The Grass Measuring Thread

RobinBanks · 04-04-2017 12:25pm

charolais0153 wrote: »

Done the cut and weight system here today fir a first time...I was overestimating the first paddock by 60kg/DM/ha so wasn't too bad but the second was a resseded paddock and wasn't as thick and was about 250kgs out...

Slight unrelated Char but i think you said you are on Pasture base? If so how do you find it? I am waiting for access, Teagac adviser is in process of setting up account.

freedominacup · 04-04-2017 6:22pm

ozil10 wrote: »

Have first field grazed on second rotation
what are people spreading now
went with bag/acre of CAN in Jan
2 bags/acre of 18-6-12 on March 8th

75kg/acre of ASN arrived today. Contractor blanket spreading farm tomorrow hopefully. Between 75 and 90 units gone out so far. Three days into second rotation now.

charolais0153 · 04-04-2017 6:34pm

RobinBanks wrote: »

Slight unrelated Char but i think you said you are on Pasture base? If so how do you find it? I am waiting for access, Teagac adviser is in process of setting up account.

Ya good, record all the graze dates and the fertiliser applied so its esay to keep track of what field got what and see which field is performing best

Waffletraktor · 04-04-2017 8:08pm

freedominacup wrote: »

ozil10 wrote: »

Have first field grazed on second rotation
what are people spreading now
went with bag/acre of CAN in Jan
2 bags/acre of 18-6-12 on March 8th

75kg/acre of ASN arrived today. Contractor blanket spreading farm tomorrow hopefully. Between 75 and 90 units gone out so far. Three days into second rotation now.

Why can't people use kg/ha!

freedominacup · 04-04-2017 8:25pm

Waffletraktor wrote: »

Why can't people use kg/ha!

I was trained in kg/ha but you just get worn down explaining a figure no-one else uses and revert. If there was an income stream based on kg/ha people wouldn't be long before they embraced it.

Waffletraktor · 04-04-2017 9:16pm

freedominacup wrote: »

I was trained in kg/ha but you just get worn down explaining a figure no-one else uses and revert. If there was an income stream based on kg/ha people wouldn't be long before they embraced it.

I guess, do you use imperial or irish acres :pac:

freedominacup · 04-04-2017 9:33pm

Waffletraktor wrote: »

I guess, do you use imperial or irish acres :pac:

That's a trick question. But I'm with our esteemed former president and prefer to do everything in hectacres, much easier that way. Keeps everyone else guessing.

Waffletraktor · 04-04-2017 9:56pm

freedominacup wrote: »

That's a trick question. But I'm with our esteemed former president and prefer to do everything in hectacres, much easier that way. Keeps everyone else guessing.

In lb's per ha of course? :cool: Keep the dozy ones down the back on their toes

alps · 07-04-2017 2:45pm

I'm beginning to think cows can consume far more than 18kg dm....on 4gk of feed, ours cleared 12.5kg in last night's grazing..

9tonne grass surplus last week, gone by this week.
Needs more careful look.
Serious milk at 29l and 2.2ms..

alps · 07-04-2017 5:11pm

Here the detail
Last cover done 25th Mar. .surplus of 9623
Today deficit of 55..so say zero...
Over the period we grew at 46kg/ha/day
With a demand of 51kg/ha/day.
This excess demand would reduce the deficit by 2449..
We entered that the cows would be eating 14kg grass with 4kg meal..so
The excess of 9623
Less 2449
Should still leave excess of 7174...but it's gone...

Which means the cows consumed 4.92kg/day in excess of their allocated 14kg..
Measurements done with plate meter...

Mooooo · 07-04-2017 5:42pm

alps wrote: »

Here the detail
Last cover done 25th Mar. .surplus of 9623
Today deficit of 55..so say zero...
Over the period we grew at 46kg/ha/day
With a demand of 51kg/ha/day.
This excess demand would reduce the deficit by 2449..
We entered that the cows would be eating 14kg grass with 4kg meal..so
The excess of 9623
Less 2449
Should still leave excess of 7174...but it's gone...

