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Beef grazing 2024

  • 02-04-2024 3:56pm
    #1
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 19,211 ✭✭✭✭


    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.

    Slava Ukrainii

    Post edited by Bass Reeves on


«134

Comments

  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,911 ✭✭✭mr.stonewall


    Struggle is an understatement of the current situation. Its a battle between in and out. Have one group of yearling heifers who went out for the 3rd time on Thursday. All stock were stood off for most of last week.

    No fert out at all but hope to hit some spots this week with urea.

    Store bullocks, finishing bullocks and cows are still in. With the weather i sorted thru bullocks and picked out 4 more that were destined for grass only to switch them to finish out of the shed.

    A tough winter and spring is an understatement for what has gone on since late june.

    Post edited by mr.stonewall on


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 14,670 ✭✭✭✭Danzy


    Can't see anything out here for another 10 days.



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,325 ✭✭✭weatherbyfoxer


    All cattle going out here in the next 2 days,..ground seems OK today



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 596 ✭✭✭Conversations 3


    7 animals out, suckler cows and calf's grazing off the silage ground.

    The other 60 in the sheds, I'll have to let the lightest out this weekend.

    Not a sniff of fertilizer or slurry out, tanks are nearly at the slats.



  • Registered Users Posts: 1,240 ✭✭✭Dozer1


    21 heifers out Saturday for the 2nd time the handful of sucklers calving go out as they calve. Ground is just about OK but it'll take s good rub of the Harrow to level later.

    Aim to let off autumn calvers tomorrow and weanlings out by Saturday. Gave up putting out weanlings first as they just keep bloody walking when the weather is unsettled



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  • Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 3,985 Mod ✭✭✭✭Siamsa Sessions


    2 groups out here and 1 back into sacrifice paddock this evening. All yearlings apart from 3 x 24-month heifers.

    Spread 1 bag CAN/acre on 10 acres grazed earlier today. Not too much damage done to them after on-off grazing all along but not much regrowth either. There’s a purple tinge to the grass from the wind we’re getting.

    Very few cattle out around me. Apparently here in the south-east has got more rain than everywhere else over the past 12 months. Lashing here again now

    Trading as Sullivan’s Farm on YouTube



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,126 ✭✭✭50HX


    Heaviest are out on v dry but rocky 5 acres, plenty of grass on it but they are mowing thru it.…all water

    The remainder are still in, down to the last week of feed...back end last year caught me

    Can't see stock thriving til 3rd week of month at earliest now so I've gotten a good rate for silage ground to rent it out

    Will keep stock numbers at present rate & bale up excess grass at 6-8weeks weather permitting.



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,701 ✭✭✭kk.man


    Passed the Ballon area of Co Carlow this evening. Finest tillage ground in the county and nothing ploughed. Stubble fields lying in water in places. A total disaster of a spring.



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 19,211 ✭✭✭✭Bass Reeves


    We're they on restricted silage for 2 weeks before turning out and hungry before going out. As well into what sort of covers did they go.

    Slava Ukrainii



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 19,211 ✭✭✭✭Bass Reeves


    I can feed back and front of some pens so any cattle going out are only given a restricted allowance, prob6about 50-60% of what they would normally consume. It means they are hungry going out.

    Ideally leave them.out in a fairly bare paddock for first 2-3 days that mea s they have to work to get a full belly. They then lie down to chew the cud and do not do half the walking, rooting or tearing.

    Slava Ukrainii



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  • Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 3,985 Mod ✭✭✭✭Siamsa Sessions


    Do you mean a chain harrow or disk harrow? I might have to do something similar here and don't really want to use a roller.

    Trading as Sullivan’s Farm on YouTube



  • Registered Users Posts: 1,240 ✭✭✭Dozer1


    I've a Palatine tine harrow, (long term will put an air seeder on it) a few runs in the right conditions should help



  • Registered Users Posts: 69 ✭✭ESetter


    Same as here, midwest, never seen dry land so waterlogged, all going in again tonight before the floods that are promised, have 25 bales of hay on standby. Cattle in since mid october, normally we get a 4 mth winter



  • Registered Users Posts: 848 ✭✭✭dohc turbo2


    I have one too, mighty job, I have the seeder fitter , I'd say it will get plenty use this year



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,081 ✭✭✭nhg


    Had an airseeder fitted to our Rakeman 3000 but sold the airseeder and replaced it with a guttler seeder - no comparison…..

