Neddyusa wrote: » ...if you're milking cows off it. Otherwise - as Bass says - for drystock it simply doesn't pay
cacs wrote: » 100% reseeding is far more profitable than old Pasture.
Castlekeeper wrote: » It leads into a higher cost system though, and that's a tough game to win with low margins. All the beef demo farms have failed so far, afaik. An example of a profitable beef farmer I knew, he was running about 20-30 head on 100 acres of heath and 30 acres of fields. Bought cheap stores in the fall and sold off grass 1-2 years later, all outwintered, as good as zero costs.
DBK1 wrote: » Same here, and it’s also the difference in having good quality silage in winter and reducing the meal bill. Cattle thrive better on reseeded ground as well so you get more cheap weight gain during summer and get cattle killed sooner. When making silage from reseeded ground you’ll get up to 30 bales/acre of top quality over 3 or 4 cuts, on old grass you’ll be lucky to get 20 bales of average quality over 2 cuts. The only negative I can think of for reseeding is the initial cost but that pays back within 2 years. I would say the reason for a lot of beef farmers not making profit is because of not reseeding. It should be number 1 on the list of improvements on every farm.
Alibaba wrote: » I'm in a similar position. Been a really tough few months. Still have around 30 stores inside , land swimming , grass very slow to grow on my old pastures also. I'd say I was spoiled the last 3/4 years as loads of grass everywhere and thinking every year would be the same. How quickly we forget the bad Springs. Too many cattle now , will have to cut back. Not going through this again.
CloughCasey1 wrote: » Jaysus Bass I don't know. I would have been absolutely fooked this spring if it wasn't for the performance of the reseeded ground. Point in case 7.6 acres of reseeded ground giving me back 87 bales with 28hrs wilt, cut with conditioner and tedded twice before raking. All my old ground is closed up for hay and is damn slow growing and it having 3.5 bags 18s +s. The grazing ground got bag urea in Feb and a bag 18s since and with the growth the last few days with the first bit of warmth of summer, has left me with a lot of daylight in front of me. I see lads paying stupid money on big tractors and jeeps an complaining that they have no grass. A small bit every year would make itself back when conditions for grass growth is tough. Reseeded 2 acres with a mixed species this spring on recommendation from a cousin so we'll see how this does for what the potential future holds.
Dunedin wrote: » Same as that here. It’s the reseeded fields that got me through this spring.
Bass Reeves wrote: » I reseed 8+ years ago it along with the rules of GLAS prevented me from doing LIPP my scheme payments were 1800/ year instead of over 4k. Over 2k per year with GLAS running for 6-7 years that's 14-15k. of
Bass Reeves wrote: » Reseeding with drystock is very marginal. Reseeding will rule you out of GLAS for tradition pastures. As well next environmental scheme looks like it will have payments for mixed herbal type leys. I would hold tough. This year was an anomaly.....I hope a one in 6-7year event. I be slow spending money. Intensive drystock is not profitable Ya soil test the farm, if it needs lime as well as P&K sort that. Stay away from reseeding
Mooooo wrote: » Point was soil test and drainage would be first port of call, reseeding after that if required/ worth it. With regard to this spring, we've had worse in the last 5 years tbh, imo
Mooooo wrote: » This winter soil test the farm to see where you are. See if any drainage is needed and after that then reseeding can be planned on if need be.
cacs wrote: » I only have a small farm. I went out with store Cattle on the 24 of Feb. I had them in for 17 days since. The cows and calfs have be in and out more times than i know. I am well into my third rotation. But it has been a very tough few months. I am based in the west and not in good ground. The land got Slurry in Early Feb followed by 30 Units of Nitrogen to the acre in March followed by 2 bags of 18.6.12.3S in April and now i am going back in with Prtoected urea 27 Units / acre every 20-25 days. My grass is mainly old and this is my real problem its nots not weather. It does not have the power. On my reseeded paddocks i have grown 4500kg of DM/ ha and on my old pastures i have grown 1800-3000kg / dm/HA.
Reggie. wrote: » Keep spreading for another while
Kevhog1988 wrote: » Guaranteed a hape of sun now for at least a week lads, I spread 2 bags of fert last night and it never rains for a week after i do it
Dinzee Conlee wrote: » Not having a go now, but does it pay to be going out that often with fertilser? I'm in the same boat myself a small bit, and maybe the answer is to reduce stocking rate rather than spending more money on fertilser...
Dunedin wrote: » Grass not too bad and cattle let back out this evening. They’re on reseeded ground which got 2.5k slurry in March followed by 2 bags/acre of pasture sward and then got 1.25 bags/acre of sulpha can two weeks ago so it’s doing very well again. I was all set to give them another bale this evening which would have left them in til Thursday but walked through it going herding the others and couldn’t believe how it dried so let them out again.
Bass Reeves wrote: » Ground really needed extra p&k this spring.
cacs wrote: » How are you finding grass this week. My farm cover is dropping like a stone at 550kg today. The cold weather and rain over the last week sent me into a tail spin. I may have to rehouse again.
