Best grassland improvement implement

[Anymulewilldo]

Sounds not too bad if its a 160 acre field, ...2 1/2 cwt an acre

My old fella would want me to do at least 250 acre with it... ??

 

[Kiwi Pete]

Bit

bit of an issue on the silage / hay fields though..

Have been spraying it off, but that also kills clovers etc ..

Considering running around with the quad and spot spraying with glyphosate this year..

Thoughts ??

Can't remember if Tordon granules are available in the EUK or not (picloram)

These can be pretty convenient for firefighting a ragwort infestation, eg crush them under your heel and drop a quarter teaspoon of prills on the base of the plant
Salt, likewise, I used to have a bag of salt and a broken wineglass for a scoop permanently on my quad, on the dairy farm

Simple answer again: sheep deficiency, sheep love small ragwort plants

I don't like sheep much, but I need their efforts so I have to suck it up

 

[Kiwi Pete]

cleared ragwort from here, ewes nibbled it out, never seen one die after eating it. cousin has a gang in every year to pull it out, on some steep land, they have been coming for years.

It will always be there, that's the big "problem with weeds" in that you're seriously deluding yourself if you believe not letting weeds seed out will diminish them
Plants all simply respond to management and conditions, if desired species are being overgrazed then weeds will increase, if they aren't then a balance is maintained

The problem with killing weeds is twofold,, firstly they don't get the opportunity to "rate my management" or fix underlying soil problems; and secondly anything you do to them, you are doing to the whole soil biome. Use a little bit of roundup and everything gets a little bit of roundup, or any other form of non-biological control for that matter.
Dig them out, you make a bare hole for a new weed to grow out of and chop a few worms and beetles up in the process.
Dump salt on the patch, same thing

Weeds are a war we cannot win, the best thing IMO to do is actually learn what they are showing you "should" change, and see if you can change what you do

 

[Henarar]

Woodburner is a great grassland improving implement
sit in by the woodburner winding folk up on TFF and leave the grassland alone, stop driving about on it that will do it the world of good, when you feel the need to do something walk out to see your cattle/sheep that way you get exercise to
much of the rest of it is a waste of time money diesel and iron but the woodburner when its cold or the glass of proper zider when its hot are great machines for grassland improvement

 

[clod hopper]

Probably the biggest thing is, when you graze the grass right down is really important.
Most pasture experts suggest this right time is: right through the growing season
My discovery: following this advice buggers your grass and limits production immensely

We graze higher and higher through the growing season and then lower and lower until it's gone - in the late winter there are no thistledowns and suchlike for your stock to "plant"
There are about 1200kg of clover seeds alone in nearly every acre of soil, so if you aren't seeing clover then it is probably management
If you are seeing weeds then.... it is probably also management

What weeds are you seeing, these are your indicator species?
eg spreading thistles indicate compaction/low oxygen in the soil, low calcium function, good potash and phosphate levels

You can of course spray them, in which case you will not benefit from what they are trying to do, and again they will have tons of seed in the soil whether you top them or not.
Soil disturbance/bare soil is all it takes for more to pop up, hence new leys are generally either money-pits, weed nurseries, or both

Pete, can I ask how long is your grass at it's longest ? Do you control the hight by making hay eta? Not been critical just interested , thanks

 

[clod hopper]

One from left field, and I know some of you will kill me for this! Say we have our weeds more or less under control grazing sheep, cattle and wait for it goats and or donkeys will maintain or improve your weed control.
Sheep-love docks,buttercups,chickweed,ragwart
Goats-blackberry,gorse
Donkeys-blackberry,gorse,thistles and God knows what else!
I know I know moving and handling will be a challenge!! But entertaining to on Lookers!?

 

[som farmer]

wonder if the public would be so entertained, if you ran a few companion dogs with your sheep ? or do the doncs do the same job ? In some ways, a pity we don't run dogs in the UK

 

[cousinjack]

wonder if the public would be so entertained, if you ran a few companion dogs with your sheep ? or do the doncs do the same job ? In some ways, a pity we don't run dogs in the UK

How on earth would that work?

I've a job to keep my dog with me, let alone trust it to stay with a herd of animals !!

 

[Kiwi Pete]

Pete, can I ask how long is your grass at it's longest ? Do you control the hight by making hay eta? Not been critical just interested , thanks

About knee deep, otherwise the sheep get too much seed in their eyes.
That must have been what @Dry Rot's teacher meant.

We used to make silage in summer but not anymore, this year the clamp is empty; we may buy some in yet and crank up the barn for more cows... but probably not.
Largely we just store grass on the land, if it gets too much then we bring in more stock.. and sell some off well before we get low.

 

[cousinjack]

About knee deep, otherwise the sheep get too much seed in their eyes.
That must have been what @Dry Rot's teacher meant.View attachment 856365
We used to make silage in summer but not anymore, this year the clamp is empty; we may buy some in yet and crank up the barn for more cows... but probably not.
Largely we just store grass on the land, if it gets too much then we bring in more stock.. and sell some off well before we get low.

Does that not rely too heavily on market prices at the time or are they fairly consistent?

I can't get my head around altering animal numbers so dramatically over a relatively short space of time, but I guess it's all food for thought...

It requires a complete re-alignment of my brain and how farming works which may not be a bad thing !!

 

[Yale]

@Kiwi Pete ,what’s that?Looks a bit dock like but not sure?

 

[Yale]

You guys taking the pee now,go on I can see the other docks.........

 

[Yale]

@cousinjack ,@Bury the Trash .......not committing?

 

[cousinjack]

Sure look like docks to me, but I've come to learn that it's ok... we can't fight the weeds man !!!!

 

[Kiwi Pete]

@Kiwi Pete ,what’s that?Looks a bit dock like but not sure?

View attachment 856391

Yes, it grows good docks here!
I am not scared to have a few about

 

[unlacedgecko]

Yes, it grows good docks here!
I am not scared to have a few about

but it doesn’t look pretty! ?

 

[cousinjack]

So @Kiwi Pete , are they native ? Or have they been brought in sometime in the past ??

 

[Bury the Trash]

@cousinjack ,@Bury the Trash .......not committing?

Well it seems He's not got the dislike/ predujice/ hate/fear ( underline as appropriate).... Of them that we might have....

But yes you're right , they are docks, the darker leaves and more than one.....not the slightly lighter shade of chicory which I would recognise so he cant try to fob them off as that either, ,


the big difference is as I see it @Kiwi Pete is that..chicory doesnt vi for world domination... iyswim.

 

[Kiwi Pete]

Does that not rely too heavily on market prices at the time or are they fairly consistent?

I can't get my head around altering animal numbers so dramatically over a relatively short space of time, but I guess it's all food for thought...

It requires a complete re-alignment of my brain and how farming works which may not be a bad thing !!

Depends what the stock owe you - we mainly just take on grazers as an "adjustment" and so it's relatively immune from meat pricing structures.
You make your profit buying and shifting stock around, not parking them up, just like Wall St:

"Parking is for amateurs"

Grow good thistles too.
Had 73 mm while they were in here, overnight, so there won't be many thistles next time around.

 

[Kiwi Pete]

but it doesn’t look pretty! ?

Making money seldom "looks pretty"