Silage thread

AntrimGlens · 23-07-2013 01:49PM

Went with 80 units nitrogen and see how growth is. Will give it six weeks or if weather keeps up less and have decent aftergrass for flushing ewes. The second cut was coming along well but just went shot very quickly in the warm weather so thought there was little point on trying to wait any longer for little additional bulk.

whelan1 · 23-07-2013 01:59PM

i am going with 2 bags- 54 units- as triticale/lupins will be ready to cut in 4 weeks and grass silage is going on top.... thats the plan anyway;)

supersean1999 · 23-07-2013 02:27PM

Baled and dry ,,, phew

Sami23 · 24-07-2013 09:48PM

Would it be too late to put out fertilizer this coming Saturday for 2nd cut silage or is too late at this stage ???
Would 3 bags of 24-2.5-10 do the job as could do with few more bales ???

freedominacup · 24-07-2013 09:52PM

Sami23 wrote: »

Would it be too late to put out fertilizer this coming Saturday for 2nd cut silage or is too late at this stage ???
Would 3 bags of 24-2.5-10 do the job as could do with few more bales ???

3 bags should be loads. At reasonable growth rates you'll have N gone on Sept 1st. Cut first chance you get after this and apply another bag of same compound and you should have a nice clean aftergrass for grazing mid-late October.

Muckit · 31-07-2013 10:25PM

Anyone taking a chance on knocking a bit on Saturday? It's looking like the only available window for the moment..... or should I hang tough??

just do it · 31-07-2013 10:42PM

Muckit wrote: »

Anyone taking a chance on knocking a bit on Saturday? It's looking like the only available window for the moment..... or should I hang tough??

How long is it closed up? Even if Friday comes dry the ground and crop will still be very wet and you'll get no wilt into it.

hugo29 · 31-07-2013 10:45PM

just do it wrote: »

How long is it closed up? Even if Friday comes dry the ground and crop will still be very wet and you'll get no wilt into it.

Hang fire till next week, twill come around yet,

just do it · 31-07-2013 11:01PM

Also with the current weather, and despite the forecast, it could get a thunder shower out of the blue (happened me with my first cut during that really good week at the start of June when it wasn't in the forecast at all :mad:)

restive · 31-07-2013 11:31PM

Muckit,

I am in the same situation. I do not mind hanging tough for a bit but i want to allow time for some decent after-grass to grow in August. I will just have to keep an eye on the forecast.

delaval · 31-07-2013 11:33PM

restive wrote: »

Muckit,

I am in the same situation. I do not mind hanging tough for a bit but i want to allow time for some decent after-grass to grow in August. I will just have to keep an eye on the forecast.

Same here going to hang tough though

bob charles · 31-07-2013 11:48PM

what were you lads doing over the last few week that yous didnt cut chancy land. Is the old, "waiting for a crop" mentality back again after a fine few weeks

Timmaay · 01-08-2013 12:16AM

bob charles wrote: »

what were you lads doing over the last few week that yous didnt cut chancy land. Is the old, "waiting for a crop" mentality begain after a fine few weeks

The cows were busy eating it on me, I was waiting on the rain, and growth to start, before I'd know if I would have any left to cut, catch 22 so! But whats there is light and I'm just going for bulk now so can wait for dry weather.

bob charles · 01-08-2013 12:18AM

Timmaay wrote: »

I'm just going for bulk now so can wait for dry weather.

Ah sure if the worst comes to the worst it will be a decent first cut next year

Bodacious · 01-08-2013 12:21AM

weather fore cast changing like f**k, tue/wed next week looking best days now!?

Timmaay · 01-08-2013 12:27AM

bob charles wrote: »

Ah sure if the worst comes to the worst it will be a decent first cut next year

Would be better than those 8/900kg wet silage bales
that I just discovered today made sh&te of my bale trailer, had a look underneath it and the axle is almost collapsed after drawing too many of them in it during the winter ha!

nashmach · 01-08-2013 01:41AM

Timmaay wrote: »

Would be better than those 8/900kg wet silage bales
that I just discovered today made sh&te of my bale trailer, had a look underneath it and the axle is almost collapsed after drawing too many of them in it during the winter ha!

