Grazing 2022

Danzy

Growth today but ground is hard.

memorystick

Grass coming back but still very tight. It takes grass to grow grass is very true this year.

endainoz

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119014377#Comment_119014377

When grass is grazed right down it tends to be slower to come back but you can't blame lads for trying to get a bit more out of a paddock.

Easten

Getting near drought conditions soon. If we get a hot Summer like last year then there wont be a lick of grass in any field

Danzy

Getting a little concerned about drying now. Yellow appearing in one spot, that said it is a stoney bank but it is usually Green most summers.

One consolation is the knowledge of 2018 that a little in the field stretches a very long way.

That's about it consolation wise.

J.O. Farmer

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119015726#Comment_119015726

Drought, I was hoping to dose lambs last Saturday and after a dry week it rained plenty, it started off looking ominous and got worse as the day went on. Monday stayed okay and I got it done but drought isn't a worry.

There's a bit of growth though, the field I took the sheep off is greening up since Monday.

Siamsa Sessions

Massive difference in weather/rain patterns across the country.

The mention of drought reminded me of a podcast I heard recently, where a dairy farmer in Wexford was talking about his decision to switch from spring-calving to organic winter milk. I don't know him (apart from following him on Twitter) but he seems a very progressive guy and on very good ground. He was already drifting towards low-input so organic made sense.

But switching to autumn calving was partly because of the low rainfall they got and the slow grass growth in June/July. He said he'd end up buffer-feeding silage most years in those months, and at the other side of things, he could have cows out in January coz of the mild climate they have.

Dozer1

Today is the first proper bit of rain we've gotten here since April 17th and we'd generally get more rain than drier parts of the country. Grass will take off today hopefully

endainoz

Nice drop of rain here today alright, hopefully things will take off properly now.

Bass Reeves

Nice but of rain here too yesterday. Grass had started to take off on fields with covers. Have them.out since about the 20th of march on average.

There are ten on about 7-8 acres around the house. Back on the farm two mobs the finishing bunch( 20 of them) which I have started to feed 3 kgs to them are bombing along. Was making sure that they will continually have grass in front of the them.

The mob of 36 have been short.if grass since the 20th April. The got back into the rotation proper last Tuesday. In between they finished off two small paddocks ( about 2 acres ) they got 10 ish bales of silage over that period as well.

I have spread about a bag of Urea/ a re on the grazing ground. Half around the 20 th of March and half around mid April. Thrive is good however unless over the next 2-3 weeks we get a small bit.ofvrzin every week I could be tight I. Early June.

smallbeef

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119026786#Comment_119026786

Didn't buy yearlings yet this year yet. Just have 20 I bought last Aug as calves. Finishing away the 2 year olds at mo. Glad they'll do alright this year. Understocked at the moment so focusing on making plenty good silage. Will start picking up some yearlings in a few months to finish next year.

wrangler

Magic day has arrived here anyway. gone from 6 days grass ahead to 14 days ahead since monday

memorystick

The heavy rain is after doing wonders. Very little grass but starting to move now.?

Silverdream

Great burst of growth over the last few days. That drop of rain has worked wonders. Grass and after-grass in every field I have. I might be a bit understocked but that's no harm.

I saw over in the southern US states it's a full drought now. There has been a major rush to offload stock at the local marts over the last few days with 1 mile ques reported at some livestock sales. Not a screed of grass or a bale of hay to be gotten in Texas as they've gone nearly 6 months without any serious drop of rain. Major cattle cull happening at the moment. Just goes to show how lucky we are to get all the rain we do get

Siamsa Sessions

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119390883#Comment_119390883

Don't tell Éamon Ryan that - his whole idea is that we should cut production here (where it rains and we can grow grass) and outsource food to other parts of the world (where drought/flood are more regular).

A sign of the madness: RTE might report that drought and conclude that it's caused by climate change, which Irish farmers are contributing to. Therefore, we should cut production here!

farmertipp

rte are obviously biased here. they bring on 'polished'speakers to promote their agenda and bring on apes to represent opposite views

memorystick

Yer man whinging about the 750 cows needs a boot in the hole. Where did they get him from?

Tileman

Surely to HOD they glycolic have got a lad with 40-50 cows. If u can’t make a living out of 550 cows give it up. Playing the poor mouth with that amount of stock is ridiculous.

Siamsa Sessions

A man with 750 cows whinging about money is exactly what the green agenda crew want. Major PR win for them if they can point at him and say, “That’s the typical farmer”

Grueller

Did a farm organisation put him up as a speaker for this? If they did it was like taking a loaded shotgun and handing it to your opposition.

Danzy

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119401851#Comment_119401851

They deliberately choose him.

cute geoge

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119402617#Comment_119402617

In fairness nearly all big farmers like that are only gobshites and me feiners .In the the beef plan protest locally it was only 2 biggest farmers that broke the blockade continually to get cattle into factory

J.O. Farmer

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119402617#Comment_119402617

Of course, they were probably thinking of P. Flynn on the Late Late at the time.

https://youtu.be/9ORNfD8e_sk

whelan2

Neighbour is tight enough on grass. I have 35 acres put in pit during the week. Haven't done anything with it yet. What would be the going rate fir him to take it for 3rd cut.

Bass Reeves

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119404834#Comment_119404834

It all depends on what fertilizer he puts in it. Two bags on 0-7-30 is costing 80-90 euro. I be slow even selling a bale silage because of the P&K going out the gate.

I would not be wondering what 3rd cut is making either. If he put 1500 gallons of slurry per acre on it and cuts it the end of September you would be better off at 30-40/ acre than a lad that gives you 100/ acre , put 50-70 units of urea and cuts it the end of October.

Nail down the fertilizer that goes on it first.

memorystick

It’s the first week I’ve nice grass. That rain was a super job.

memorystick

How are lads fixed for grass? Was talking to a lad who has feed over 700 bales of silage so far. Milking 350 and in a very dry part of the country. Feeding strong all summer. Fields greening up ok but we’re nearer October than August

Mooooo

Tight enough, zerograzing a bit of grass from outfarm, first time doing it. Reseeded 20% of farm tho, last bit only in. Feeding 6kgs of ration the last 2 months but no silage

whelan2

Every night the cows are out is a bonus at this stage.

funkey_monkey

Going to PD the cows this week and then should be able to split them up across fields to extend the grazing abs and preserve the fields for next year.

Still got grass, but when prolonged rain comes it will poach up so split them.