Silage 2024

Unless the winter coming is very short there will be a lot of problems. There is little silage stock left after last winter. At present lads that sell silage have most of there projected stock precooked or sold out.

I bought a bit of ground last year which I can take only very limited silage off because of ragworth. Became last winter being so long it was not possible to spray it. As well P&K are terrible on it.

At present if grass is growing longer than 6-7 weeks some lads think it's sh!te. FIrst cut was about the 27th May. It was June 1st before it got slurry and N. Growth has been poor the last 3 weeks.

Anything I grow will be cheaper and better quality than anything I buy. It running to 7 weeks from Junse 1st. Ideally another year I would cut it. However at this stage it needs must. I generally have a target of 4 dry bales per store a normal year if I had silage left over. I have less than 200 bales at present. None of the new place was closed before the end of May. I guessing I will hit hit about 400 bales giving a 40 bale reserve it giving me 80 stores for the winter at most ( there is ten heifers to fatten as well.

Fattening cattle out of the shed this early is crazy IMO. That 40dm silage is ideal for stores or young stock on silage only for the winter. Perfection in farming an add significant cost with no added profit.

I off loaded cattle over the last two weeks that ideallI woukd have liked to keep. I would have had to feed bales or graze silage ground neither of which woukd add to the bottom libe with prices dropping a bit at present.

Growing 5-7 acres of rape is starting to enty my head but I am reluctant to go there.

My advice to anyone at present is make sure you have enough silage. A couple kgs of ration is easier buy than buying bales. Was passing a field where a lad sells a lot if bales. He only cut it and baked it literally all the bales are miss shapen a few nearly triangular. That will be expensive sh!te by the time it's in a yard

would you say 2018 was a lot more series re silage stocks, up to this point our on par with where your bale count is at to date and whats after been fed out on your custumers farms this year

Fertilizer rules now is going to kill lads. Lads would be throwing out an extra bit if weather suited and they were tight on feed.

cutting stuff like this today and baling tomorrow, can't trust the forecast enough best get it baled and go again for 3rd cut,

It could be as high as mid 70's. It's still very leafy, I suspect the N is not gone out of it yet @limo_100 . I cut silage this time last year it tested 74DMD and was nearly 40%DM.

The winter before summer 2018 was not that bad I think there was reserves of silage around. There is very little at present. Know two lads that sell silage and both have there stocks fully booked up. One lad has deposits take off lads that are not regular customers.

No better off loading the cattle they still left a margin it's hard to chase extra margin when adding expense into the system as well as delay in getting more cattle into the finishing group.

Perfect storm for my system over the last 12 months. Cattle did not thrive as much last autumn, housed earlier and still in later. No spring thrive. The first loss is usually the cheapest loss.

Very few beef farmers will be caught by the fertlizer rules. Ya a good few have not soil samples done. Most beef farmers are operating within GLAS/ACRES fertlizer rules for years. Grass is just not growing, look at the lawn did you cut it twice in any week this year..…sh!t how often did you cut it twice in any fortnight this year so far

3rd cut grass which will struggle to reach 70dmd

Thought second cuts came on this week abit they will prob be flattened on sat 😅

It Is better in the swart if it's raining. The water is more likely to run off and a lesser area gets water on it.

Ya i

You can ted out after it stops raining.

What day did u knock it

anyone taking the plunge this week have second cut 7weeks since first cut. It could probably do with one more week but this week looks ok and the week after not so much so may be better to have it baled.

It done well the last two weeks but with the cold weather it wasn’t as good as it could have being. But should be very nice stuff

we had some very heavy showers but 5mins down the road there was none. Hopefully all the showers have passed now for a few days and lads can get all finished up.

have some to do next week. Every crop this year is flattened from rain. Some pain

Going to bale the last of the second cut Tuesday. Knocking it this evening. 20 acres. Fertilized 6 and a half weeks. Looks like Nice stuff.

No I’d say that’ll do. Pitted the second cut two weeks ago. So the pit is full too. Not gone on 3rd cuts here. Usually end up with bales of water.

7 acres down here. Mowed Monday evening and will bale tomorrow afternoon. Newly reseeded so heavy enough. Got 3 bags of cut sward and 2500 gallons of slurry after first cut.
it’s a bit headed out in places but weather didn’t allow to cut any sooner. Just glad to get this spell.