jaymla627 wrote: » Just two thousand litres at the minute, need to put in a new bulk tank next year and toying with idea of a outdoor tank and leaving 6000 litre tank in place to be used to put chilled water through plate cooler and use this tank as a reserve also with it plumbed into wash down pump to pump water to troughs
whelan2 wrote: » Grass growing here. Heavy land loves this weather. I will enjoy it while it lasts as we will probably be back to muck and scutter soon enough
Wildsurfer wrote: » Jeez just read MT's forecast, a blocking high for foreseeable future, only a Squibble fri if we're lucky!
GrasstoMilk wrote: » The old rhyme of oak before ash most definitely is accurate. Oak was well out here this year before Ash and that's supposed to mean a dry summer. Last number of years they both have been out around the same time but the Ash being a good week before the oak.. No grass worth talking about here. Feeding strong. Have silage ground closed up on milk block but couldn't let cows in on it. It's nearing 3000 covers. I grazed 10 acres of stuff at 1600 that I had to graze a few weeks back that was intended for 1st cut silage wouldn't be able to cut it yet with fert not due out of it till end of the month
Timmaay wrote: » You have the same problem as me lol, ya shouldn't be aiming to cut heavy crops of 1st cut off the milking block at all. Will be all bales/excess paddocks here next year, only reason I closed up for 1st cut was I had to put all the drystock on the rented land to clean it out, so lower Sr last 2months on the milking block. Can ya not cut the silage ground now?
pedigree 6 wrote: » For all the ones advocating cutting now. Would it not be better have a big bulk of mediocre silage for the dry period than be run out of silage?
GrasstoMilk wrote: » . Why would I be making 79/80 dmd stuff for them
GrasstoMilk wrote: » I need dry cow silage. Still have 40 good bales from last year. Now is the one chance you have of gathering the winters fodder. 69:70 dmd stuff is even too good for my dry cows. Why would I be making 79/80 dmd stuff for them and having to put straw through it because I don't have enough silage. I'll get lots of bales when growth picks back up
freedominacup wrote: » So that you don't suffer in bad weather next March and so that they will continue to milk well when grass quality deteriorates
leg wax wrote: » i would always try and make quality as i can always buy ****e.
yewtree wrote: » just after looking at weather on met eireann on the 5 day weather forecast, rain seems to be coming on thursday and friday definitely for the west anyway. rang contractor to knock the first cut this evening should be good quality anyway. looks like my brief shortage of grass on milking platform will be over fairly quickly.
mahoney_j wrote: » U must of had some stash of 80 dmd bales to feed all autumn calvers and buffer through spring and still have 40 left ,if u can make that amount of that silage why make crap ??
GrasstoMilk wrote: » Why would I make real good silage for my drys when they are already in super condition at drying. Therr boderline fat when they get near calving. I have land set aside for milkers bales and then I have silage set aside for drys. Giving dry cows straw is diluting there energy intake. How about I give you a bowl of porridge in the morning and then nothing but crackers till tomorrow morning. You wouldn't have much energy, would you? Again I'll say it. I have good bales for milkers and average silage for my drys. Who at most need to put on half a condition score between drying off and calving. It's working for us here and we'll continue to do it this way
mahoney_j wrote: » Your missing the whole point which I havnt time to go into all about grassland management ,also missing the point re straw with good silage there's a big benefit
GrasstoMilk wrote: » Your not grasping my point either. I am well able to make lots of good quality silage, I do not need 80dmd stuff for dry cows. Majority of the area my cows graze will get cut once every year. 3 bales to the acre on it and I have the bales for the milkers. I have fed no silage since late Feb because I had so much grass to get through, which is why I have those good bales. I always get a pinch here every year and every year it happens at a different time.
mahoney_j wrote: » How much 80 dmd silage do u make ??,honest answer and dose itvtest 80 dmd ,very little people in country make any decent amount of silage at that level I only had 2 lots of bales totalling 95 bales which tested at that most were 72/78 with worst lot 68
Buford T. Justice V wrote: » At the risk of starting WWIII, I'll add a link from Dr. John Roche on supplements on grass.http://i.stuff.co.nz/business/farming/advice/92338064/john-roche-pasture-is-an-excellent-feed-unless-you-mismanage-it
freedominacup wrote: » Teagasc wouldn't want this one getting around at all. As far as they're concerned 100mj of energy from concentrates is only capable of producing half as much milk as 100mj of energy from grass. That article flys in the face of all their research in the subject.
Mooooo wrote: » The issue is the dm intake I guess, lads measuring in the group have some of the herds eating 21 kg dm of grass along with 3 kg meal and excellent cleanouts, perfect conditions everything is fine but wet weather or harsh winds blowing and cows go for shelter and don't get as much in. When he says the only difference is cow dm intakes between US and nz cows and the fact cows are working for grazing doesn't quite add up as to test that properly would be to swap cows in each system I assume and see how they do. Nearly all the research he quoted was his own also? Not saying he's wrong but the discussion would need more input I guess
yewtree wrote: » I have never heard that, energy is energy surely doesn't matter where it comes from, I thought it largely agreed with Teagasc stuff I have heard particularly around substitution of grass.
