Cover Crop Outwintering Heifers

[shields kaiser]

Afternoon all,

Wanted to run some thoughts past everyone on an outwintering system for breeding heifers.
I know the potential benefits, but wondering thoughts on pitfalls to avoid?

• Very old Perm Pasture Sward - looking to improve soil health before reseeding grass following Spring
• 300Kg weaned Stabiliser Heifers
• Bale some High DM Hay from same field and place along 1 lateral fence line
• DDrilling Rye (50Kg) and Vetch (25Kg) after being grazed bare by sheep in early August
• Providing 60% of Daily DMI as Rye & Vetch and 40% as Hay
• Hotwire rationing Daily Rye & Vetch
• Hay bales rolled out behind crop, on area of Rye & Vetch eaten day or two previously
• Water moved Daily
• Clay loam soil, average 50 to 100mm/month over winter

I have thought about backfencing to avoid poaching of ground in a wet winter - would this be beneficial?

Also - anyone have experience on feeding animals as young as weaned Heifer calves on this type of system - good or bad?

Thanks in advance!

 

[Samcowman]

Haven’t done this myself. I would definitely backfence to protect the ground already grazed. Also more diversity in the feed crop the better.

 

[shields kaiser]

Haven’t done this myself. I would definitely backfence to protect the ground already grazed. Also more diversity in the feed crop the better.

Thanks Sam, yes, I'd like to run more species, but as my first attempt at growing, and keeping cost to a minimum, thought I'd go easy. Instead of re-seeding after with grass, I might have put in a further cover crop(s)

 

[Chae1]

When are you planning bulling them?

Doubtful they'd be big enough to bull in spring if calving at 2 year old.

 

[Samcowman]

Thanks Sam, yes, I'd like to run more species, but as my first attempt at growing, and keeping cost to a minimum, thought I'd go easy. Instead of re-seeding after with grass, I might have put in a further cover crop(s)

I used some peas this year long with oats and Phacelia on rape stubble this year for some extra autumn feed.

Grazed a couple of days after this. Could have done with a couple more weeks but the ground was getting wetter and wetter. Phacelia is a bad choice in a grazing mix as they would spit it out I presume due to the hairy stalks.

 

[onesiedale]

Afternoon all,

Wanted to run some thoughts past everyone on an outwintering system for breeding heifers.
I know the potential benefits, but wondering thoughts on pitfalls to avoid?

• Very old Perm Pasture Sward - looking to improve soil health before reseeding grass following Spring
• 300Kg weaned Stabiliser Heifers
• Bale some High DM Hay from same field and place along 1 lateral fence line
• DDrilling Rye (50Kg) and Vetch (25Kg) after being grazed bare by sheep in early August
• Providing 60% of Daily DMI as Rye & Vetch and 40% as Hay
• Hotwire rationing Daily Rye & Vetch
• Hay bales rolled out behind crop, on area of Rye & Vetch eaten day or two previously
• Water moved Daily
• Clay loam soil, average 50 to 100mm/month over winter

I have thought about backfencing to avoid poaching of ground in a wet winter - would this be beneficial?

Also - anyone have experience on feeding animals as young as weaned Heifer calves on this type of system - good or bad?

Thanks in advance!

Looks like you have it planned out ok. (Would be interesting to see if you've still averaged 50-100mm rain/month this autumn ) . As you get into feeding them, you'll get a feel for daily allocation. You won't get it right all the time, but that's just the learning curve.

We winter dairy heifers similar to this (both r1s and r2s). Definitely less mess on pp but then you also move quicker/over more ground than if over kale.

Tend not to be too hooked on a back fence, however it's always good to have a 'planB' ready for the week /10 days of crap weather that will not only be testing for your morale but also a potential PR issue as joe public makes the phone call to various DEFRA departments, yourself or even worse, the press and FB.
We have no problems bulling our heifers for spring after wintering like this. We found that the one winter we had heifers both inside and out, come March, the outside heifers just out performed the inside ones.
Wintering heifers like this has probably been one of the biggest single cost savers that we have done for the business.

 

[Kiwi Pete]

+1000 for the backfence and portable water, yes you may bugger up some parts of the farm but it's far superior to wrecking every part of the farm by having them uncontrolled.
All our heifers and bulls spent the winter outside in this type of system, a couple of times I got up in the wee small hours and moved them to avoid messes, but not often

Utilisation is up to you but we aim to leave a bit behind, we didn't use much hay at all and what we did use wasn't placed out, next year we'll just aim to have tall covers to winter on in lieu of bales, say 100 days standing grass will give the rest of the place a good rest.
We calve our heifers at 24-27 months as we only have a few, no issues there, they grow so much in spring that size doesn't matter much at bulling

 

[d-wales]

Looks like you have it planned out ok. (Would be interesting to see if you've still averaged 50-100mm rain/month this autumn ) . As you get into feeding them, you'll get a feel for daily allocation. You won't get it right all the time, but that's just the learning curve.

We winter dairy heifers similar to this (both r1s and r2s). Definitely less mess on pp but then you also move quicker/over more ground than if over kale.
View attachment 846531
Tend not to be too hooked on a back fence, however it's always good to have a 'planB' ready for the week /10 days of crap weather that will not only be testing for your morale but also a potential PR issue as joe public makes the phone call to various DEFRA departments, yourself or even worse, the press and FB.
We have no problems bulling our heifers for spring after wintering like this. We found that the one winter we had heifers both inside and out, come March, the outside heifers just out performed the inside ones.
Wintering heifers like this has probably been one of the biggest single cost savers that we have done for the business.

