Veryfruity
Member
Birthday?
Pictures From France
- Thread starter Hobo
- Start date
- Location
- Limousin
My new trailer
You have got it at last . Beginning to think it wouldn't be here for this years harvest.
- Location
- Limousin, France
A picture and a report of moving to Summer grazing in the Cantal (15)
06/03/20 15 CANTAL UNION
There were traffic jams on Monday 25 May on the track leading to the collective mountain pasture of Pradiers, in Cantal, where no less than 1,300 cattle were transported in a single day, breaking the peace of mind of the site.
This Monday, May 25, the D39 which crosses the Cézallier took on the appearance of a motorway from the sun: on the horizon, no sandy beaches for the transhumant flood, but an even more encouraging prospect: as far as the eye can see, plots with thick, rich spring grass, nourished by this volcanic land, and freedom for almost five months on this plateau of more than 1,200 ha with the air of Mongolia.
It was thus an uninterrupted parade of cattle trucks that we attended, from 5 am until 8 pm non stop, and not without some traffic jams, at the arrival of the track leading to the unity of Coptasa . “We counted up to 15 tractors waiting to unload, but it went well, always in a good atmosphere,” says Laurent Bouscarat, director of the collective summer pasture cooperative, who came to reinforce the shepherds.
1,300 animals summer on Monday
And this first day of climbing to the summer pastures, we even reached a record: some 1,300 animals have taken up their summer quarters here. That is to say more than 50% of the workforce received transhumed in one day. It must be said that the conditions were ideal with bright sunshine, a pleasant temperature and a grass that Thierry Felut, shepherd in Pradiers, has never known “as beautiful” in 18 years. “We were frankly worried in April, but since then it has rained 250 mm. For the moment it's perfect, the plots are super clean, the grass growth is ahead ..., says Laurent Bouscarat. That said, it would have to rain soon enough because the north wind dries the meadows quickly. ”
This Tuesday afternoon is quieter, only two members have arrived, including Raphaël Thomas. No luck, barely a hundred meters from the unloading yard, the rear wheel of his trailer has just burst. The repair will wait, not its duplicates. These will finish the route, the old fashioned way, on foot, under good guard, escorted by Thierry Felut and his colleague riding a quad.
Installed outside the family framework ten years ago in Charmensac on the farm of his grandparents, Raphaël Thomas raises around thirty Aubrac mothers on 70 ha and a dozen plenty whose calves are raised under the mother. Slaughtered (1) in Neussargues, processed in Saint-Flour, their meat is marketed directly in boxes to private customers, a network that the farmer has gradually woven into the regions of Rhône-Alpes and Languedoc-Roussillon.
“There are only advantages!”
“I have been breeding animals at Coptasa for five years to free up space and make stocks, explains the active double breeder. I usually bring twelve couples and six doubloons. If I didn't have Coptasa, I would have seven to eight fewer cows. Frankly, it's more profitable than a rental, the cost is quite affordable and the animals come back down in good condition. There are only advantages! ” During the season, Raphaël returns every two or three weeks to visit his aubracs, often with the family, “for a walk with the children”.
On their return to the farm, the males are fattened, the females tied up for ten days for “docility”. On the arrival of the livestock, it is the same unchanging ritual: unloading (2), vaccination of the calves against the flu, application on the back of an anti-parasitic treatment before the cow-calf couples reform and take the management of the plot allocated to them, accompanied by their owner and the shepherds.
Joël, faithful for 30 years
Joël Ferrier is a faithful among the faithful. It will soon be 30 years that this Lozérien has been leading his aubrac on the Pradives mountain range. "I was looking for summer pastures, I found here and it suits me, it relieves me a lot," says the breeder of Saint-Léger-de-Peyre whose 101 ha have a lot of wrong. Joël is the head of a herd of 65 mothers whose calves are sold grazing for Italy and finished heifers for the IGP Fleur d'Aubrac.
This year, accompanied by his son Franck who intends to follow his father's footsteps, he summers 22 couples, 12 bourrettes and 9 doubloons. The oldest recognize the place perfectly: "When you return them to the stable and the truck arrives, they know that they are going to the mountains, it never hurts to load them", specifies the breeder who appreciates that his animals are monitored throughout these five months by experienced shepherds, like Thierry who recognizes in his herd of animals: "She, I remember, she is nice", launches the latter.
(1) Around 160 kg carcass, the last were valued the week of May 11 at € 14.5 / kg net. A production “that is doing well”, notes Raphaël Thomas.
(2) Hydroalcoholic gel, masks and gloves are available to members.
06/03/20 15 CANTAL UNION
There were traffic jams on Monday 25 May on the track leading to the collective mountain pasture of Pradiers, in Cantal, where no less than 1,300 cattle were transported in a single day, breaking the peace of mind of the site.
This Monday, May 25, the D39 which crosses the Cézallier took on the appearance of a motorway from the sun: on the horizon, no sandy beaches for the transhumant flood, but an even more encouraging prospect: as far as the eye can see, plots with thick, rich spring grass, nourished by this volcanic land, and freedom for almost five months on this plateau of more than 1,200 ha with the air of Mongolia.
It was thus an uninterrupted parade of cattle trucks that we attended, from 5 am until 8 pm non stop, and not without some traffic jams, at the arrival of the track leading to the unity of Coptasa . “We counted up to 15 tractors waiting to unload, but it went well, always in a good atmosphere,” says Laurent Bouscarat, director of the collective summer pasture cooperative, who came to reinforce the shepherds.