Beware bale trailers in Wicklow on Donedeal so!!

freedominacup · 01-08-2013 06:08AM

Timmaay wrote: »

Would be better than those 8/900kg wet silage bales
that I just discovered today made sh&te of my bale trailer, had a look underneath it and the axle is almost collapsed after drawing too many of them in it during the winter ha!

I was feeding a few bales through the feeder in the last few weeks and I couldn't get over the weights of the bales. No moisture, in one case the baler was a day late and it was heading for hay but the bales were all 780-800kgs. I was just wondering was it the nature of the material being baled, does light, leafy material pack that much better or are we underestimating what's in bales all the time?

restive · 01-08-2013 09:10AM

bob charles wrote: »

what were you lads doing over the last few week that yous didnt cut chancy land. Is the old, "waiting for a crop" mentality back again after a fine few weeks

I was waiting for the nitrogen to clear that was applied after the first cut. The second cut came on a lot stronger than in recent years. Last year I cut it around the first of september. This year it was ready at the end of july.

hugo29 · 01-08-2013 09:48AM

freedominacup wrote: »

I was feeding a few bales through the feeder in the last few weeks and I couldn't get over the weights of the bales. No moisture, in one case the baler was a day late and it was heading for hay but the bales were all 780-800kgs. I was just wondering was it the nature of the material being baled, does light, leafy material pack that much better or are we underestimating what's in bales all the time?

id say it packs tighter, thats why its hard to call on quantity this year, less bales on the ground but baled drier so packed tighter,

freedominacup · 01-08-2013 10:08AM

By the forecast Wed for the wholecrop.

bob charles · 01-08-2013 10:17AM

freedominacup wrote: »

By the forecast Wed for the wholecrop.

Anyday there is a bit of wind up you can motor on with the wholecrop considering your type soil. Spring wheat here won't be wholecropped until after 1st of Sept

. winter wheat may be wholecropped in a few weeks time as we are so far behind you good farmers

freedominacup · 01-08-2013 10:33AM

bob charles wrote: »

Anyday there is a bit of wind up you can motor on with the wholecrop considering your type soil. Spring wheat here won't be wholecropped until after 1st of Sept . winter wheat may be wholecropped in a few weeks time as we are so far behind you good farmers

I dunno about that you had yours in the ground long before me. I think based one all my (one) years experience growing the crop :rolleyes: that barley does best without a check. I don't know how much longer it would take to get to full ripe but it's a good crop. Sown 22nd April in perfect conditions and got a nights rain around a week later and has driven on since up until the rain dancers got their wish. That said a lot of things could be gotten away with this year from a husbandry point of view certainly around here. Rain came right and plenty of dry weather keeping disease down.

delaval · 01-08-2013 02:31PM

freedominacup wrote: »

I dunno about that you had yours in the ground long before me. I think based one all my (one) years experience growing the crop :rolleyes: that barley does best without a check. I don't know how much longer it would take to get to full ripe but it's a good crop. Sown 22nd April in perfect conditions and got a nights rain around a week later and has driven on since up until the rain dancers got their wish. That said a lot of things could be gotten away with this year from a husbandry point of view certainly around here. Rain came right and plenty of dry weather keeping disease down.

:o

Muckit · 02-08-2013 10:02PM

red bull · 03-08-2013 02:03AM

Looks like a great cut, when did you cut first ?

freedominacup · 03-08-2013 05:54AM

Wholecrop today. Kinda got bounced into it. Contractor going at grass next week so not sure when harvester will be available again, could be a week which would be too long. Overdry wholecrop is very hard to manage.

restive · 03-08-2013 12:49PM

I expect to cut this afternoon and bale on Monday.

Muckit · 03-08-2013 08:56PM

red bull wrote: »

Looks like a great cut, when did you cut first ?

check out page 15

Muckit · 03-08-2013 09:53PM

Thank Christ it's all over. I don't want to see another silage bale for a long time!!

That field with rushes ain't mine. He has some sweet heifers though

Silage thread

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