Second cut silage /weather

Our second cut growing slowly & finding its bulking up rate slow also.
Need another two weeks of reasoable weather before cutting .

Timmaay wrote: »

Anyone here still at silage are onto their 3rd or even 4th cuts by now ha.

3rd cut is a month growing at the moment. Not looking overly heavy but it's gonna have to be baled within two weeks anyways before it turns into complete muck altogether.

_Brian wrote: »

Stuff is ready, Just waiting on contractor.
Really hoping to get it baled somewhat dry or I’d be worried for it’s feeding value.

How long to people have to wait after contacting contractor?? I was on last Tuesday and he said he mightn’t make it during this week either as so much stuff to knock

That's seems a ridiculous length of time

Reggie. wrote: »

That's seems a ridiculous length of time

Our man gets paid leaving the yard after every cut. He usually comes to cut within a few hours of ringing him.

Would give 2 weeks notice of date I'm planning to cut and then would ring 4 to 5 days before hand to see how they are fixed and set a day weather dependant. That for the self propelled crew. Lads at bales I'd ring and ask when they can come generally within a day or two, altho they may come in the evenings or whatever unless there is a good bit of ground to do as it's generally strong paddocks they'd do, rarely would it be anything more than a month growing.

_Brian wrote: »

Yea. That’s my feeling.

Peeved a bit TBH, nobody else has cut a stalk of silage here since mid 70’s.
Might be time for a change.

If you were closer

Timmaay wrote: »

I got an out block that I can only cut silage on, took the 3rd cut off it last week, I'd be happy if it stopped growing until next Feb if possible lol, but instead it's greening up already, despite the ground being rock hard from lack of rain. Hard to know what to do with it, if ground conditions were good at any stage over the winter then I'd smash and grab it, or maybe sell it as a standing crop to be zero grazed.

Cut it in dec and get in the journal

Dunedin wrote: »

I tried to do that with my lad but I’m lucky if I get a bill within the year. Fecking disaster really as I like to pay pretty quickly so as I know where I stand but it’s like pulling teeth to get a bill off him.

That said, he never leaves me waiting when I want him. I generally ring him maybe two weeks in advance of main cut to provisionally book a date and then follow up a few days before re weather etc. never a problem with him. He’s probably a little dearer than others around but the realiability is well worth it.

Why does he hold back I wonder?

Timmaay wrote: »

I got an out block that I can only cut silage on, took the 3rd cut off it last week, I'd be happy if it stopped growing until next Feb if possible lol, but instead it's greening up already, despite the ground being rock hard from lack of rain. Hard to know what to do with it, if ground conditions were good at any stage over the winter then I'd smash and grab it, or maybe sell it as a standing crop to be zero grazed.

Don't zero graze it. You'll end up with a wedge of grass that will mess up your own silage cutting dates next May. Also if you zero graze that ground in late Nov or December, you'll have no regrowth until March. Only zero graze when you will have aggressive and immediate regrowth

alps wrote: »

Don't zero graze it. You'll end up with a wedge of grass that will mess up your own silage cutting dates next May. Also if you zero graze that ground in late Nov or December, you'll have no regrowth until March. Only zero graze when you will have aggressive and immediate regrowth

The biggest problem with it if I don't cut it until say next April (assuming I can get a weather window) is the quality of the grass will be crap because it will of been growing for 6months+, also I found the April cut of silage off it this year was too hard to dry out because just not enough hours of sunlight. At least if I cut or zg over the winter it can be fed straight to cows without the worry about preserving. No regrowth until March would suit me grand, I'd at least have reasonable quality 1st cut in May then off it. These options are purely weather dependent, for all I know it will turn cold and wet from Oct until next may and I won't be able to leave a machine near the field, but the flip side could also happen, nice mild dry winter like the winter just has gone by.

Landlord doesn't want this ugh.

_Brian wrote: »

Yea. That’s my feeling.

Peeved a bit TBH, nobody else has cut a stalk of silage here since mid 70’s.
Might be time for a change.

Complacent. Needs the boot...

What’s the max amount of pig slurry I can put out? Was told it can burn the ground

Reggie. wrote: »

Go LESS if ya can. Less chance of plastering the grass

Will be grazing after grass start of the week that got slurry by dribble bar will be interesting to see if any sign of it is still there