Grass Renovation thread

jondear

Member
Location
Devon
There is no problem at all with having Diploids in the mix and sowing it now. Ground conditions are ideal with very good soil temperatures and as we get closer to August the possibility of more rain.

There are more than double the seeds in a kilo of Diploid Perennial Ryegrass (600,000) than there is in a kilo of Tetraploid hopefully some will grow.:rolleyes:

The Diploids are there because they have more tillers per plant meaning they will have better ground cover than Tetraploids. Due to the lower water content per cell, diploids have a higher dry matter per kg of feed, meaning they cure and wilt easier when making hay or silage. They also offer more energy than tetraploid plants.

This is a permanent mixture Hybrids aren't going to "cut the mustard".
Tetraploids and hybrids are cr#p for grazing gone in year 2 or getting very thin.
 

som farmer

Member
Livestock Farmer
Location
somerset
with a recommendation from the suppliers ! Round-up, now, is cheap, tightness is not necessary, but, as looks increasingly likely, r-up will be banned ! What is the substitute ?
 

Derrick Hughes

Member
Location
Ceredigion
with a recommendation from the suppliers ! Round-up, now, is cheap, tightness is not necessary, but, as looks increasingly likely, r-up will be banned ! What is the substitute ?
They won't ban it as they know of the environmental damage of returining to the plough , a few cases of cancer is better than the roof falling in
 

Lewis

Member
Livestock Farmer
IMG_20200729_161007844.jpgIMG_20200729_172809396.jpg
Drilled now currently recieving a nice drop of rain . 👌
 
Isn't the rate used in NZ something like 100 ml/ha of Glyphosate? I'm pretty sure I remember @Global ovine posting a figure a few times. With my spraying prowess I'd be wondering about the overlaps getting double that, even if the rest was done accurately.


For pasture renovation, not renewal, 300 mls is adequate. The more recent glyphosate brews with additives can be used at reduced rates for the same burn off effect of grasses.


I don't understand why you would want to spray something to 'hold it back' so you can put new seed in? Surely the reason you are putting new seed in is because the existing sward is carp and you want to be rid of it?

The terrain of most grazing land in NZ is too steep to get machinery over, in those cases all pasture renovation is done aerially by fixed winged aircraft or helicopters. If improved cultivars and species are to be added, a light dose followed by a topdressing of seed works well when sufficient moisture exists.
Where ground machinery is possible, this system shortens the down time between grazing using a direct drill , as resident clover remains and becomes dominant.
In all situations, this system promotes a huge clover flush when soil temperature exceeds 15 deg.C for lamb finishing. The resultant N from this summer clover flush promotes the autumn dominance of the introduced grass.

This works wonderfully well when precise rotational grazing is practiced, as it promotes the more erect species and suppresses the more prostrate weed type grasses, thereby increasing DM production and most importantly digestibility. In this situation permanent pastures can be maintained at a feed quality equivalent to a 3 year old ley out of ploughing.
Poor pasture management is the reason why most pastures turn to crap. Not that seed merchants would like that point made too often.
 

Ffermer Bach

Member
Livestock Farmer
Well what's the point of it if it doesn't ?
I think another question we should be asking is "how many calories of energy does it take to produce one calorie of food?", so if direct drilling causes less carbon to be lost from the soil and produces food with less fossil fuel calories but produces the same yield it is still a win win.
 

Kevtherev

Member
Location
Welshpool Powys
I think another question we should be asking is "how many calories of energy does it take to produce one calorie of food?", so if direct drilling causes less carbon to be lost from the soil and produces food with less fossil fuel calories but produces the same yield it is still a win win.
Less moisture loss too than conventional re seeding methods.
 
I think another question we should be asking is "how many calories of energy does it take to produce one calorie of food?", so if direct drilling causes less carbon to be lost from the soil and produces food with less fossil fuel calories but produces the same yield it is still a win win.

Basically, farming has been fudged on the energy in/out thing since about 1500AD.
 

SFI - What % were you taking out of production?

  • 0 %

    Votes: 77 43.5%
  • Up to 25%

    Votes: 62 35.0%
  • 25-50%

    Votes: 28 15.8%
  • 50-75%

    Votes: 3 1.7%
  • 75-100%

    Votes: 3 1.7%
  • 100% I’ve had enough of farming!

    Votes: 4 2.3%

Red Tractor drops launch of green farming scheme amid anger from farmers

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As reported in Independent


quote: “Red Tractor has confirmed it is dropping plans to launch its green farming assurance standard in April“

read the TFF thread here: https://thefarmingforum.co.uk/index.php?threads/gfc-was-to-go-ahead-now-not-going-ahead.405234/
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