The Grass Measuring Thread

C4d78

AFC 980
Cover/lu 250
Growth 55
Will probably end up closing more for silage. Can see it really taking off in next week or so.
Don't want to be going into covers of >2000

GrasstoMilk

Wildsurfer wrote: »

One rule I have here(a lesson learned the hard way) is never spread FYM on silage ground in the spring. Either wait till Autumn when you will get plenty chances to walk the ground to check for stones/concrete or better still wait to plough it in at reseeding time.

Wouldn't agree. Do it here every year. Get powerful grass and silage off it

Timmaay

Hard to know am I only burning diesel here, but just can't get the cows to clean out any better. Another 12ac ungrazed of it, hope to be able to cut 8 or 9 soon enough.

White Clover

Timmaay wrote: »

Hard to know am I only burning diesel here, but just can't get the cows to clean out any better. Another 12ac ungrazed of it, hope to be able to cut 8 or 9 soon enough.

Low Ph there Timmaay?

Timmaay

White Clover wrote: »

Low Ph there Timmaay?

I need to go soil test, the tester and the boxes have been sitting in my car boot for a month now!! Anyways mower in tomorrow afternoon, forecast a little mixed, so bit of a gamble, but the grass has to come outa it to make room for maize. About 14ac in total to bale

Wildsurfer

Jeez Timmay why didn't you cut last week with a high pressure stuck over Ireland. Coming week doesn't look good at all

Timmaay

Wildsurfer wrote: »

Jeez Timmay why didn't you cut last week with a high pressure stuck over Ireland. Coming week doesn't look good at all

I know, but had to spray the field off! South East doesn't look too bad forecast wise.

Mooooo

Half thinking of gonna chance mowing 2moro as well. 5 day radar doesn't show much over us and as it's coming from north it tends to fizzle out by the time it gets down here but no doubt it'll piss rain as soon as the mower leaves...

Buford T. Justice XIX

Hoping to get a track machine in by the end of the week to open drains. I'm reckoning 300m in total with a bit of rock breaking thrown in to pass away a few hours. I can't remember most of this field ever being reseeded so looking forward to a good boost in grass for one cut and grazing for the rest of the year

RobinBanks

Can anyone explain why UK have different targets to Ireland for grazing. In Ireland we are told that pre-grazing yield should be approx 1400 but in uk they say 3500kgDm/ha. Is it something to do with type of grass or what?

yewtree

RobinBanks wrote: »

Can anyone explain why UK have different targets to Ireland for grazing. In Ireland we are told that pre-grazing yield should be approx 1400 but in uk they say 3500kgDm/ha. Is it something to do with type of grass or what?

The UK use total cover comes from new Zealand in Ireland we use available cover. The UK are adding on what's left after grazing. The targets are the same just take 1500 off UK cover to convery to irish figures

RobinBanks

yewtree wrote: »

The UK use total cover comes from new Zealand in Ireland we use available cover. The UK are adding on what's left after grazing. The targets are the same just take 1500 off UK cover to convery to irish figures

Thanks for that yewtree. Think now I also know why my plate meter readings are so high. The playemeter came from the uk

Mooooo

Going mowing ground on grazing block and heifer ground, will pull the rotation back to 18 days when I mow this,

Signpost

Can anyone advise where I can buy a shears and more importantly a scales for accurate grass reading? Eye is accurate enough whenever its checked but I want to get that bit tighter on it but finding it hard to find a suitable kit.

yewtree

Signpost wrote: »

Can anyone advise where I can buy a shears and more importantly a scales for accurate grass reading? Eye is accurate enough whenever its checked but I want to get that bit tighter on it but finding it hard to find a suitable kit.

I got that kit off grasstec a few years ago no complaints regarding quality of it maybe could be sourced cheaper elsewhere
this is the link to what they sell http://www.grasstecgroup.com/agri-services/product/bosch-isio-shears/

Timmaay

1st paddock I've noticed here under heavy enough drought stress, cover low enough on it (900ish), so the soil not retaining moisture much. Early enough heading grass variety but it's starting to head out on me already which is annoying. Only got one bag of 18 6 12 this year (I'm playing around considering I'm alot lower stocked). Meanwhile I've another paddock with the same one bag of 18 6 12, much more clover in that sward, clover the size of your hand by now. I'm going to be taking it out in excess bales next week probably!

pedigree 6

Timmaay wrote: »

1st paddock I've noticed here under heavy enough drought stress, cover low enough on it (900ish), so the soil not retaining moisture much. Early enough heading grass variety but it's starting to head out on me already which is annoying. Only got one bag of 18 6 12 this year (I'm playing around considering I'm alot lower stocked). Meanwhile I've another paddock with the same one bag of 18 6 12, much more clover in that sward, clover the size of your hand by now. I'm going to be taking it out in excess bales next week probably!

