any reccomendations for a plate meter + software

[dannewhouse]

I'm currently paddock grazing suckler just by judging by eye but I would like a more definite measurement to aid decisions.

I don't particularly silage a field to keep grass "fresh" for nutritional value I cut the odd paddock when I can tell the cows aren't going to need it ie skip that 1 but late in the season I find I have cut too much.

I run 25 cows across 5 4acre paddocks and last year I cut 2 paddocks (different times) but I think I would have been better not cutting the second and doing a faster rotation. to retain the grass for later grazing.

I would like more of an "entry level" meter where I may have to type results into computer rather than have a lot of money in an all singing and dancing machine.

I understand paddock grazing is I a bit of a trial and improvement every year so I will get to where I want to be, and that a plate meter wont be the be all and end all of my issues

 

[Agrispeed]

Check out Kiwikit. The AgHub F200 platemeter is a nice, middle of the road option. Avoid the really simple ones as they are a pain to use.

MVF were similar price. About £450.

Sounds expensive, but well worth it.

 

[wee man]

Do you need a plate meter? I get on much better with a free sward stick. I have a plate meter but found I have to go out specifically to plate meter the fields it doesn't fit with anything else and it takes a long time on bigger areas. The sward stick fits in with other jobs. It might not be as accurate at measuring one field today but as all the fields get measured every week in the growing season rather than once a month if I was lucky with the plate meter the over all accuracy is better for me.

If you still want a basic plate meter I have one, just make me a sensible offer.

 

[dannewhouse]

I have the free sward stick you talk of, I was hoping that my "new" gadget would make me do it instead of just going and "judging" it by eye (I have never actually used my sward stick)

what software do you use to show your grass etc on the computer or don't you record it to that extent?

will you send me a pm of the details of your plate meter and I will have a think about it cheers

 

[wee man]

I use www.agrinet.ie I think you can still get a 3 month free trial so you don't have to spend anything to see if you like it.
My plate meter is the most basic going. http://jenquip.co.nz/products/filips-manual-folding-plate-meter

 

[Nearly]

25 sucklers?
Make a creep gate and let the calves into next paddock and make the cows eat up once they're not bulling any more?

 

[dannewhouse]

is yours the F75 on this website where it records separately total height of grass measured and number of "plonks"

does it come with the free software? only seems to be on the F200 upwards

that agrinet does look good if you can do fert aswell but seems enough at 85 euro per year when others are free or 1 payment to buy it? do you have the "beef" version if so do you rate it? I once tried sum it for daily live weight gains etc but found it was easier to use excel!

http://agrisupplyservices.co.uk/platemeter-for-grass.htm

 

[dannewhouse]

25 sucklers?
Make a creep gate and let the calves into next paddock and make the cows eat up once they're not bulling any more?

I creep calves with corn adlib
I do make the cows eat up before they are moved I want it more to work out when to take out a paddock for silage and when to leave higher covers so I don't need to silage so that I can then graze these covers harder later in the year if you see hwat I mean? just something a bit better than guesstimating by eye

 

[Yantantethera]

Buy a platemeter and I guarantee your other half will make you go and use it! It worked for me!

I have the F400 with P-Plus software so after measuring, I plug it into the computer and it automatically uploads 90 paddocks of measurement to P-plus with about 3 mouse clicks - exactly what a computer plodder like me needs. Straightaway it tells me average farm cover, growth since last measurement etc. No human maths and very little likelihood of errors.

I wouldn't disagree with Weeman that it is all do-able with a pasture stick and some maths but what works for me with the platemeter is quickly having an average for the paddock based on 30-40 readings and then having all the paddock info at my fingertips on the computer.

I find that 3 years on, I use the platemeter more for strategic measurement (winter budgets, can I drop a paddock for silage) rather than tactical "when to shift" decisions.

 

[neilo]

Buy a platemeter and I guarantee your other half will make you go and use it! It worked for me!

I have the F400 with P-Plus software so after measuring, I plug it into the computer and it automatically uploads 90 paddocks of measurement to P-plus with about 3 mouse clicks - exactly what a computer plodder like me needs. Straightaway it tells me average farm cover, growth since last measurement etc. No human maths and very little likelihood of errors.

I wouldn't disagree with Weeman that it is all do-able with a pasture stick and some maths but what works for me with the platemeter is quickly having an average for the paddock based on 30-40 readings and then having all the paddock info at my fingertips on the computer.

I find that 3 years on, I use the platemeter more for strategic measurement (winter budgets, can I drop a paddock for silage) rather than tactical "when to shift" decisions.

That's interesting. Do you find, after 3 years, that you are pretty good at estimating the covers by eye?

