Topping

duffysfarm

Anyone topping yet? Is it a bit early?

minerleague

Come to the conclusion topping is only for the neighbours !! No plans to do any with the price of diesel

whelan2

Ye been topping over a month now

James2022

Have plenty of paddocks topped. This time of year I like to clean up after the animals have been through a paddock. Weeds are shockingly bad this year and many fields got infested with buttercups. One top and it removes 95% of them.

ABitofsense

Yeah following the sucklers topping now. Grass gone very stemy & needs it. Grass is growing seriously well around here so cows can't keep on top of it.

StevenToast

Ya...i used to think that "June was too soon" for topping...

But started today...

whelan2

Love looking back as you're driving out of a field you just topped.

I says

Waiting for the glas restrictions to lift then full steam ahead.

Base price

Just after topping a field with a few heifers in it. I'll leave them there until Monday to clean up the topping before moving them to the next field. We use a disc mower to top and it leaves a nice clean job. I was watching a lad who works for a local contractor topping a few fields for a neighbour and he was reversing around the field, that would drive me nuts.

whelan2

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119220721#Comment_119220721

Why would he do that?

Jb1989

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119220727#Comment_119220727

His topper is in line with the tractor.

Driveing forwards will tramp the grass before cutting.

Hence the need to reverse.

whelan2

Ah OK. I use a trailed one.

Base price

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119220727#Comment_119220727

It's one of those toppers that sits behind the tractor so where the tractor tyres drive over the weeds and flatten them the topper isn't able to cut them iykwim.

Cavanjack

Yeah started a bit during the week. Like to have weeds cut before they flower and cut any clumps of grass a day or so before cattle move paddock so they can eat them up.

Lime Tree Farm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119220800#Comment_119220800

No harm in letting them flower, just cut them before they start going go to seed. Plants are at their weakest after flowering, the added benefit is nectar the butterflies and bees.

Dunedin

Started last week here too. I keep tipping away as the paddocks are grazed.

I find June the best time to top as you have better growth for fresh grass to come back.

Bleating Lamb

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119220497#Comment_119220497

Have noticed a sight of Buttercups around here in fields as well this year....ground wet here but if it gets a chance to soak I will be out topping as with less fertiliser used imo it will be important to have good quality grass going into the second half of the year.

Base price

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119220690#Comment_119220690

There are a good few spear thistles growing in the LIPP which have just started to flower. I wonder will they go to seed before the 1st of July.

Lime Tree Farm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119221624#Comment_119221624

Do they not come under the Noxious Weed Act for Ragwort, Thistle and Dock.

Bass Reeves

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058250749/topping

It's never too early to top. When cattle are on ration it can be hard to get them to clean out paddocks. If paddocks get too strong consider pre mowing.

I have been topping some since last week in May. What is not topped in the last round will get cleaned up in this round.

Base price

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119221705#Comment_119221705

TBH I don't know. The problem here is that I can't weed lick or top the noxious weeds in the GLAS/LIPP fields and the docks, creeping nettles, all types of thistles have gone out of control since we joined. I can spot spray them but I be on a Zimmer frame before I got around to spraying all of them. I wonder does the Noxious Weed Act surpass the more recent GLAS actions.

Bass Reeves

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119221823#Comment_119221823

The problem with any of them schemes is you must have the field right before you start. In theory if you are following the LiPP rules the reduction in fertlizer will weaken these types of weeds over time. However a person would need to keep well on top of the spot spraying. I find the best way is either on a quad or with a tractor and one person on the sprayer and another driving

Cavanjack

Nothing to say that You can’t spot spray with a boom sprayer.

Hard Knocks

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119221737#Comment_119221737

If pre mowing how far in advance can you cut? Would a week be too much?

Bass Reeves

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119222436#Comment_119222436

In really hot weather it's daily, most of the time it's every second day, however if it's dry and there is little or no sun you will get three days