Our rainy September-how are you coping?

Bleating Lamb

Looking at forecast over last few weeks,unusually the entire country seems to be getting heavy rain.

Here in North West average land is as wet as you would see it in a really bad Spring!.... ground went past saturation point weeks ago.A lot of people have drystock housed to see if things will improve and Dairy farmers are struggling too.
Personally speaking from a sheep farming perspective there was a good growth the last while but rested fields have grass lying with all the incessant heavy rain on them....so when sheep go into this grass they will walk it into the ground rather than get good use from it:(

So how are you coping at mo?

roosky

Very worried as to what i am going to graze in October when i let the rams out!!

Western Pomise

roosky wrote: »

Very worried as to what i am going to graze in October when i let the rams out!!

Starting to think that way to,there are a lot of ewes in the marts the last week or two....

roosky

Western Pomise wrote: »

Starting to think that way to,there are a lot of ewes in the marts the last week or two....

Is there any trade fro thin culls ?? could do without them looking for grass for the winter

dohc turbo2

From what I seen locally cows were back before the bad weather , seen weanlings well back tonight from other weeks

rangler1

Bleating Lamb wrote: »

Looking at forecast over last few weeks,unusually the entire country seems to be getting heavy rain.

Here in North West average land is as wet as you would see it in a really bad Spring!.... ground went past saturation point weeks ago.A lot of people have drystock housed to see if things will improve and Dairy farmers are struggling too.
Personally speaking from a sheep farming perspective there was a good growth the last while but rested fields have grass lying with all the incessant heavy rain on them....so when sheep go into this grass they will walk it into the ground rather than get good use from it:(

So how are you coping at mo?

ground is mucky and sheep are scoury, started the lambs on .5kg meal three weeks ago to keep them thriving, I'd be a bit concerned if I hadn't all the breeding ewes sold,

Keepgrowing

We're getting on fine as we've very dry land. Cows no bother but heifers doing a lot of walking on the wetter days. They are really eating a lot of grass. Plenty of feed made.

On wetter ground how does this year compare to 2012?

charolais0153

rangler1 wrote: »

ground is mucky and sheep are scoury, started the lambs on .5kg meal three weeks ago to keep them thriving, I'd be a bit concerned if I hadn't all the breeding ewes sold,

Would .5kgs not gave been made better use of when tgere was sun on their backs in june.and when price was 10e dearer for finished lamb

ABlur

Keepgrowing wrote: »

We're getting on fine as we've very dry land. Cows no bother but heifers doing a lot of walking on the wetter days. They are really eating a lot of grass. Plenty of feed made.

On wetter ground how does this year compare to 2012?

It was a great year on heavy land until mid July. However it's been raining since and my land in West Clare is as wet as it was 2012.

Keepgrowing

ABlur wrote: »

It was a great year on heavy land until mid July. However it's been raining since and my land in West Clare is as wet as it was 2012.

Has enough feed been made. If I recall the spring of 13 was the capping of the hardship of 12

Capercaillie

Have silage to cut. Hopefully will dry up next week.

White Clover

Keepgrowing wrote: »

We're getting on fine as we've very dry land. Cows no bother but heifers doing a lot of walking on the wetter days. They are really eating a lot of grass. Plenty of feed made.

On wetter ground how does this year compare to 2012?

Same as ABlur, great year up to 20th July, down hill since then. Ground absolutely boating. All cattle inside, only the few Sheep out. Silage situation ok. Good bit of ration being fed.
Loads of grass but as another poster said, it's lying over now and the sheep will only trample most of it.

AntrimGlens

Cows and bull calves have been in 3 weeks now, remaining cows and heifer calves will be in this weekend, only thing left out will be heifers. Have three tanks sitting nearly full of slurry that was to go out after second cut, haven't had a spell to get out with it even using the pipe. Needed this slurry on aftergrass to start all ewe lambs on which usually saw me through to end of October before moving them to higher ground.
Was going to go with a final run of N about a fortnight ago, still sitting in the bag, so i'm likely to be a bit shorter of grass on some ground. the only thing is, with the cows in, I'll be able to run the ewes over their fields for flushing if it dries up.
Thankfully we have plenty silage made, even some third cut which was originally meant to be grazed by the cows.

Was talking to a few men the other night, one man has 200 sucklers and about 1500 ewes and has only about 10 acres of 2nd cut made out of 200ac. Another man has 120 milkers, 50 sucklers and few hundred ewes. The milkers have been in since start of august, he has fifty acres of 3rd cut to lift, 30ac cereals untouched and no slurry out and he says its fairly common around him.

I bought straw at the start of Aug £18 bales delivered, someone was saying its now £24 delivered.

Everyone is now praying that a dry spell comes for a fortnight, even if it is October or later.

whelan2

Looking at the forecast it seems dry for a week after Saturday. Have bales of silage to do here yet and need to get lime out too

mahoney_j

Not too bad here ,dry land tho.weather been fairly ****e 4/5 weeks now but ground soaking it all up.strip wires up for cows 24 hour breaks ,similar with in calf heifers .off now to spread last 3 tonne of fertiliser for year ,fookin calendar farming

yewtree

Cows still out full time here but on 12 hour wires.
30% of farm ungrazeable today, still working away on drier parts of farm running out of road though.
its been a far better year than 2012 plenty of feed and the year isnt over yet. If october comes good it will be a very good year here.

mahoney_j

yewtree wrote: »

Cows still out full time here but on 12 hour wires.
30% of farm ungrazeable today, still working away on drier parts of farm running out of road though.
its been a far better year than 2012 plenty of feed and the year isnt over yet. If october comes good it will be a very good year here.

