks to b growing for a number of years and possibly a red water risk? Horses if you could keep them there may be be best bet bar going in with a mulcher or digger and mechanically clearing the whole lot? Don't think sheep would do much either but could be wrong

ddogsbollix

http://i.imgur.com/9K2QMs0.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/6iEZ9OV.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/0o6bdn4.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/mZJhzk9.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/MeCMSqJ.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/OZ2g3xQ.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/4iOvaro.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/2VNexQO.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/QOIElCI.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/clVIayg.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/l0wxa2Z.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/Qqp9fSz.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/cxYvT9A.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/uuRtltJ.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/jfKXVc5.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/LOBfwKk.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/2uwYX0v.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/sY8cEhV.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/Yl4NCWC.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/rh4hYO7.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/lG62L5C.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/lvI68Ln.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/bbtboJN.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/bYc7n1m.jpg


Hopefully this works...

jimini0

ddogsbollix wrote: »

There is 20 acres in this field. I have 5 acres fenced off which is what the pictures are from. I want an animal to graze it. I don't want it planted. I just want to put something in it that will eat it down and be content. I would prefer cattle as we have cattle at the minute. Would Dexters or what breed of cattle could you put in it. I am looking for advise from someone who has done something like this. There is a lot of heather in it. i don't particularity want ponies in it. any advise would be brilliant thanks. I am from Mayo

Is it just 5 acres out of the 20 that looks like that?

ddogsbollix

The 20 looks like this. I don't want to go down the route of planting. Basically the plan is to put something in that will graze it down and then put pigs in to plough it up. It is a long term plan. I just want a low cost system and see how it looks in two years. just want to start with 5 acres and go from there. I know it will be a red alert red water area but I can batycol. and I thought maybe dexters would be some what immune to a lot of those things anyway. the ground is dry but maybe not dry enough for 600-700kg animals that's why 2 year old dexter bullocks I thought would work well? can spray off the worst of it once it is grazed down...

jimini0

ddogsbollix wrote: »

The 20 looks like this. I don't want to go down the route of planting. Basically the plan is to put something in that will graze it down and then put pigs in to plough it up. It is a long term plan. I just want a low cost system and see how it looks in two years. just want to start with 5 acres and go from there. I know it will be a red alert red water area but I can batycol. and I thought maybe dexters would be some what immune to a lot of those things anyway. the ground is dry but maybe not dry enough for 600-700kg animals that's why 2 year old dexter bullocks I thought would work well? can spray off the worst of it once it is grazed down...

If it was me. I would get in there with some kind of topper or mulcher and clear the areas that you can get to with a tractor. Then let cattle or horses is. They will have some niceish areas to graze and then they can trample the areas you couldnt top.
You will be half way to a clear field after the topper. Then you can see what you are dealing with. It looks bad now but after topping you would be surprised with what you have.
A prick of a neighbour of mine have a couple of fields like yours but on a hill. Neglected for years he offered it to me to graze for free. I got in there with a topper and topped whatever I could reach. Let a few cows in and they did a good job of grazing it. It turned into some good rough grazing ground.

ddogsbollix

I would totally agree with you. However, the field is inaccessible for a tractor at present. So machinery is no go at the minute anyway...

jimini0

ddogsbollix wrote: »

I would totally agree with you. However, the field is inaccessible for a tractor at present. So machinery is no go at the minute anyway...

Ah well maybe a couple of donkeys might do it

jfh

jimini0 wrote: »

Ah well maybe a couple of donkeys might do it

Would Galloway or dexters not eat that down?

jimini0

jfh wrote: »

Would Galloway or dexters not eat that down?

The only reason I said donkeys was cos they are cheaper. Seen some on done deal for €200. Dexter or Galloway €800 minimum

ganmo

jimini0 wrote: »

The only reason I said donkeys was cos they are cheaper. Seen some on done deal for €200. Dexter or Galloway €800 minimum

But you don't get anything out of the donkeys only ****.

ddogsbollix

Would Dexters or Galloways survive well in there? I don't mind supplementary feeding when winter hits. the only bonus with cattle is that you can sell to factory. And donkeys have issue with feet...! But hey... I am open to anything. As long as they were quiet as they would only be looked at maybe 3 times a week. the area in question borders a forest with no roads. I have to enter through neighbours fields we have a right of way. And his fields are in the same condition. He has it left empty too... Would just like to have something in it that would be happy and thrive with little extra work.

