lab man wrote: » Same has happened here the next bad year they can go whistle
TooOldBoots wrote: Sold 100 bales of 1st cut silage last year, best of feeding, €35/bale. The young upstart rang yesterday reneging on the deal, gave me a load of guff about how silage wasn't making anything near what we agreed and that and that there's loads of grass everywhere now. I didn't bother arguing just told him grand job. I thought it was bad form, a deal is a deal and to me a handshake is a mans contract. I had to ring another customer I sold bales to last year and tell him what happened, wasn't on the phone 2 minutes when he told me he'd take the bales no question, said his cows were pumping milk last spring on the silage I sold him. We might get an early spring but thats no reason to burn lads, its not as if I am making a fortune out of the bales
Mooooo wrote: » The stuff you graze now will be back in for april
Keepgrowing wrote: » It’s the second round tests your mettle
Timmaay wrote: » Bass you told me a week ago your beef margins are too tight to justify having any sort of silage reserve, yet right at the second you have a totally open goal to get in an extra rotation, reduce your silage, labour input, straw use etc and your not taking it for the fear that you won't believe able to graze in April. What if April is wet? Your stock will be going into big covers with very poor utilisation. I know its harder for a part time farmer to operate any sort of on off systems like dairy farmers get away with, but at the minute ground conditions are good enough in alot of places to let animals out full time without any problems
Reggie. wrote: » You'll have some craic next spring if he rings you looking for them bales
So sorry to hear you got done old boots
TooOldBoots wrote: » Sold 100 bales of 1st cut silage last year, best of feeding, €35/bale. The young upstart rang yesterday reneging on the deal, gave me a load of guff about how silage wasn't making anything near what we agreed and that and that there's loads of grass everywhere now. I didn't bother arguing just told him grand job. I thought it was bad form, a deal is a deal and to me a handshake is a mans contract. I had to ring another customer I sold bales to last year and tell him what happened, wasn't on the phone 2 minutes when he told me he'd take the bales no question, said his cows were pumping milk last spring on the silage I sold him. We might get an early spring but thats no reason to burn lads, its not as if I am making a fortune out of the bales
Buford T. Justice V wrote: » And grass growing well for the tightest period of the year at the start of the second rotation.
Bass Reeves wrote: » Yes it will happen on heavier covers and on lighter covers where there in no N. I have no issue as a beef man on heavier covers as this rises the dry matter and lowers the P in the grass. Dairying needs the P in the grass to keep solids in the milk. Those burnt tip on the grass are often above 70%DM and will raise the DM in the grass to the very high 20's and even low 30's. Cattle digest best at 40%DM excess water needs to be got rid of and takes energy just like wet turf and timber in a fire. As a finisher too much P will only grow not flesh cattle. Nearly all research in Ireland is dairy based and Teagasc and other transfer it without looking further at it to transfer to beef. Them burnt tip are the enemy of the dairy man who is feeding 3+kgs of nuts and silage as he needs the P for solids and the ration will counteract the lower DM. This is why cattle growth is so poor in the autumn due to low DM in grass and the dairy man feeds higher rates og nuts to counteract same. The most important thing about spring grass is you have enough of it. As a beef man I would not rush out cleaning off low covers it takes grass to grow grass. Like i said earlier in a normal year I be out now but I am away for a few weeks in April and need to make sure I have enough grass.
Dakota Dan wrote: » Did you ever see grass getting burnt with hard frost? Think back to 2013.
Say my name wrote: » I don't think there is a problem. If there is a talk it'll be of admiration. I know that's the case around here. Michael Doran was on the radio there now again cows out day and night. Talk will be generated again. It'll be of incredulity that cows are out day and night a month sooner than normal. I take pride in being talked about!
Bass Reeves wrote: » I do not where lads have this idea that grass melts. A cold spell will stop growth but grass will not melt. What will happen is that the DM will rise as water leaves the grass. Biggest issue with a col spell is no growth there is no such thinh as grass melting. If I have one fear about this year is while covers are high DM content of grass could be lower than other springs. Last year was a cold spring grass did not melt in me the f@@king thing stopped growing and there was no second rotation.
Dakota Dan wrote: » That's good going and didn't you have them out until early December? Plenty with cows out here by day, I'd say they want to graze the grass while its there if we get a March like last year all the grass that's there now will melt. They can use the feed they saved by grazing if that happens.
whelan2 wrote: » My dad was at a funeral last week another farmer from a good bit away came over to him to say is it true whelan had her cows out in January. My dad said yes for about ten days. The other lad said that someone had told him and he didn't believe it. I don't see the problem. If grazing conditions are right work with it. Edited to say we are opening second pit tomorrow that would normally have been opened mid January
Keepgrowing wrote: » Winter herd out by day since 12/1 Spring calvers out day and night since 28/1 ie first calf. They’re in two groups main herd and penno/fresh group. All weanlings out since 3/2.It really makes life much easier
Say my name wrote: » Everyone has stock being let out around this area. Some as far as I can see never even put them in a shed yet. There's one lad has the milkers out night and day now. Now he's the talk of the parish... There's some serious grass growers about though. You'd be miles trailing behind them. They're very coy with their secrets though. I think some people just don't like to have silage left in the pit or just aim for a full-time grazing start. Crazy though. If you want to grow grass you have to graze grass.
Timmaay wrote: » I drove by at least 5 local farms today with with zero stock out, but loads of big covers of grass. After the whole panic all last year are they all now trying to just use up fodder ha?
Mooooo wrote: » A lot of lads delayed calving a week or two so numbers may not be there. Edit fcuking covered me phone in iodone
