Beef Grazing 2022

Letting some cattle out to grass shortly. Which should be let out first: Her hfrs; AA hfrs; P grade Frs; better Frs? Frs are bullocks.

All in fair order.

I’d be letting the worst/hungriest out first or whatever you want finished first. Are they getting meal?

There'll be no talk like that around here for 6-8 weeks.

Only 20th of January yet. Could get anything between now and April. We will hardly be so lucky to avoid it.

You cod but the grass is there at present. It's all about being able to graze it now. I always prefer to see a wet December, January or even February. It has been exceptionally mild. Growth has been exceptional it's a matter of managing it now.

In my opinion you be mad to let cattle out to grass. Takes weeks for cattle to settle and thrive in the shed after putting them in at the start of the winter. One wet night and the land would be in scutter. You have to put the cattle back in and start all over again. Also your land will suffer due to the damage. If you have fodder leave them in. No point in spending loads of money on sheds to leave idle. Land needs are rest too.

The only thing I would be letting out yet would be the odd lad with sore or tender feet or that slats ain't agreeing with & again it would be close to the yard where they could get a grain of meal.

Those are the two extremes worst v. finished first. I will let 4 of each kind out tomorrow. On about 3 lbs meal and fair silage.

Long grass is better grazed before March frosts. Light small cattle are the best bet in that they have the best chance of staying out and won’t be a big loss in performance I’d have to come back in but bar that do your hard pressed sheep farming neighbours a turn and turn the wig of winter growth Into lovely pelleted fertiliser on the ground ready to fuel the fresh spring growth)

Flexibility is key at the shoulders. I'm on heavy ground with pockets if dry. Yesterday I turned out 30 yearling heifers. If they have to come in due to weather so be it. Currently on paddocks and strip wires up. Getting enough grass for 24-36 hrs. The back fence is vital. Looking at them in the distance and half are lying down. Better of out when the weather plays ball

The amount of grass grown since November unbelievable. 2yr old cattle will do well to be out by march in a normal year.

@blue5000 could we transfer posts to a beef grazing 22 thread

What feeding is in grass now. The DM of the grass would be poor yet would it not? I’d say cattle would still be better on good silage for another month or 6 weeks.

Fencing is vital, ex dairy farm here with paddocks and roadways. Had the usual wire breaking on the exodus from the sheds. Over the past number of years I have struggle to get ground graze by may, with a priority to graze silage ground.

The cost of silage will be a huge dent in budgets for the coming year, with fert and rising diesel prices, was shocked the other when the diesel tank had to be filled.

Everyday of grazing now is a bonus and that's the way I'm viewing it.

When did you graze it last before closing, what kind of stocking rate would you have on it

End of August, would be stocked fairly low overall here. Cow to the acre roughly should last them 2 months. If weather comes very wet move through quicker, no worries with cold

N released from the min till method. Something to consider.

Let out a other batch of yearlings today. Cattle are very settled out and content. I know I will have to pull them back in when the weather turns a after all this dry weather

Won’t be out here till after paddy’s day. I’ll graze the silage ground first something I haven’t done in years.