Drought

Western Pomise

On a lot of farms on west coast from Kerry to Donegal if farmers have a mix of sheep and cattle the Silage would only be coming fit for cutting now as sheep are in the meadows in April.Even crops not cut yet looking light....no bulk in first cuts on a lot of farms.

charolais0153

Western Pomise wrote: »

On a lot of farms on west coast from Kerry to Donegal if farmers have a mix of sheep and cattle the Silage would only be coming fit for cutting now as sheep are in the meadows in April.Even crops not cut yet looking light....no bulk in first cuts on a lot of farms.

Took it up twenty something th of april. Cut it first week of june.. Perfect balance between quality and bulk imo. 9 bales/acre

Lambman

Silage cut a week still no fertiliser or slurry spread on it since as no cover whatsoever taking out 7 acres off bales in next few days and praying I'll have enough regrowth on it till graze the last off the lambs in say a months time.... Wishfull thinking id say.

early_riser

How are people fixed now? Not much rain fell here at all yet fields getting very burnt up and price of hay and silage after soaring in last fortnight most now looking 40 for bales. I have no grass left, all lambs getting nuts now and feeding oats to the early ewes to try flush them. Went through all ewes here and picked out culls and poor performers, 50 going to the factory next week and these wont be replaced this year unless i can make more feed on farm myself which could be difficult given that its the 21st of july and even if it does rain this week and grass recovers it would be into september before i would have a meadow. some year!!

Green farmer

When is it all going to end ? I’ve less grass now then in December and the ground has completely cracked up and grass is yellow. Extraordinary indeed.

wrangler

Green farmer wrote: »

When is it all going to end ? I’ve less grass now then in December and the ground has completely cracked up and grass is yellow. Extraordinary indeed.

In any year there's feckall growth from august on, only water standing up, so only meal will be fit to flush ewes and fatten lambs, definitely can't afford to have lambs going into the new year this year

Green farmer

wrangler wrote: »

In any year there's feckall growth from august on, only water standing up, so only meal will be fit to flush ewes and fatten lambs, definitely can't afford to have lambs going into the new year this year

Some years you might get a early spring or other years a late autumn, but this year We’re being skinned from both sides. May was probably the only month of good grass growth. Going to be expensive to carry anything this winter as bought in fodder of any description is going to be mad.

Lambman

Sold all the horned ewes I bought in last year for breeding replacements off and won't be replacing them this year as it stands anyway.... I have the grass till carry what lambs are left for at least 2 months maybe more but as wrangler says the grass quality just isn't there so everything will be need till be fed meal. Breaks my heart till sell lambs till factory after the cuts they implemented this past 3 weeks. I don't see the point in me keeping them on till big weights tho and hoping the price rises because it wont. Stuck between a rock and a hard place comes till mind.

wrangler

Green farmer wrote: »

Some years you might get a early spring or other years a late autumn, but this year We’re being skinned from both sides. May was probably the only month of good grass growth. Going to be expensive to carry anything this winter as bought in fodder of any description is going to be mad.

Yea, I never saw many as light lambs going into the factory even under 17kg, farmers are just moving them to get them out of the way.
We're thinking of just targeting 18 or 19kgs rather than 21 -22, it's just costing too much to put on that extra weight, The problem might be lack of condition, they don't like many fat score 2s, I'd guess I'd have 30 or 40 lambs that'd ko over 18, it'd be a big relief out of 120 lambs and get rid of more ewes as well

early_riser

wrangler wrote: »

Yea, I never saw many as light lambs going into the factory even under 17kg, farmers are just moving them to get them out of the way.
We're thinking of just targeting 18 or 19kgs rather than 21 -22, it's just costing too much to put on that extra weight, The problem might be lack of condition, they don't like many fat score 2s, I'd guess I'd have 30 or 40 lambs that'd ko over 18, it'd be a big relief out of 120 lambs and get rid of more ewes as well

Was thinking of doing the same myself, anything that kill out over 18 get rid, but on the other hand the extra money from the heavier lamb all needed just have to make sure trying to put on the extra is not costing the difference

wrangler

early_riser wrote: »

Was thinking of doing the same myself, anything that kill out over 18 get rid, but on the other hand the extra money from the heavier lamb all needed just have to make sure trying to put on the extra is not costing the difference

Our lambs are puttng on 2kgs/week so probably 1kg DW, They're eating almost a KG/day now at 33c/kg so that's €2.40 which sounds alright but they're also eating grass which is a scarce and dear commodity now......They'll all have to live on meal only in another few days

early_riser

wrangler wrote: »

Our lambs are puttng on 2kgs/week so probably 1kg DW, They're eating almost a KG/day now at 33c/kg so that's €2.40 which sounds alright but they're also eating grass which is a scarce and dear commodity now......They'll all have to live on meal only in another few days

yeah just made it up there meal bill for this week, between oats to ewes and nuts to all lambs, is higher than it was this time six months ago in January!!

Green farmer

The mill put on €10 a tonne into meal early last winter because the minerals factory burnt down in the continent somewhere and another €10 a tonne in March because of some vague reason also. That’s €20 extra since last year. Who’d be betting against them increasing it again on some made up reason if this weather continues, so you cannt rely on them for a steady supply either.

wrangler

early_riser wrote: »

yeah just made it up there meal bill for this week, between oats to ewes and nuts to all lambs, is higher than it was this time six months ago in January!!

conversion rate won't be as good when they're a couple months on it either, Best conversion rate is got in the first few weeks.
Salvage situation from now on