Advertisement
If you have a new account but are having problems posting or verifying your account, please email us on hello@boards.ie for help. Thanks :)
Hello all! Please ensure that you are posting a new thread or question in the appropriate forum. The Feedback forum is overwhelmed with questions that are having to be moved elsewhere. If you need help to verify your account contact hello@boards.ie

Old meadow silage question

Options
  • 09-03-2022 1:03pm
    #1
    Packrat
    Registered Users Posts: 1,147 ✭✭✭


    I've old meadows that haven't been ever reseeded and no intention of.

    Reasonable soil on gravel in South Kerry.

    They are grazed with sheep up to mid May and closed then for silage, which is cut late July.

    They normally get 2 bags of Cut Sward and slurry which gets 8 good big hard bales to the acre. Suckler cows did well enough on the silage alone.

    Probably lacking a bit of lime although I've been putting out a bit of gran line the last 3 years.

    I'm now converting to Organic.

    The question is: what will my bale count drop to with no fert? 3 or 4? Worse?

    Can't cut it much later as I need the aftergrass to hold a few lambs.

    “The Party told you to reject the evidence of your eyes and ears. It was their final, most essential command”



Comments

  • Options
    #2
    blue5000
    Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 12,628 Mod ✭✭✭✭blue5000


    Is there clover in it?

    Close it a fortnight earlier and you'll probably get 6. Have you to reduce cattle numbers to satisfy housing space? We have trad hay meadow in Glas here and the dry spring in 2019/20(?) there was SFA on it. There is only 48 unts of N in 2 bags of cut sward so I doubt you'll be back to 3 bales anyway. If you are short you are allowed buy in organic hay.

    If the seat's wet, sit on yer hat, a cool head is better than a wet ar5e.



  • Options
    #3
    Packrat
    Registered Users Posts: 1,147 ✭✭✭Packrat


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118756540#Comment_118756540

    A little clover, plantains, buttercups, looks lovely when grown.

    Cows gone only a few Dexters and they're out. Sheep will eat half whatever I get off it.

    I can buy in organic hay but I'd say a lot of lads that make it have no animal at all and they'd be as well eating rushes. .

    “The Party told you to reject the evidence of your eyes and ears. It was their final, most essential command”



  • Options
    #4
    orchard farm
    Registered Users Posts: 272 ✭✭orchard farm


    id say average 4 per acre



  • Options
    #5
    Jjameson
    Registered Users Posts: 2,745 ✭✭✭Jjameson


    Sheep will have it fairly dense, and two months growing in good conditions with the fair fertility in the field will see 6 bales to the acre of moderate silage or ideally 10 bales of good sweet hay.



  • Options
    #6
    Easten
    Registered Users Posts: 849 ✭✭✭Easten


    Really depends on soil fertility and growth at that time of year. On a good year you could be looking at 6 bales/acre. But if the weather doesn't play ball and its too dry or cold then you could be looking at a crop that is too light to cut as in 0 bales



  • Advertisement
  • Options
    #7
    Packrat
    Registered Users Posts: 1,147 ✭✭✭Packrat


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118757995#Comment_118757995

    I might actually keep a couple of acres of hay out of it, a few small squares are very handy around the shed or the day the tractor is punctured, and that short grassy hay is perfect for lambs.

    “The Party told you to reject the evidence of your eyes and ears. It was their final, most essential command”



  • Options
    #8
    Packrat
    Registered Users Posts: 1,147 ✭✭✭Packrat


    Thanks everybody, iif I got anywhere above 4 I'd be very happy, and if it failed completely, - well I'd have a nice organic payment to buy something else.

    It's not a massive area of ground anyway - about 15 acres.

    After year 1 I'll know what to expect and can close as much more again the next year if needs be.

    “The Party told you to reject the evidence of your eyes and ears. It was their final, most essential command”



  • Options
    #9
    endainoz
    Registered Users Posts: 4,748 ✭✭✭endainoz


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118758880#Comment_118758880

    It definitely won't fail completely, it's getting good fertility from the sheep and you seem to have a good mix of different species in there. If anything it would be more drought resistant than a conventional ryegrass sward. The ground might go into a bit of a "shocked" phase as it's been used to getting fert but thar will balance out after a while. No hard to get a bit of soil sampling done to see what trace elements you have but I'd say the sheep have a good bit of the work done for your already fertility wise.



Advertisement