Not even a close cousin of 2012 ....here anyway

ABlur

Keepgrowing wrote: »

Has enough feed been made. If I recall the spring of 13 was the capping of the hardship of 12

No problem with silage plenty of it made around here. I'd say the lesson of spring 2013 has been learnt.

croot

ABlur wrote: »

No problem with silage plenty of it made around here. I'd say the lesson of spring 2013 has been learnt.

We haven't had more than 1 day in a row without rain since early August here I'd say. No one in my area has second cut made yet. Land is probably borderline on ever getting in to make it at this stage.

I'm going to try some of the drier fields at the weekend but only 2 days are promised dry in this area.

Reggie.

Keepgrowing wrote: »

Has enough feed been made. If I recall the spring of 13 was the capping of the hardship of 12

That is the real question. A lot of lads got shocking excited making hay around here early on in the year. Doesn't seem to be too much silage about the place tbh

roosky

Keepgrowing wrote: »

Has enough feed been made. If I recall the spring of 13 was the capping of the hardship of 12

A lot of lads around me have very little made as they joined glas which delayed hay(silage) making and they haven't got it yet, talking to them they will sell stock before buying feed

Buford T. Justice XIX

There is a big change in weather forecasted for next week with a return to warm, dry conditions so it might pay to delay any work for a few days if possible.

Limestone Cowboy

Buford T. Justice V wrote: »

There is a big change in weather forecasted for next week with a return to warm, dry conditions so it might pay to delay any work for a few days if possible.

I hope you're right Buford!

lab man

Going there by met eire ann it's promised good from Saturday onwards

Keepgrowing

Buford T. Justice V wrote: »

There is a big change in weather forecasted for next week with a return to warm, dry conditions so it might pay to delay any work for a few days if possible.

Great news, 20 ac of grass to drill. We also have 15 ac sown 4 weeks that's not post emerge sprayed yet as we had to plough it. I hope it's dry enough to travel with sprayer

Floki

Limestone Cowboy wrote: »

I hope you're right Buford!

We can sacrifice him to the Gods if he's wrong.

Floki

Buford T. Justice V wrote: »

There is a big change in weather forecasted for next week with a return to warm, dry conditions so it might pay to delay any work for a few days if possible.

Looks dry at the start then rain Wednesday and another 2 dry days and then wet again for the weekend.

charolais0153

Keepgrowing wrote: »

Great news, 20 ac of grass to drill. We also have 15 ac sown 4 weeks that's not post emerge sprayed yet as we had to plough it. I hope it's dry enough to travel with sprayer

What post emergence would u uss not to kill clover. Legumex or pastir trio is it

Jaycornyn

Land isn't the driest but still good growth. Silage all made. We buy in hay. Biggest problem atm is hoof rot. Lambs have been footbathed twice. But hoofs are constantly wet so having to put a few in to give them a chance.

charolais0153

What are lads doing with weaned suckler cows atm

rangler1

charolais0153 wrote: »

Would .5kgs not gave been made better use of when tgere was sun on their backs in june.and when price was 10e dearer for finished lamb

Don't usually start till after the ploughing and then on maybe a third of the lambs, Lambs not on target now so decided to feed.
Never had any interest in selling them early as would have too much grass in the autumn if the lambs were gone, no interest in buying in stores either and putting the health of my 500 ewes at risk. That's my system and it seems to work

whelan2

Cold wet afternoon, hope the rain stops soon

Keepgrowing

Got grass drilled today. That's it for this year.

Mooooo

Last 6 weeks been wet enough. Finishing up on dry ground Monday so will see how we get on. May have to back fence. 18 acre wet field is very soft in spots so calves may be sent in there if I can't get cows to clear it. Plenty poor silage in the pit guestimating at mid 60's dmd but a few better bales around and maize to come in yet. Only half the straw came so what comes next may be interesting. Will be draw bedding some stock till Xmas only hopefully if I go clear so I keep the better stuff for calf bedding. May get woodchip for one shed. A good bit of grass but cows are giving out as are heifers, must tidy up the maize pit so if weather continues poor will buffer with what was left from last year, once I start I'll have to keep at until this years crop comes in or will be more waste.

whelan2

Was talking to a local farmer today who has no straw got yet.... some is better than none

Mooooo

whelan2 wrote: »

Was talking to a local farmer today who has no straw got yet.... some is better than none

When do ye order it? I get same amount more or less every year of same lad but normally ring in june/ July to confirm amount

whelan2

Always get the big squares off my cousin, same amount each year. Last year oh was owed alot of money form a lad so we got round bales of straw from him as payment. This year got them from a neighbour, he still has some if anyone wants some. Still need small squares though

Who2

On dry ground here but I'm struggling at the moment.. I left agap open yesterday evening and cows got at some baled silage and were after bursting a few bales. I had some job to get them away from the bales. Grass is getting scarce and the top of the ground is starting to get very greasy. I'm seriously con side ring housing some cattle shortly if things don't improve soon.

sea12

Got my straw today and it's fairly poor to say the least. Just got it be because it's literally next door. Allot of straw lying on the flat around here still.

Keepgrowing

charolais0153 wrote: »

What post emergence would u uss not to kill clover. Legumex or pastir trio is it

I use undersown on any ground reseeded regularly, find it good. On new ground this time with massive reservoir of weed seeds so am using pastor trio, good so far. Will go with D50 in Oct to control Ragworth. I don't include clover in the mix as D50 will kill it. I'm not certain about Pastor but don't think it's clover safe

einn32

Driving up to Dublin yesterday in the rain and combines parked up everywhere. It must be really frustrating.