I remember going to a meeting on rotational grazing a couple of years ago, where the consultant was showing us how a plate meter worked and telling us how great they were. As we walked up the field, he said I reckon this one will be 2500kg (or whatever), and he was nearly right. I thought it defeated the object of having the expensive bit of kit in his hand.

 

[wee man]

is yours the F75 on this website where it records separately total height of grass measured and number of "plonks"

does it come with the free software? only seems to be on the F200 upwards

that agrinet does look good if you can do fert aswell but seems enough at 85 euro per year when others are free or 1 payment to buy it? do you have the "beef" version if so do you rate it? I once tried sum it for daily live weight gains etc but found it was easier to use excel!

http://agrisupplyservices.co.uk/platemeter-for-grass.htm

My one sounds the same spec as the F75. There is a tally counter on top of the handle that you click every time you put the plate meter down.
I tried using excel when I first started and found it hard work but I'm not very good with excel. With 30 paddocks, at least 5 mobs and lambs changing demand all the time as they grow, I would probably manage with excel if I had a simpler system. I find agrinet very simple to use. I think I have the beef version as I only have sheep.

 

[multi power]

That's interesting. Do you find, after 3 years, that you are pretty good at estimating the covers by eye?

I remember going to a meeting on rotational grazing a couple of years ago, where the consultant was showing us how a plate meter worked and telling us how great they were. As we walked up the field, he said I reckon this one will be 2500kg (or whatever), and he was nearly right. I thought it defeated the object of having the expensive bit of kit in his hand.

I suppose it's a bit like feeding cake to calves or sheep etc, i mean you don't exactly have to weigh out the feed every day

 

[multi power]

Check out Kiwikit. The AgHub F200 platemeter is a nice, middle of the road option. Avoid the really simple ones as they are a pain to use.

MVF were similar price. About £450.

Sounds expensive, but well worth it.

A basic simple plate meter is absolutely fine, no need for any thing fancy

 

[hillman]

Do you split the paddocks in half again ? @dannewhouse
Make 10 2 ac paddocks, much easier to skip 1 if it gets strong ,without putting rotation under pressure

Should in theory grow more as well as quicker shift won't hamper regrowth , raised wire for calves to constantly have best

 

[multi power]

Do you split the paddocks in half again ? @dannewhouse
Make 10 2 ac paddocks, much easier to skip 1 if it gets strong ,without putting rotation under pressure

Should in theory grow more as well as quicker shift won't hamper regrowth , raised wire for calves to constantly have best

Definitely agree with this

 

[Agrispeed]

Strip grazing in 24hr blocks made a difference grass growth, but the biggest difference by far was back fencing.

 

[Yantantethera]

That's interesting. Do you find, after 3 years, that you are pretty good at estimating the covers by eye?

I remember going to a meeting on rotational grazing a couple of years ago, where the consultant was showing us how a plate meter worked and telling us how great they were. As we walked up the field, he said I reckon this one will be 2500kg (or whatever), and he was nearly right. I thought it defeated the object of having the expensive bit of kit in his hand.

Haha, yes there is something in that although if you are measuring a lot of paddocks for strategic decisions, the plate meter is more accurate with 30-50 readings across each of the 90+ paddocks. You don't have to be too far out by eye each paddock to make a significant difference across 90 paddocks.

There is no doubt though, that it got more use when it first arrived, then I got my eye in and used it less and now I am using it more again because I am doing more strategic "what if" scenarios based on grass growth figures and comparisons between land types.

It's definitely not an essential bit of kit for rotational grazing and it's worth depends on each individual situation but I am sure I have had way more than my money's worth out of it.

 

[JD-Kid]

when i was doing alot of baeing could work out covers by eye in number of bales per HA quite eazy once yer get the hang of it
it is good to know yer covers tho and some programs i think should keep the last years covers etc so new info will show up growths and times of extra feed or the need to buy in etc
know a cow cocky he dose his covers all the time and it's quite shock the diffrence in newer grasses and also there growth times etc can't recall the numbers but some are huge ..he dose see milk in the tank each day so knows how cows milking off some blocks add to that the levels of covers it build up a better understanding of the output that can be done

 

[Global ovine]

When assessing pasture DM for cattle grazing, a plate meter is a very good tool because covers are often over 10 cm in height, harder to judge average height and more open at ground level. Whereas sheep pastures should always be under 10 cm and considerably denser. Such pastures are more uniform, therefore can quite accurately be assessed by walking through it using a pasture stick or becoming proficient with how far up your boots it comes.
Fields of varied topography can cause big variations due to fertility transfer to higher points.
Pastures with good legume component should be measured to the top of the clover.