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Beef grazing 2024

Bass Reeves

Real struggle this year. Never had so many cattle in so late. We had about 25 out since early March although some had to go into a scarfice area until the middle of last week. Since then we have moved on.

Left 13 out last Thursday, 10 more on Saturday, another 9 yesterday and about 20 odd today. They are shattered all over the place anywhere that is dry.

Spread 3 big bags of Urea yesterday and will put out another bag in the next week, again anywhere that is dry enough to take it.

It's time to be getting on with it. Hopefully fortune favours the brave.

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Dunedin

no cattle out here yet. Or actually none out at rhr minute as I had all out at one stage but all back in. Will need a good week in order to get anything out for Saturday.

Water still lying in places.

ESetter

Land here is drying out fast enough, got all blks out yesterday, almost 6 months to the day they went in, hope it stays dry now.

Conversations 3

Have a bunch out, heavier lad in until Thursday and hopefully weather stays right.

Had to gun some slurry out a few weeks ago and some is caked on the grass.

Will the cattle eat around it or should I fence it off?

Will probably have to chain harrow it or top that section.

endainoz

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122025616#Comment_122025616

Cattle won't go near it anyway, might be no harm to chain Harrow when it drys out a bit more.

Robson99

Wouldnt panic with cattle going out if sufficient silage and storage. Penny wise pound foolish come to mind…..

DBK1

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122025827#Comment_122025827

It’s the middle of April, not January, if there’s grass there and the ground can carry them leaving them in the shed would be the penny wise and pound foolish move.

Robson99

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122026356#Comment_122026356

The big problem is that the ground cant carry them and lads panic letting them out and then the land left in a mess

Bass Reeves

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122026474#Comment_122026474

From what I see most lads are too conservative about turnout. Land will recover fast enough after minor damage, it usually looks a lot worse than it actually is

Danzy

Teagasc lad saying close ground for silage.

No problem boss. I have the entire place closed since Oct.

Thankfully a few light going out today but most of the place is still too wet but drying quickly.

In fairness to the Teagasc lad, he was very aware of the reality for many.

endainoz

Any damage to ground at this point would recover pretty quickly, seriously drying today already. I think a lot of the time lads are afraid of their life of a bit of poaching. I'd prefer to hang on to the bales to use them in November would make far more financial sense.

amacca

depends on the type of ground you have…..some fields I have here they'd sink to their oxters and turn it into a soup of shite in no time, others it would be very light poaching even with heavy two year olds

Dozer1

Left off a good few today great drying out. They'll do a bit of damage but it'll heal quick enough. It was good for the head to see tails in the air as they took off.

For some of them it's the 3rd time being let out and hopefully the last.

I'm down to last 4 bales will get the rest out Saturday all going well.

Anto_Meath

If ground is pouched I fine a bit of hayseed mixed in with the fertiliser and then roll the field is a great job... gets fresh grass into the swart especially if you can get a high clover mix.

Sami23

I'm hoping to let my yearlings out at the weekend. They will be going to rented land until they are sold in the autumn. There is no crush on the land. Going to give them a shot of Multimin but just wondering should I give them any other dose that would help them for the grazing season ?

Thanks

Bass Reeves

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122032877#Comment_122032877

If they were dosed at housing there is no other dose required at present. You shoukd get yourself a portable crush and a bitbof a portable penning. It's grant aided. Fairly generous allowance as well.

Hard Knocks

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122032877#Comment_122032877

I’d not give the multi min the day you’re moving as the stress of been moved could counter act. I’d give it today

Sami23

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122032907#Comment_122032907

They were dosed with Dectomax 3 weeks before housing and dosed with Fluconix around christmas. That's all they got.

Bass Reeves

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122033341#Comment_122033341

There is no point in in giving them any dose IMO

Dunedin

my ground still way too soft to think of letting anything out.

Have cows and calves in a sacrifice field Calf with pneumonia yesterday evening so had to bring in the pair and had to bring them in through the other fields. The cow was leaving some tracks behind her.

Conversations 3

Let out all my stock over the last week, ground soft but holding up.

Back fencing them as they move along, covers are fairly heavy but hopefully I'll get through it without taking bales off.

kk.man

Yearlings out yesterday, don't think ground could take anything heavier yet.

RobinBanks

When ye turn stock out do vaccinate or treat them for anything? Yearling cattle

mr.stonewall

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122045206#Comment_122045206

If you have had issues with blackleg or other clostridial diseases in the past, it might be worthwhile. Here they get nothing going out the door, just a bit of hunger for half a day to get the heads down grazing quickly.

Depending on the weather maybe a worm dose in July if hoose is a problem. Last year at the herd test in June a bit of fluke showed up an egg count. Vet said dose the poorer ones with scuttery backsides. They were out early last year and the wet march April they could have picked it up

893bet

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122045365#Comment_122045365

I am opposite. Prefer to have them full going out so they don’t gorge themselves. No idea why I do that really but try to have a fresh bale in front before if possible.

mr.stonewall

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122045427#Comment_122045427

For me it's heads down grazing straight away and less tearing around and knocking wire

Jb1989

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122045427#Comment_122045427

Happy medium.

I keep mine fairly hungry for a night before.

Just before they go out they get a handful of hay or meal to put a dry foundation in the stomach before they gorge on damp grass.

ABitofsense

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122045611#Comment_122045611

This how I had them going out today. Cows heads down eating straight away & just the calves running around breaking wire. I usually calve & out nearly straight away but this bad spring some are 2 months old so told them awhile to get used to the wire.

Bass Reeves

I have then starved before going out. Reduced silage for 14 days before hand. Try to leave them out into a bare paddock for 48 hours. Make them work for there grub and hungry as well. No racing or pucking between themselves head down and eating and have to walk for a half full stomach take the taspie out of them

Who2

the last of my sucklers went out full today by pure accident I loaded up the feed barrier without looking into the shed and when I was mealing them I seen the slats were overflowing. I just said to hell with it and opened up the gates and let them off. It’s the longest winter I ever had here.

Packrat

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122045706#Comment_122045706

I'm down to one bale of straw and when that's trampled in, they're getting the door out. Im not going scouring the country for €65 straw bales. The few bales of silage can sit where they are until next winter.

I'm sh1t sick of bedding them anyway and they're better off out even if I've to put them on rough ground and throw them a bag of nuts until the fionán grows up.

The cursed sheep are eating what grass is around at the moment. A bad spring for organics - I only got (imported) slurry out on one farm a few days ago so there is less grass than usual.