1,300 animals summer on Monday
And this first day of climbing to the summer pastures, we even reached a record: some 1,300 animals have taken up their summer quarters here. That is to say more than 50% of the workforce received transhumed in one day. It must be said that the conditions were ideal with bright sunshine, a pleasant temperature and a grass that Thierry Felut, shepherd in Pradiers, has never known “as beautiful” in 18 years. “We were frankly worried in April, but since then it has rained 250 mm. For the moment it's perfect, the plots are super clean, the grass growth is ahead ..., says Laurent Bouscarat. That said, it would have to rain soon enough because the north wind dries the meadows quickly. ”
This Tuesday afternoon is quieter, only two members have arrived, including Raphaël Thomas. No luck, barely a hundred meters from the unloading yard, the rear wheel of his trailer has just burst. The repair will wait, not its duplicates. These will finish the route, the old fashioned way, on foot, under good guard, escorted by Thierry Felut and his colleague riding a quad.
Installed outside the family framework ten years ago in Charmensac on the farm of his grandparents, Raphaël Thomas raises around thirty Aubrac mothers on 70 ha and a dozen plenty whose calves are raised under the mother. Slaughtered (1) in Neussargues, processed in Saint-Flour, their meat is marketed directly in boxes to private customers, a network that the farmer has gradually woven into the regions of Rhône-Alpes and Languedoc-Roussillon.
“There are only advantages!”
“I have been breeding animals at Coptasa for five years to free up space and make stocks, explains the active double breeder. I usually bring twelve couples and six doubloons. If I didn't have Coptasa, I would have seven to eight fewer cows. Frankly, it's more profitable than a rental, the cost is quite affordable and the animals come back down in good condition. There are only advantages! ” During the season, Raphaël returns every two or three weeks to visit his aubracs, often with the family, “for a walk with the children”.
On their return to the farm, the males are fattened, the females tied up for ten days for “docility”. On the arrival of the livestock, it is the same unchanging ritual: unloading (2), vaccination of the calves against the flu, application on the back of an anti-parasitic treatment before the cow-calf couples reform and take the management of the plot allocated to them, accompanied by their owner and the shepherds.
Joël, faithful for 30 years
Joël Ferrier is a faithful among the faithful. It will soon be 30 years that this Lozérien has been leading his aubrac on the Pradives mountain range. "I was looking for summer pastures, I found here and it suits me, it relieves me a lot," says the breeder of Saint-Léger-de-Peyre whose 101 ha have a lot of wrong. Joël is the head of a herd of 65 mothers whose calves are sold grazing for Italy and finished heifers for the IGP Fleur d'Aubrac.
This year, accompanied by his son Franck who intends to follow his father's footsteps, he summers 22 couples, 12 bourrettes and 9 doubloons. The oldest recognize the place perfectly: "When you return them to the stable and the truck arrives, they know that they are going to the mountains, it never hurts to load them", specifies the breeder who appreciates that his animals are monitored throughout these five months by experienced shepherds, like Thierry who recognizes in his herd of animals: "She, I remember, she is nice", launches the latter.
(1) Around 160 kg carcass, the last were valued the week of May 11 at € 14.5 / kg net. A production “that is doing well”, notes Raphaël Thomas.
(2) Hydroalcoholic gel, masks and gloves are available to members.
- Location
- Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk
Is it a 3-way tipper?My new trailer
- Location
- Limousin, France
No its a normal one, but they do make them.
- Location
- Le Veurde, Allier, France 03320
Reseeded this patch or sorghum this morning then about 4 pm the heavens opened! I hope there is some seed left! 22.2mm in about an hour.
- Location
- Le Veurde, Allier, France 03320
Cows with male calves in for their second fco blue tongue vaccinations.
- Location
- Limousin/Charentes toad land
your not going down the fattening route after all then?
- Location
- Limousin/Charentes toad land
Almost snap. My krone broke mid baling and this is what the dealer had in stock
the Krone broke Wednesday night, I was at their gate 7.30 thursday morning, this machine was not actually at our local yard - it was moved, put through its checks and baleing at 3.30 Thursday.
Not so shiney now.
- Location
- Limousin, France
Great service ! Rickard's?
Edit
- Location
- Limousin/Charentes toad land
It was.
I (well Petra) thinks we spend too much there
edit . Actually service was better than that and I realise I said the days one out. Krone broke Tuesday, new one arrived Wednesday and the head mechanic spent a couple of hours Thursday (bank holiday) riding around with me making sure I was ok with it
Last edited:
Can't fault that!It was.
I (well Petra) thinks we spend too much there
edit . Actually service was better than that and I realise I said the days one out. Krone broke Tuesday, new one arrived Wednesday and the head mechanic spent a couple of hours Thursday (bank holiday) riding around with me making sure I was ok with it
Wish they were that good around here.
Loan, borrow or buy ?
- Location
- Limousin/Charentes toad land
buy.
For sure they would lend a working second hand one if they had one in the yard (offered us a wrapper last year) but they can hardly lend a brand new baler
What was wrong with t'other baler is was relatively new .
- Location
- Le Veurde, Allier, France 03320
I am quietly impressed with mine. I could have had an ex demo Krone for another 3k€ but I have never liked the chain and slat concept. Hopefully the Kuhn will be ok for the next few years!
- Location
- Limousin/Charentes toad land
- Location
- Le Veurde, Allier, France 03320
Yes after the first 10 bales! It must be a Moulins pattern or similar. Got some cracking heavy haylage bales. Smaller than the McHale but much heavier and virtually dry after that last few hot days. They are fitting the bale kicker and trappe hopefully next week before I need it again.
- Location
- Limousin, France
Prefer chain and bar!
- Location
- Limousin/Charentes toad land