Which means the cows consumed 4.92kg/day in excess of their allocated 14kg..
Measurements done with plate meter...

A lot of diets when indoor would be done up to 23+kg of DM. What type of cow have you 600kg?

Buford T. Justice XIX · 07-04-2017 7:33pm

alps wrote: »

Here the detail
Last cover done 25th Mar. .surplus of 9623
Today deficit of 55..so say zero...
Over the period we grew at 46kg/ha/day
With a demand of 51kg/ha/day.
This excess demand would reduce the deficit by 2449..
We entered that the cows would be eating 14kg grass with 4kg meal..so
The excess of 9623
Less 2449
Should still leave excess of 7174...but it's gone...

Which means the cows consumed 4.92kg/day in excess of their allocated 14kg..
Measurements done with plate meter...

Would you have overestimated the DM% on your covers?

C4d78 · 07-04-2017 7:41pm

alps wrote: »

I'm beginning to think cows can consume far more than 18kg dm....on 4gk of feed, ours cleared 12.5kg in last night's grazing..

9tonne grass surplus last week, gone by this week.
Needs more careful look.
Serious milk at 29l and 2.2ms..

Definitely agree with you on that's Alps.
I'd say much closer to 20 or even 21 for 600 kg Holstein cows.
I'm not sure why people work off this figure of 18.
I'm currently offering 3kg ration and reckon they're eating 17 grass, judging by plate meter.
Currently milking 31L at 4.11f & 3.46P
Give them enough and they will perform.

alps · 07-04-2017 7:41pm

Yes..up to 600, but not much more. 60%Fr 40% Ho...not as tall as Ho herds...started with ho herd and went 2 Br Fr crosses and back with more NZ type Ho...some Jerudo..XDO and likes this year..
Irish friesian club have taken straws from their own Bulls this year and are available to all to use, so looking forward to them.

But when you drop the strip wire...man can they hoover up grass...

alps · 07-04-2017 7:42pm

Buford T. Justice V wrote: »

Would you have overestimated the DM% on your covers?

Done by plate meter Buford.....but maybe that's overestimating covers...Im open to all suggestions here...

stretch film · 07-04-2017 8:25pm

What formula are people using when measuring with the plate metre .

alps · 07-04-2017 8:28pm

125/600..then minus 1550

ted_182 · 07-04-2017 8:29pm

Got a clippers over the winter, the platemeter has been parked up since, platemeter was overestimating a good bit once you go over 1000

Brown Podzol · 07-04-2017 8:55pm

Lincoln University Dairy Farm offer 21 kg/dm to cows yielding 2.33 kg/ms and weighing 480kg, also complaining that plate meter is overestimating dm yield.

Weekly notes from 25 Oct here.

http://www.siddc.org.nz/assets/Farm-Walk-Notes/Combined-Farm-Walk-Notes-October-2016.pdf

alps · 07-04-2017 9:32pm

Bang on timing BP.....Top class summary, and lots to ponder..

Some output from 480kg cows

And take particular note of 25.b.

50kgN/ha applied to date, ie start of AI...long ways under what we are being advised to do here...

charolais0153 · 13-04-2017 9:03pm

Done today. Growth has been good and will let out more stock over next few days

RobinBanks · 13-04-2017 9:56pm

What technique are you using for measuring char?

charolais0153 · 13-04-2017 10:13pm

RobinBanks wrote: »

What technique are you using for measuring char?

Plate meter when I have it, (not often though ...only when I get the loan of it from the teagasc man) I estimate the rest and cut and weigh a few paddocks every time just to make sure my estimates aren't too far out

shamrockvilla · 13-04-2017 10:48pm

Driving south of Nantes yesterday and today, saw a field with round bales of covered silage.Saw several lads out turning the hay.How far are they ahead of home? would they do 4 cuts a year? Temperature at the moment approx 21c during the day.

freedominacup · 13-04-2017 10:55pm

shamrockvilla wrote: »

Driving south of Nantes yesterday and today, saw a field with round bales of covered silage.Saw several lads out turning the hay.How far are they ahead of home? would they do 4 cuts a year? Temperature at the moment approx 21c during the day.

