David's going Dairying.

davidk1394 · 12-06-2019 11:16pm

yewtree wrote: »

I would, local discussion group is a great source of information. A few new entrants have joined oursover the last few years. They havebeen a great addition to the group aswell

That was the main reason for joining, access to discussion groups. I went on a farm walk yesterday on a girl who leased a farm in Waterford. It was useful, but the best thing was talking to other people and ask them what they think and just a chat in general

Downtown123 · 13-06-2019 7:28pm

yewtree wrote: »

I would, local discussion group is a great source of information. A few new entrants have joined oursover the last few years. They havebeen a great addition to the group aswell

Do you need to be a Teagasc client to join a discussion group? How would you go about joining one if you weren't. Similarly how would you join pasturebase without being a teagasc client?

davidk1394 · 24-07-2019 12:34pm

No major updates so far. Passed the T.B test last week and the sheep shorn. Just busy at silage at the moment. Mowed out 12 ac of third cut clover and rye grass today

Keep Sluicing · 24-07-2019 3:02pm

davidk1394 wrote: »

No major updates so far. Passed the T.B test last week and the sheep shorn. Just busy at silage at the moment. Mowed out 12 ac of third cut clover and rye grass today

Did you go to the IGA sumner tour yesterday?. Great for focusing the mind for someone in your position

tractorporn · 24-07-2019 6:24pm

davidk1394 wrote: »

No major updates so far. Passed the T.B test last week and the sheep shorn. Just busy at silage at the moment. Mowed out 12 ac of third cut clover and rye grass today

Red or white clover?

davidk1394 · 24-07-2019 8:32pm

Keep Sluicing wrote: »

Did you go to the IGA sumner tour yesterday?. Great for focusing the mind for someone in your position

I didnt know it was on

davidk1394 · 24-07-2019 8:32pm

tractorporn wrote: »

Red or white clover?

Red clover. Set this time last year

visatorro · 25-07-2019 9:59am

Did you join discussion group or anything yet?

Panch18 · 25-07-2019 1:23pm

davidk1394 wrote: »

Red clover. Set this time last year

How do you get on with the red clover? What kind of yields are you getting? and what kind of inputs do you give it?

davidk1394 · 26-07-2019 1:33pm

visatorro wrote: »

Did you join discussion group or anything yet?

I joined a local young farmers discussion group and I signed up for the new entrant into dairying run by Teagasc also

davidk1394 · 26-07-2019 1:38pm

Panch18 wrote: »

How do you get on with the red clover? What kind of yields are you getting? and what kind of inputs do you give it?

This is its first proper year growing. Last year it was cut in October. When opening the bales they were black but the sheep and cattle loved it and thrived on them.
1st cut this year was April 18th got 4 bales to the acre. It got 3 bags to the acre of 27- 2.5- 5 then cut again the 10th of June. Yield was 7 bales/ acre. It got no fertilizer after that because of the red clover and then it was cut there again Wednesday. Got 6 bales/ acre

tractorporn · 28-07-2019 10:24am

davidk1394 wrote: »

This is its first proper year growing. Last year it was cut in October. When opening the bales they were black but the sheep and cattle loved it and thrived on them.
1st cut this year was April 18th got 4 bales to the acre. It got 3 bags to the acre of 27- 2.5- 5 then cut again the 10th of June. Yield was 7 bales/ acre. It got no fertilizer after that because of the red clover and then it was cut there again Wednesday. Got 6 bales/ acre

Can I ask why you are giving it Nitrogen? Any studies I've seen have shown that there is no benefit to feeding red clover with N that it makes the clover lazy? The two lads here growing it only give it 0-7-30 to replace the Ps and Ks the plant itself should in theory fix more than enough N for itself.

davidk1394 · 28-07-2019 10:52am

tractorporn wrote: »

Can I ask why you are giving it Nitrogen? Any studies I've seen have shown that there is no benefit to feeding red clover with N that it makes the clover lazy? The two lads here growing it only give it 0-7-30 to replace the Ps and Ks the plant itself should in theory fix more than enough N for itself.

The reason I went with nitrogen in spring was the soil temperatures were still too low for the clover to be fully effective. It didnt get any fert since, the soil is index 4 for both P&K and a pH of 6.3.

Keepgrowing · 28-07-2019 1:20pm

davidk1394 wrote: »

The reason I went with nitrogen in spring was the soil temperatures were still too low for the clover to be fully effective. It didnt get any fert since, the soil is index 4 for both P&K and a pH of 6.3.

