mob stocking
- Thread starter martian
- Start date
- Location
- Owaka, New Zealand
- Location
- West Yorkshire
Now there’s an idea for a strong corner post
Clippex fence post.
Wish I’d thought of that years ago
First time I'd tried it...worked a treat. Used the cheapest ones as they don't have a fish-hook so are easier to pull out. Wanted to make sure we didn't have an escape as area completely unfenced and there's no telling were they'd end up. Bridleway through the middle a pain too
Meanwhile, the mob of youngsters (originally 80 or so yearlings, swollen by 40 weanlings from the autumn herd when we weaned them a month ago) are romping through the 100 acres of herbal ley we've had them on all year, so I gave them a holiday on some spring oat volunteers.
This 14 acre field only lasted them a couple of days, but they chewed it down nicely and tidied up the hedges. It has opened my eyes to the possibilities we'd have if we had more fences and water points...
SilliamWhale
Member
Its interesting once you learn to read an ecology (but with retaining a practical farmers hat on it as well) the world looks very very different
Celticattle
New Member
Well bought some cows and calves, should arrive mid November which will give the grass some extra time to grow. Herbal lays are up not looking too bad, cover crops are better and hoping to graze them November/December and managed to find some silage at not too extortion a price for when the grass runs out! Been picking up electric fence equipment as we go. Out of interest how many posts you guys got and how far apart you placing them?
Celticattle
New Member
Wouldn’t use double strand with cows and calves?
- Location
- Owaka, New Zealand
Single strand and pigtails every 20 paces for bulls/yearlings
3 strand and plastic treadins if I want to keep lambs back
2 strand if I want lambs to creep
wire is to move them on not hold them back, if they poke, feed them more/sooner
3 strand and plastic treadins if I want to keep lambs back
2 strand if I want lambs to creep
Nick Adams
Member
- Location
- Ashbourne, Derbyshire
Single strand 20 paces here - a chain apart. Calves creep and roam widely but as Pete says they don't want holding back. Having to ration the cows very carefully. Gone down with Tb again - had been thinking I might sell stores this backend! Not used electric for sheep yet - need to.
- Location
- Owaka, New Zealand
Sorry to hear about the Tb, Nick
Nick Adams
Member
- Location
- Ashbourne, Derbyshire
Thanks Pete. Occupational hazard round here!
Now, my maths may be a bit wobbly, but we've just weighed the mob of cattle who'd been grazing our 100 acres of herbal ley. We weighed them when they went in and so have an idea of what the ley is 'earning' beyond controlling blackgrass and other weeds and adding fertility to our arable land. I was slightly disappointed by the average result of 305kg weight gain/hectare over the summer. The animals went in in late April as it was so wet and then it never rained again. They came off last week for weighing and sorting. We'll probably do one more rotation with some of them if it doesn't get too wet, so we should add a kilo or two more.
So, using a very optimistic £2/kg liveweight price for the stores, that makes an income of £610/ha, which is some way shy of disastrous. Of course if you had to buy the stores they'd be £2+ in the spring and more like £1.70 now which takes the fun out of it a bit. Does this sound right?
So, using a very optimistic £2/kg liveweight price for the stores, that makes an income of £610/ha, which is some way shy of disastrous. Of course if you had to buy the stores they'd be £2+ in the spring and more like £1.70 now which takes the fun out of it a bit. Does this sound right?
- Location
- Cornwall.
Frosted brassica crops could lead to bloat, best to wait for it to lift.
- Location
- Buckinghamshire
In our area this summer has been so dry. If we were not feeding silage and creep out to our stock the live weight gain would have been terrible. We aren't fattening stock on pastures but do need our calf's to grow fast (mums to be producing milk for them). I imagine in a normal year the growth would have been better for you.
I've had 82 steers on 13ha for 180 days. I haven't weighed them yet, but would hope for 0.7kg/hd/day (based on last year), which is 126kg/hd @ £2 is £20,664 or £1590 per ha. Less £123 per ha fert = £1466 before water, fencing time etc, and the approx equal amount of silage off, and straw fed.
Edit - I'm not sure stores are worth £252 more now than they cost. £150 might be nearer, which is £823/ha after fert.
Talking performance, has anyone been weighing cattle between paddocks? I had a notion to try setting up a short funnel, race and crush and try and get some weights. Or do you think there would be chaos? I do have on lad who sometimes skips over the fence if he's at the back of the group going into a new break.
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