Grazing 2021

Dunedin wrote: »

Zero growth here at the minute. Giving cows out a bale every day as was worried about the frost at night. Heavy rain yesterday did a lot of harm. Will be staying putting out a bale for the next while

You got that rain too

Where was all this rain lads in clare here and tis shirt weather with last 3 days hard frost last night with heavy sea fog this morning

Tomjim wrote: »

will the grass grow in this type of weather, or will the frost be a problem?

I walked a field today that I will be grazing at the weekend there was more grass in it last week.
Badly burnt by the frost

memorystick wrote: »

Getting tight here. Should I strip grazing a few acres of silage ground which hasn’t a whole lot on it or open a few bales? I make too much silage anyway but I’ve bales left. Thinking bad of feeding bales as they’re out 4 weeks and I’ve settled into summer mode! Thanks

It would really depend on how much fertlizer the silage ground got. This year I left about 20% of the silage ground with Slurry (2K gallons/acre) and 25 units of N. If I have to graze it I will. I have about 8-10 days grazing before starting second rotation. However the covers are heavy and dry weather is allowing mw to graze tight.

It really never worries me about feeding bales or grazing a paddock set for silage. If you think you have a good reserve of silage I would strip graze a few acres. However if its got Slurry and 70-80 units of N I be more inclined to throw out a few bales

TooOldBoots wrote: »

Had a lad call yesterday looking to take some bales. He had all the cattle out with 3 weeks and they have gone through the fields like locust. He has fertilizer out but still no good. He's gone with 38 bales I had planned for next winter.

Couple of weeks ago fellas were telling a lad with 2019 bales to give em away, the likes of that friend of yours would have bought em

endainoz wrote: »

Small bit of rain on Sunday but not much else, growth has slowed a bit but certainly hasn't stopped. Cattle are catching up grazing the meadow though, but that won't be cut until July anyway.

Some difference in a few miles, no bit of growth here at all yet. Was out your way the other evening and couldn't get over the grass in places.

High Dry matter in the grass really aiding to stretching it out
We're half way through 2nd round and going okay
Just done a walk and will be bursting with grass this day week if the bit of rain comes, was going to be tight going by the walk I had done on Monday
65u of N out plus 2k slurry and 13 units of available phos has kept things right
Stocked at 4 cows per ha and no silage fed since mid march

Limestone Cowboy wrote: »

Some difference in a few miles, no bit of growth here at all yet. Was out your way the other evening and couldn't get over the grass in places.

Ah I'd be under a bit of pressure if I wasn't grazing the meadow so late.

Got a nice drop last night too, ground temps coming up a bit too and no overnight frosts anymore, I think this will shoot off over the next few days.

Grazing conditions are excellant. Cattle cleaning out ground very well. Still on first rotation since turnout over 4 weeks ago. Silage ground cleaned by start of April. Land that got fertlizer in late February really benefited from it. One or two places that were wet had to be stayed out of these did not power ahead like rest of the paddock they were in. May have tp feed a few bales to one bunch that are away from main land bank but the other two bunches have 7-10 day grazing to finish first rotation unless grazing conditions do not hold up. Intend on getting out with fertlizer on ground alreadly grazed this week.

Cattle have done some thrive. A lot have grown. Friesians are coming faster than a lot of the coloured cattle. Its a matter of pushing on magic day cannot be far away. Silage grounds are ready to burst ahead if temperatures raise 3-5 degrees. According to Met Eireann soil temp are just hitting 10C if they rise 2-3 degrees grass will power ahead

CloughCasey1 wrote: »

Starting on second rotation here. Hoping for first silage mid May and then end of May. Living on the edge of grass in front of them at the minute. I'm giving the older ones a touch of meal to keep them from getting ahead of me. Needed this rain badly to get the ground ready for the warm week coming. Got 2 acres reseeded and grass starting to peek through. Got another 2 acres overseeded that got badly poached mid March before the dry spell kicked in. Both sown with a multi species so we'll see how that takes to the dry ground here. All and all I can't complain as cattle grazing since start of March. Cattle thriving very well. Two below from different ends of the Larrys grading machine. 😉

Friesian should grade on. Shod be an O= at 330/340DW. After that it a matter how long you want to keep him

Bass Reeves wrote: »

Grazing conditions are excellant. Cattle cleaning out ground very well. Still on first rotation since turnout over 4 weeks ago. Silage ground cleaned by start of April. Land that got fertlizer in late February really benefited from it. One or two places that were wet had to be stayed out of these did not power ahead like rest of the paddock they were in. May have tp feed a few bales to one bunch that are away from main land bank but the other two bunches have 7-10 day grazing to finish first rotation unless grazing conditions do not hold up. Intend on getting out with fertlizer on ground alreadly grazed this week.

Cattle have done some thrive. A lot have grown. Friesians are coming faster than a lot of the coloured cattle. Its a matter of pushing on magic day cannot be far away. Silage grounds are ready to burst ahead if temperatures raise 3-5 degrees. According to Met Eireann soil temp are just hitting 10C if they rise 2-3 degrees grass will power ahead

There's no extra warmth in the coming weeks forecast
Silage and grazing ground are very dismal here, a good wet week needed more than heat imo

Grueller wrote: »

I am in the south east like Grasstomilk. I am now getting it hard to drive a pigtail.

The problem.is if the SE gets an inch of rainy we get 1.5-2 inches. Ground still very moist in places. We need heat only. I will need rain in May but not now.

A wet and windy May fills the barns with corn and hay

memorystick wrote: »

A wet and windy May fills the bales with water and clay!

Tell your contactor to stop cutting it so tight then!!

Say my name wrote: »

I'm back feeding some silage now to drag it out a bit. Two ring feeders in a paddock.
Same paddock where the cows were fed in 2018 drought.
Those patches where the feeders were then are still evident today with darker carbon rich soil and greener stronger grass.
Feeders are in a different place of course now to spread the benefits. Cows in that paddock at night eating silage from a few years ago.
On my third round heading for fourth quick enough so needed to slow it down.

All springs, drains have dried up.

Did a drive around yesterday and grass is not growing back on lots in the area.
Even saw silage gone off a field and slurry spread in grasstomilks general area. The specialist silage swards and those with the fert and slurry out early are the only one's I see with a reasonable cover.

I have 6 acres of 1500 covers on an out block a mile away from the yard. Just off the phone from the contractor to zero graze in a load tomorrow.

Just moved the two big bunches of cattle. Paddocks they went into looked heavy from a distance. However grass is heavy around last year's dungpads but very little grass on the rest of it. Grass is ready to burst. Black tips indicate that there is Urea in the grass but ground temp too.loe to push growth on.

No problem pushing pigtails into ground. For some was able to do it by hand alone.

memorystick wrote: »

Are many lads feeding bales?
Just a like would do. No need to comment.

Pit silage but same thing

green daries wrote: »

Buffer for the foreseeable according to Mt's forecast

You'd notice there today now any regrowths don't have that burnt frost look.
It feels kinder today too.
If we get a little bit milder it looks there's enough of moisture still in the ground to keep things going. (Well here anyway).
We're not done for yet..