    Serious money but we’ll worth it.



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,736 ✭✭✭Seadin


    I have no cattle out yet. I have about 14 bales of silage left. Using around 3 bales a week with strong weanlings. Normally let the cattle out early April but will be a good bit later this year as the land is still wet and hasn't dried enough with all the bad weather.



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 596 ✭✭✭Conversations 3


    Let some out this morning to take the pressure off the slurry tank for a day or two.

    Have to see how this storm goes over the weekend. 🫣



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 19,211 ✭✭✭✭Bass Reeves


    Tomorrow and early Saturday the worst of it. Monday tricky as well but a high pressure starting to push up from the South Wednesday. If that comes up it might clear.

    Slava Ukrainii



  • Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 3,985 Mod ✭✭✭✭Siamsa Sessions


    Last week, I nearly cried when a fella said in a WhatsApp group that the weather wouldn't settle until the new moon on 8-April.

    Now, I'd be delighted if that's the case!

    Trading as Sullivan’s Farm on YouTube



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 19,211 ✭✭✭✭Bass Reeves


    My biggest fear is it will not settle with the new moon. Its dose not bear thinking about

    Slava Ukrainii



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  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,706 ✭✭✭White Clover


    That is the danger and there is no guarantee that it will clear. People should start putting plans in place to deal with worst case scenario. The plan hopefully may never be implemented but it will give clarity on the next steps required.



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 5,174 ✭✭✭endainoz


    Looks to be settling towards the middle of the month. Wait and see, there will probably be drought talk in this thread in about six or eight weeks 😂.

    Ground seems decent at the moment, growth probably behind due to the recent cold spell but will always catch up.



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 5,174 ✭✭✭endainoz


    Just to add to the weather issues 🙈



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 19,211 ✭✭✭✭Bass Reeves


    Slava Ukrainii



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 9,268 ✭✭✭893bet




  • Registered Users Posts: 1,240 ✭✭✭Dozer1


    Gave up this evening and all back in bar the calved cows as they have a dry ly and shelter. Bucketing down in limerick last few hours on top of last evenings rain. Ah well could always be worse.



  • Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 3,985 Mod ✭✭✭✭Siamsa Sessions


    I’m posting the same message and link here as I just did in the dairy chit-chat since it might be relevant for people here too.

    There’s a few links, phone numbers, and ideas here on boards if you’re not feeling the best:  https://www.boards.ie/categories/safety-and-off-season

    Mind yourselves. And keep talking.

    Trading as Sullivan’s Farm on YouTube



  • Registered Users Posts: 1,616 ✭✭✭memorystick


    Place in scutter. Middling ground showing its true worth this year. Middle of April and the only ploughing done is by cattle!



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,116 ✭✭✭Hard Knocks




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  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 19,211 ✭✭✭✭Bass Reeves


    Ground curing fast though. Have 80% of the cattle out over two weeks now. Rest going out today and tomorrow.

    Slava Ukrainii



  • Registered Users Posts: 2,412 ✭✭✭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.



  • Registered Users Posts: 69 ✭✭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.



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 596 ✭✭✭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.



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 5,174 ✭✭✭endainoz


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



  • Registered Users Posts: 4,401 ✭✭✭Robson99


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



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  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,326 ✭✭✭DBK1


    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.



  • Registered Users Posts: 4,401 ✭✭✭Robson99


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



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 19,211 ✭✭✭✭Bass Reeves


    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

    Slava Ukrainii



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 14,670 ✭✭✭✭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.



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 5,174 ✭✭✭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.



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  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 7,177 ✭✭✭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



  • Registered Users Posts: 1,240 ✭✭✭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.



  • Registered Users Posts: 1,453 ✭✭✭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.



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,339 ✭✭✭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



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 19,211 ✭✭✭✭Bass Reeves


    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.

    Slava Ukrainii



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,116 ✭✭✭Hard Knocks


    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

    Post edited by Hard Knocks on


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,339 ✭✭✭Sami23


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



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 19,211 ✭✭✭✭Bass Reeves


    There is no point in in giving them any dose IMO

    Slava Ukrainii



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 8,508 ✭✭✭funkey_monkey


    Grass is starting to bubble up here now. A bit of decent weather to dry things up a bit and then we can start thinking about letting some stock out.



  • Registered Users Posts: 2,412 ✭✭✭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.



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