Fert prices and stocking rates

That will be dependant on various factors
What's your stocking rate and what rate do you apply fertiliser at Currently?
Increase in cost per ewe/cow isn't always huge, plus less stock can mean higher overheads per animal.

Not planning to alter much, but we don't use much on N grass.
That said cull cows are going before weaning as I've been feeding them for the past month or more and they are fat, I see no point in using silage and straw to then have to grow more next year with expensive N

Most cull ewes were sold with fat lambs over the summer mainly to allow grass to build up grass without using N.

Altering stocking rate isn't the plan, but it's certainly not a year for carrying passengers or keeping stock for the sake of it.
 

Bill the Bass

Member
Livestock Farmer
Location
Cumbria
That will be dependant on various factors
What's your stocking rate and what rate do you apply fertiliser at Currently?
Increase in cost per ewe/cow isn't always huge, plus less stock can mean higher overheads per animal.

Not planning to alter much, but we don't use much on N grass.
That said cull cows are going before weaning as I've been feeding them for the past month or more and they are fat, I see no point in using silage and straw to then have to grow more next year with expensive N

Most cull ewes were sold with fat lambs over the summer mainly to allow grass to build up grass without using N.

Altering stocking rate isn't the plan, but it's certainly not a year for carrying passengers or keeping stock for the sake of it.

Similar story here, we have had a very good crop of heifer calves in 2021 for both breeds so a good cull through has already started here with 10 going straight of grass. Pd'ing spring calvers and Johnes testing at the end of this month will no doubt see a few more go and hopefully replaced with young well bred heifers should keep us going forwards breeding wise, the only thing is you get into needing a new bull quicker.

Fert? More and more clover going in here, with Mid Tier and clover/herbal leys over half the farm wont get fertiliser and we get paid for not doing so👍 Over the next three years I hope to not buy any fert at all with my fert budget replaced completed by Lime and Seed
 
Similar story here, we have had a very good crop of heifer calves in 2021 for both breeds so a good cull through has already started here with 10 going straight of grass. Pd'ing spring calvers and Johnes testing at the end of this month will no doubt see a few more go and hopefully replaced with young well bred heifers should keep us going forwards breeding wise, the only thing is you get into needing a new bull quicker.

Fert? More and more clover going in here, with Mid Tier and clover/herbal leys over half the farm wont get fertiliser and we get paid for not doing so👍 Over the next three years I hope to not buy any fert at all with my fert budget replaced completed by Lime and Seed
does clover stack up without mid tier? fert useage will be less but so will stocking rates
 

Samcowman

Member
Mixed Farmer
Location
Cornwall
does clover stack up without mid tier? fert useage will be less but so will stocking rates
Yes it does.
Stocking rates pretty good here. 63 R1 heifers on 25 acres
2C2FED4B-6014-475C-8B5A-5B204FECD0DB.jpeg
 

Ffermer Bach

Member
Livestock Farmer
Are people thinking of cutting back on stocking rates due to fertilize prices and other rising costs??
much as I dislike the idea of reseeding (because as organic there is a big seed bank in the soil of docks/rushes and once there, very difficult to get rid of), I have noticed that the two highest producing fields are the two that were most recently re seeded, so I think you are right, reseed with highly producing grass species and a good clover mix.
 

Fendt516profi

Member
Livestock Farmer
Location
Yorkshire
much as I dislike the idea of reseeding (because as organic there is a big seed bank in the soil of docks/rushes and once there, very difficult to get rid of), I have noticed that the two highest producing fields are the two that were most recently re seeded, so I think you are right, reseed with highly producing grass species and a good clover mix.
What about direct drilling in
 

SFI - What % were you taking out of production?

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  • 100% I’ve had enough of farming!

    Votes: 6 3.2%

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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