_Brian

Surely the right of way would include a tractor and mulcher??
It's the best plan, just break it all down and it rots in and feeds the soil.

I wouldn't recommend putting any animals on land and only seeing them three times a week, I feel I cheat if I only see stock once a day

Sam Kade

ganmo wrote: »

But you don't get anything out of the donkeys only ****.

I'd expect to be paid 2000 to take a donkey.

The man in red and black

jimini0 wrote: »

The only reason I said donkeys was cos they are cheaper. Seen some on done deal for €200. Dexter or Galloway €800 minimum

They were expensive donkeys. I was working in Fermanagh for a few months in the Spring and there were piles of donkies up there. Most people said they are worth a tenner or else free to a good home!

Odelay

I wouldn't bother with the donkeys, too much grass for them to clear, if they did eat it you would have serious problems with laminitis. TBH you would need a number of donkeys to clear 5 acres and stay healthy. Why not fire pigs in there now? Youtube says pigs eat grass.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=

url]https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=8vbPhMeRXukYOUTUBE[/url

jimini0

On done deal they are up for sale for 200 and more. Must be special mayo donkeys.

jimini0

Odelay wrote: »

I wouldn't bother with the donkeys, too much grass for them to clear, if they did eat it you would have serious problems with laminitis. TBH you would need a number of donkeys to clear 5 acres and stay healthy. Why not fire pigs in there now? Youtube says pigs eat grass.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=

url]https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=8vbPhMeRXukYOUTUBE[/url

You need very good fencing for pigs. They will need at least one strand of electric wire at nose level. I had some a couple of years ago the plough the place up including fencing posts. You will need a pig herd number and do not tell the dvo what you have planned for them cos field plowing is frowned apon.

Sam Kade

jimini0 wrote: »

On done deal they are up for sale for 200 and more. Must be special mayo donkeys.

As Whelan says what they look for and what they are get are not always the same.

ddogsbollix

There is a lot of people in Scotland that have Belted Galloway cattle on worse ground than that. And I wouldn't think they would be prone to red water. So I don't mind paying a few hundred for them as I can sell back to the factory as bullocks when they reach killing weight. Sell a lock of heifers to factory every year anyway.

jimini0

ddogsbollix wrote: »

There is a lot of people in Scotland that have Belted Galloway cattle on worse ground than that. And I wouldn't think they would be prone to red water. So I don't mind paying a few hundred for them as I can sell back to the factory as bullocks when they reach killing weight. Sell a lock of heifers to factory every year anyway.

I love the belted Galloway have a nice pure bred heifer here. She is going in a few weeks.
I suppose if its well fenced and a supply of fresh water the would survive there but the Galloway can be temperamental. I would not like to leave them 3 days without handling. Cattle can turn wild fairly quick. And by the looks of those fields it would not be easy to round them up when needed

ddogsbollix

Great point. But every type of cattle can be temperamental. But I wouldn't have a wild animal about the place. Everything I have around the place are like lambs. The ones I buy for this project would have to be quiet as mice and I would feed them nuts beside the house for a month first and then every two days once they go into that 5 acres. I am going to start it in spring so I will update once I start. Thanks for all the info.

bogman_bass

An old Angus or Hereford would be every bit as hardy as a Galloway. Easier got and easier sold too

Bass Reeves

A load of cheap JEX bullocks and dose sh!t out of them. You will buy them as yearlings next spring at 150-350. Do not expect to make money out of them. I put it into GLAS. 5 HA of traditional grazing. Bees, birds plant your trees etc and draw 2-3K.

kollegeknight

Can you access it with a quad and mulcher?

I know very little about Galloway cattle bar what I saw on telly one day- they seem to be a grand hardy animal that would eat a lot of that.