I was just east of dungarvan on Mon evening and met a keltec loaded with unwrapped bales so not that far ahead.

pedigree 6 · 13-04-2017 11:16pm

freedominacup wrote: »

I was just east of dungarvan on Mon evening and met a keltec loaded with unwrapped bales so not that far ahead.

The fusion baler was busy around this area today.
I was just saying to the oul lad that we've come a long way when people are making silage in April.

charolais0153 · 14-04-2017 12:29am

pedigree 6 wrote: »

The fusion baler was busy around this area today.
I was just saying to the oul lad that we've come a long way when people are making silage in April.

The auld lad was saying that this farm local to us was part of a teagasc type thing and that they were cutting silage in April. Wouldn't of been too recent either 20+ years ago

rangler1 · 14-04-2017 5:38am

shamrockvilla wrote: »

Driving south of Nantes yesterday and today, saw a field with round bales of covered silage.Saw several lads out turning the hay.How far are they ahead of home? would they do 4 cuts a year? Temperature at the moment approx 21c during the day.

A lot of France wouldn't have good growth in july or August... they have to get winter feed sorted before June, indeed I saw ground burnt in France at the end of june with stock being fed....temperature was 35degrees plus.

Keepgrowing · 14-04-2017 9:16am

Balers going around here last week. A few guys building numbers and not quiet there yet.

Milking area here just about feeding cows with 3 kg of nuts. Heifer block will see a baler next week

Mooooo · 14-04-2017 11:12am

PullING out of silage ground today, covers gone too strong at 2500, starting second round. Covers about 1400 in first paddock due to delayed turnout. Will be tight for a bit but should get away with it. Pulling culls and sending them after heifers and will burn off 15 acres next week for reseeding Have circa 80 units out. Debating whether I should bale the ground I didn't graze which would be silage ground anyway and cut again before end of may or just fertilise and cut in may

freedominacup · 14-04-2017 11:37am

Mooooo wrote: »

PullING out of silage ground today, covers gone too strong at 2500, starting second round. Covers about 1400 in first paddock due to delayed turnout. Will be tight for a bit but should get away with it. Pulling culls and sending them after heifers and will burn off 15 acres next week for reseeding Have circa 80 units out. Debating whether I should bale the ground I didn't graze which would be silage ground anyway and cut again before end of may or just fertilise and cut in may

Cut now. Fertilize as grazing area. Aftergrass on the fifth of May. Take out paddocks to go with first cut as aftergrass feeds back into rotation. Aim to have first cut completed by 15th of May at absolute latest. Second shot of aftergrass coming in on fifth of June at the latest.

Mooooo · 14-04-2017 11:50am

freedominacup wrote: »

Cut now. Fertilize as grazing area. Aftergrass on the fifth of May. Take out paddocks to go with first cut as aftergrass feeds back into rotation. Aim to have first cut completed by 15th of May at absolute latest. Second shot of aftergrass coming in on fifth of June at the latest.

Could do that with some of it alright, the rest is awkward as crossing two roads for one and walking along another public road to get to the other bit. The extra standing around and walking would negate the aftergrass effect

GrasstoMilk · 14-04-2017 1:57pm

Last of Silage fert going out next week. Couldn't stop dad yoking up the roller

Muckit · 14-04-2017 4:37pm

A pure sign he hasn't alot else for doing!

The grass wants to grow up and he's pushing it down!

Keepgrowing · 14-04-2017 6:46pm

GrasstoMilk wrote: »

Last of Silage fert going out next week. Couldn't stop dad yoking up the roller

Yoking my eldest to the roller tomorrow. Rolling any paddocks that got FYM as they'll all be mowed at least once and with our own mower

MF290 · 14-04-2017 7:16pm

Keepgrowing wrote: »

Yoking my eldest to the roller tomorrow. Rolling any paddocks that got FYM as they'll all be mowed at least once and with our own mower

Ffs to the young lad, would you not at least let him hitch it to the tractor!