How much grown to date and what tonnes do you expect in season?

davidk1394 · 28-07-2019 1:30pm

Keepgrowing wrote: »

How much grown to date and what tonnes do you expect in season?

In 2019 so far the 12 ac have grown 13,600 kgs of fresh grown grass per acre. It might vary a little.
I expect to get another cut of about 4 bales to the acrea and then graze with the heifers if ground conditions are good

davidk1394 · 12-08-2019 12:04pm

Another little update people. I weighed all the calves last week and divided them up by weights.

The bigger bunch of calves are February and March born calves. Their average weight is 146kgs. Their still getting a small amount of meal each day (800 grams) and good grass.

The smaller bunch of calves are 106kgs and are mainly last bundle of calves bought. These are April born calves. Their getting 2.5kgs of meal each day and getting good grass.

So far I’ve had very full health issues and all the calves appear to be good and healthy. I’ve had a few small issues with ring worm, but I let it run it’s course and all calves effected are over it now.

Water John · 12-08-2019 12:10pm

Keep them thriving.

Mooooo · 12-08-2019 12:27pm

Are they crossbred?

davidk1394 · 17-08-2019 11:35am

Mooooo wrote: »

Are they crossbred?

60% Holstein 40% British friesan

patsy_mccabe · 17-08-2019 1:30pm

That clover looks great.

Reggie. · 17-08-2019 3:29pm

davidk1394 wrote: »

Another little update people. I weighed all the calves last week and divided them up by weights.

The bigger bunch of calves are February and March born calves. Their average weight is 146kgs. Their still getting a small amount of meal each day (800 grams) and good grass.

The smaller bunch of calves are 106kgs and are mainly last bundle of calves bought. These are April born calves. Their getting 2.5kgs of meal each day and getting good grass.

So far I’ve had very full health issues and all the calves appear to be good and healthy. I’ve had a few small issues with ring worm, but I let it run it’s course and all calves effected are over it now.

You wouldn't about bloat with all the clover?

Mooooo · 17-08-2019 3:59pm

davidk1394 wrote: »

60% Holstein 40% British friesan

The only reason I asked is target weights are 30% of mature weight by 6 months of age as a guide. You've done the correct thing tho in dividing out the small ones

Water John · 17-08-2019 9:57pm

If all their paddocks have similar amounts of clover, they should be ok. It's when they go from grass to clover, the problem really occurs.

squinn2912 · 17-08-2019 10:01pm

Water John wrote: »

If all their paddocks have similar amounts of clover, they should be ok. It's when they go from grass to clover, the problem really occurs.

Does it cause problems fir all stock? We’ve done reseeding and put a lot of clover into it but surrounding fields would be a long time out so very little in them

Water John · 17-08-2019 10:06pm

Wouldn't know enough about it. Problem is they gorge themselves on it when let in.

squinn2912 · 17-08-2019 10:16pm

Water John wrote: »

Wouldn't know enough about it. Problem is they gorge themselves on it when let in.

Ah right

Buford T. Justice XIX · 17-08-2019 10:29pm

squinn2912 wrote: »

Ah right

I was at a walk earlier this year where they fenced off a section of the front of the paddock for the first grazing and forced the cattle to eat a good share of grass as well as the tastier clover in that section before dropping the fence to the rest of the paddock.

It really reduced the risk of bloat but didn't eliminate it.

Reggie. · 17-08-2019 11:15pm

Buford T. Justice VI wrote: »

I was at a walk earlier this year where they fenced off a section of the front of the paddock for the first grazing and forced the cattle to eat a good share of grass as well as the tastier clover in that section before dropping the fence to the rest of the paddock.

It really reduced the risk of bloat but didn't eliminate it.

Thsts going to be the issue going forward. Moorepark are pushing clover as a save the planet crop to reduce the artificial nitrogen requirements. I'm stitching in alot of it recently with dairy farmers. 2kg an acre is the max recommended. If reseeding and no clover anywhere else on the farm then no more than .5kg per acre to reduce risk of bloat

Mooooo · 17-08-2019 11:39pm

All reseeding from next year on will have to have clover in it I think. Not suitable at all for heavier or wet ground . Post emergence may sort it

Reggie. · 18-08-2019 8:27am

Mooooo wrote: »

All reseeding from next year on will have to have clover in it I think. Not suitable at all for heavier or wet ground . Post emergence may sort it

I dont put clover in any of my reseeds. I add it afterwards. No point putting in clover and wiping it out with a post emergence spray. Get the non clover option grass seed bag which will be cheaper and have more grass seed in it. Then add your clover at a later time

David's going Dairying.

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