The difference between the two paddocks could be cobalt deficiency.
Clover loves cobalt.

RobinBanks

Timmaay wrote: »

1st paddock cover low enough on it (900ish),

Timmaay, the photo you put up. Is that the 900 cover? Would you have any other pics with varying covers? Trying to calibrate myself hear to estimating. Plate meter is doing my head in

GrasstoMilk

Timmaay wrote: »

1st paddock I've noticed here under heavy enough drought stress, cover low enough on it (900ish), so the soil not retaining moisture much. Early enough heading grass variety but it's starting to head out on me already which is annoying. Only got one bag of 18 6 12 this year (I'm playing around considering I'm alot lower stocked). Meanwhile I've another paddock with the same one bag of 18 6 12, much more clover in that sward, clover the size of your hand by now. I'm going to be taking it out in excess bales next week probably!

No heading on that grass yet. That's just weed grass heading out there

kevinm177

GrasstoMilk wrote: »

No heading on that grass yet. That's just weed grass heading out there

+1

Muckit

Ah timmay timmay timmay do you not know what ryegrass head looks like? !?

alps

Muckit wrote: »

Ah timmay timmay timmay do you not know what ryegrass head looks like? !?

Only bad grassland farmers know what ryegrass seed heads look like...

charolais0153

alps wrote: »

Only bad grassland farmers know what ryegrass seed heads look like...

Shots fired:D

freedominacup

charolais0153 wrote: »

Shots fired:D

There have been reports of incidents overnight......

freedominacup

Chanced my arm and rang the contractor who normally spreads fert here at 8 this morning. Showers overnight and showery for the day. A bag of urea per acre going on grazing ground as I type.

Mooooo

freedominacup wrote: »

Chanced my arm and rang the contractor who normally spreads fert here at 8 this morning. Showers overnight and showery for the day. A bag of urea per acre going on grazing ground as I type.

What does he charge for spreading bag/acre? Have a lad taken on 2 days a week here with the last month or so, as of 2 weeks ago we are following the cows so he spreads after the cows every week. Following with can+s at the minute bringing it up to 110 out on grazing block approx

mahoney_j

Mooooo wrote: »

What does he charge for spreading bag/acre? Have a lad taken on 2 days a week here with the last month or so, as of 2 weeks ago we are following the cows so he spreads after the cows every week. Following with can+s at the minute bringing it up to 110 out on grazing block approx

Contractor here 50 euro per hour ,big sulky spreader with a heap of gizmos

freedominacup

mahoney_j wrote: »

Contractor here 50 euro per hour ,big sulky spreader with a heap of gizmos

Works out around the same here.40 per tonne for one bag/acre. The bells have whisltes on this machine and a very competent conscientious operator on it. We open all gaps esp when he comes in at short notice like this. We haven't spread a bag ourselves since mid 2014. Using urea you would usually end up blanket spreading when the opportunities arise anyway.

visatorro

freedominacup wrote: »

Works out around the same here.40 per tonne for one bag/acre. The bells have whisltes on this machine and a very competent conscientious operator on it. We open all gaps esp when he comes in at short notice like this. We haven't spread a bag ourselves since mid 2014. Using urea you would usually end up blanket spreading when the opportunities arise anyway.

Was using contractor for a couple of seasons. I found it dear and hard to get it spread when I wanted. He let me down very badly one autumn and I never really forgave him!! When it suits I just go out with a tonne, spread ten bags In front of the cows and ten bags on what they have grazed is nearly always how it works out. Can understand why lads use contractor of course but I have my reasons for spreading fert myself.

freedominacup

freedominacup wrote: »

Chanced my arm and rang the contractor who normally spreads fert here at 8 this morning. Showers overnight and showery for the day. A bag of urea per acre going on grazing ground as I type.

Gr=Whoosh.

A month's grass falling as I type. The only downside is I had to do a heap of yard scraping. Every sq yard of concrete the cows use outside the collecting yard had a thick coating of powdered $hite on it before the rain came.