Wildsurfer · 14-04-2017 8:20pm

GrasstoMilk wrote: »

Last of Silage fert going out next week. Couldn't stop dad yoking up the roller

Smashing stuff. Some waste of diesel rolling that though!

sea12 · 14-04-2017 8:44pm

MF290 wrote: »

Ffs to the young lad, would you not at least let him hitch it to the tractor!

Brilliant post. Gave me s great laugh. ðŸ˜€

GrasstoMilk · 14-04-2017 10:40pm

Wildsurfer wrote: »

Smashing stuff. Some waste of diesel rolling that though!

A it was grazed in Feb and got dung after so god knows where there could be a stone lying in it

Wildsurfer · 15-04-2017 9:54am

One rule I have here(a lesson learned the hard way) is never spread FYM on silage ground in the spring. Either wait till Autumn when you will get plenty chances to walk the ground to check for stones/concrete or better still wait to plough it in at reseeding time.

C4d78 · 15-04-2017 2:37pm

AFC 980
Cover/lu 250
Growth 55
Will probably end up closing more for silage. Can see it really taking off in next week or so.
Don't want to be going into covers of >2000

GrasstoMilk · 15-04-2017 2:38pm

Wildsurfer wrote: »

One rule I have here(a lesson learned the hard way) is never spread FYM on silage ground in the spring. Either wait till Autumn when you will get plenty chances to walk the ground to check for stones/concrete or better still wait to plough it in at reseeding time.

Wouldn't agree. Do it here every year. Get powerful grass and silage off it

Timmaay · 15-04-2017 3:10pm

Hard to know am I only burning diesel here, but just can't get the cows to clean out any better. Another 12ac ungrazed of it, hope to be able to cut 8 or 9 soon enough.

White Clover · 15-04-2017 4:38pm

Timmaay wrote: »

Hard to know am I only burning diesel here, but just can't get the cows to clean out any better. Another 12ac ungrazed of it, hope to be able to cut 8 or 9 soon enough.

Low Ph there Timmaay?

Timmaay · 23-04-2017 8:34pm

White Clover wrote: »

Low Ph there Timmaay?

I need to go soil test, the tester and the boxes have been sitting in my car boot for a month now!! Anyways mower in tomorrow afternoon, forecast a little mixed, so bit of a gamble, but the grass has to come outa it to make room for maize. About 14ac in total to bale

Wildsurfer · 23-04-2017 8:42pm

Jeez Timmay why didn't you cut last week with a high pressure stuck over Ireland. Coming week doesn't look good at all

Timmaay · 23-04-2017 8:51pm

Wildsurfer wrote: »

Jeez Timmay why didn't you cut last week with a high pressure stuck over Ireland. Coming week doesn't look good at all

I know, but had to spray the field off! South East doesn't look too bad forecast wise.

Mooooo · 23-04-2017 9:23pm

Half thinking of gonna chance mowing 2moro as well. 5 day radar doesn't show much over us and as it's coming from north it tends to fizzle out by the time it gets down here but no doubt it'll piss rain as soon as the mower leaves...

Buford T. Justice XIX · 23-04-2017 9:45pm

Hoping to get a track machine in by the end of the week to open drains. I'm reckoning 300m in total with a bit of rock breaking thrown in to pass away a few hours. I can't remember most of this field ever being reseeded so looking forward to a good boost in grass for one cut and grazing for the rest of the year

RobinBanks · 24-04-2017 3:49pm

Can anyone explain why UK have different targets to Ireland for grazing. In Ireland we are told that pre-grazing yield should be approx 1400 but in uk they say 3500kgDm/ha. Is it something to do with type of grass or what?

The Grass Measuring Thread

Comments