Sucklers on 12 acres ?

Sami23

How many sucklers do ye think I could realistically carry on 12 acres of land from say April 1st to housing. Land is relatively dry but old pasture bar 2 acres reseeded 4 years ago. It's divided fairly evenly into 2 acres paddocks.
I don't need to take any silage off this ground.
Spring calving.
Tia

Muckit

Really depends where you are, how good the land is, time of the year and what and when you put fertiliser out. As calves get bigger growth will be tapering off. Is this your only land or outfarm, if grass grts tight can you move them? Will you be running a bull?

I'm saying aroind 4 cows and calves.

Sami23

Muckit wrote: »

Really depends where you are, how good the land is, time of the year and what and when you put fertiliser out. As calves get bigger growth will be tapering off. Is this your only land or outfarm, if grass grts tight can you move them? Will you be running a bull?

I'm saying aroind 4 cows and calves.

No bull, use ai. Have more land but have cattle n sheep on that.
I was hoping to b able to keep at least 6 cows n calves on it tbh.
As regards fertiliser early March is usually when I start to spread.
Sheep usually have the ground bare from the winter so no build up for early turnout

High bike

Sami23 wrote: »

No bull, use ai. Have more land but have cattle n sheep on that.
I was hoping to b able to keep at least 6 cows n calves on it tbh.
As regards fertiliser early March is usually when I start to spread.
Sheep usually have the ground bare from the winter so no build up for early turnout

if you have 6 2acre paddocks I'd say you'll get away with 6 until grass tapers off anyway

blue5000

Not sure what your land is like or what cows you have. I have kept 10 and a bull on 11 acres, baled and wrapped a bit when it got strong. They were moved every day though.

Sami23

blue5000 wrote: »

Not sure what your land is like or what cows you have. I have kept 10 and a bull on 11 acres, baled and wrapped a bit when it got strong. They were moved every day though.

And how did u fare out for grass from September to housing ?

Bass Reeves

A lot will depend on its fertility and how much fertlizer you intend to spread. However I would imagine that you could carry 8 comfortably. Make sure at end of year that you build up a wedge of grass from mid august on. Biggest issue minimum the autumn is when cattle are used to be moved they get noisey when hungry. Remember you can can allocate wedges of grass if you can back fence when grass is tight. You can also let calves creep graze ahead of cows. With such a set up as you have you should be able to wean fairly easy and run calves ahead of cows. This will then allow you to house cows earlier than calves.

I be inclined to start with 7-8: and see how it goes

Muckit

Bass Reeves wrote: »

I be inclined to start with 7-8: and see how it goes

..... and pray for little rain or poaching! :eek:

blue5000

Sami23 wrote: »

And how did u fare out for grass from September to housing ?

Things would change around that time of year alright. All the bulls and their mothers would go in one group, heifers in another, and heifer calves and mothers in a separate group and stock bulls away from everything else. But the field would be grazed again as part of a bigger rotation and usually any bales left in the corner would be fed in November before housing/weaning. Here's last year's bull weanlings and their mothers (12) in that field.

Sami23

Bass Reeves wrote: »

A lot will depend on its fertility and how much fertlizer you intend to spread. However I would imagine that you could carry 8 comfortably. Make sure at end of year that you build up a wedge of grass from mid august on. Biggest issue minimum the autumn is when cattle are used to be moved they get noisey when hungry. Remember you can can allocate wedges of grass if you can back fence when grass is tight. You can also let calves creep graze ahead of cows. With such a set up as you have you should be able to wean fairly easy and run calves ahead of cows. This will then allow you to house cows earlier than calves.

I be inclined to start with 7-8: and see how it goes

I'd b delighted with 8 in fairness

Bass Reeves

Sami23 wrote: »

I'd b delighted with 8 in fairness

Just be prepared to spread a bit of fertlizer if grass gets tight and if too much to take out 2-3 acres for silage.

jimmy G M

I generally work off 700 - 800 kg live weight per acre for summer grazing in a simple paddock system. So 12 acres x 700kg =8,400 kg. Say a cow with calf at foot for the summer averages 1,000 kg, so 8 cows with calves on your 12 acres.

You might need to lash out a 1/2 bag of CAN to acre in Mid Aug as the calves get a bit stronger to keep good grass ahead of them, depending on the summer.

cacs

I am overstocked after reading that. I am 14cows with calves a bull and ten weanlings on 23 acres. Last year I had 18 cows and a bull on the same ground and I had way too much grass. I was letting cattle into paddocks of one foot covers. I still think I will manage it. I put in paddocks last year and all I can saw is what a difference in stocking rate grass quality grass volume

Muckit

Great going
Do you buy in silage Cathal or did you make some off that ground also? ?

cacs

Muckit wrote: »

Great going
Do you buy in silage Cathal or did you make some off that ground also? ?

I have another 10 acres for silage two cuts. It won't come back until late August I am from mayo where the land is poor to good I was amazed at the grass I grew with paddocks last year. It did cost a bit. This I am going to test how many Cattle I can keep this year it and push it hard