You mentioned you move quicker on PP then on Kale.......couldnt you put more bales down on the PP to equal it up?

 

[onesiedale]

You mentioned you move quicker on PP then on Kale.......couldnt you put more bales down on the PP to equal it up?

Funny isn't it, when someone questions what you do it does make you re-visit the 'why?' Thanks @d-wales

We tend to space the bales out the same on kale or pp, one thing we've found you can't do is have them too close as space is needed for stock around the bale without the wire being in the way. That said, I suppose extra lines of bales could be slotted in.

After wintering on the pp, we tend to let the grass come back, get a modest graze off it, then put kale in for the following winter. After the wintering on the kale ground is reseeded to a long term ley. (Although this year we did try a patch with a herbal ley)

 

[d-wales]

Funny isn't it, when someone questions what you do it does make you re-visit the 'why?' Thanks @d-wales

We tend to space the bales out the same on kale or pp, one thing we've found you can't do is have them too close as space is needed for stock around the bale without the wire being in the way. That said, I suppose extra lines of bales could be slotted in.

After wintering on the pp, we tend to let the grass come back, get a modest graze off it, then put kale in for the following winter. After the wintering on the kale ground is reseeded to a long term ley. (Although this year we did try a patch with a herbal ley)

The bales on PP is something I've been thinking about for my ewes, for a while.

Thinking it wouldnt get as muddy as outwintering on kale? or even take a higher stocking rate.

Could you get a cut from field, say mid summer, leave bales in field or even add bales to it. graze over winter. then I was thinking plough up following spring and plant what ever is needed.

 

[onesiedale]

The bales on PP is something I've been thinking about for my ewes, for a while.

Thinking it wouldnt get as muddy as outwintering on kale? or even take a higher stocking rate.

Could you get a cut from field, say mid summer, leave bales in field or even add bales to it. graze over winter. then I was thinking plough up following spring and plant what ever is needed.

You're right, pp doesn't get as mudddy as kale.
We take a cut mid summer, all growth after that is left for deferred grazing. Following season we then direct drill with a simtech aitchison. No ploughing.

 

[shields kaiser]

I used some peas this year long with oats and Phacelia on rape stubble this year for some extra autumn feed.
View attachment 846511View attachment 846512View attachment 846513
Grazed a couple of days after this. Could have done with a couple more weeks but the ground was getting wetter and wetter. Phacelia is a bad choice in a grazing mix as they would spit it out I presume due to the hairy stalks.

Yeah, I've read about the soil benefits of Phacelia Sam, that looks a decent crop anyway! I'm probably looking for as much bulk as possible. I know I could get more with Brassica's but wouldnt get the same soil benefits pre spring re-seeding.

 

[shields kaiser]

When are you planning bulling them?

Doubtful they'd be big enough to bull in spring if calving at 2 year old.

From weighing this year in mid October, our Heifers were around the 280 to 300Kg mark. I've got probably 180 days on the Forage crop and Hay, and looking at expected intakes & energy of feeds, (I'm a nutritionist through the week), I'm sure I can get them doing 0.6Kg DLWG on an average Winter. Thats them at ~ 400Kg by end of April. Then onto 2 months of grazing should be a min of + 20Kg but hopefully a lot more, which really takes me above the bulling Weight I'm after. Mature weight of our cows are 650 to 700Kg, so I'm happy to bull at a min of 420Kg Liveweight.

I'll need to weigh at end of Forage crop mind you, as if the crop works, I would do it again.

 

[shields kaiser]

Utilisation is up to you but we aim to leave a bit behind, we didn't use much hay at all and what we did use wasn't placed out, next year we'll just aim to have tall covers to winter on in lieu of bales, say 100 days standing grass will give the rest of the place a good rest.

Hi Pete, yeah I'd not be bothered about massive utilisation of the crop if its going to help soil fertility by being trampled in. I'll have more bales of Hay from the field than would likely be required, so I can likely turn intakes 60% Hay and 40% Rye and Vetch to make it last longer and maybe more of both trampled. The field needs so good fertility as its currently 30% covered with rushes.

 

[shields kaiser]

We tend to space the bales out the same on kale or pp, one thing we've found you can't do is have them too close as space is needed for stock around the bale without the wire being in the way. That said, I suppose extra lines of bales could be slotted in.

I'm thinking of laying bales out on their rounded edge at side of field and rolling out behind the forage crop to cover a specific poor bit of ground with eaten/trampled hay. Have you tried rolling out Onesiedale, or would it be easier in lines on their edge? cheers

 

[shields kaiser]

The bales on PP is something I've been thinking about for my ewes, for a while.

Thinking it wouldnt get as muddy as outwintering on kale? or even take a higher stocking rate.

Thats in effect what I want to achieve by direct drilling into old PP, hoping the existing root structure would hold the youngstock better.

 

[shields kaiser]

Thanks for all your replies folk, especially the photos of current systems!

 

[onesiedale]

I'm thinking of laying bales out on their rounded edge at side of field and rolling out behind the forage crop to cover a specific poor bit of ground with eaten/trampled hay. Have you tried rolling out Onesiedale, or would it be easier in lines on their edge? cheers

If i was using hay I would do as you intend. We've only ever used silage bales so too heavy to roll.
The only practical issue maybe actually rolling the bales on wet ground and any sort of incline. Make sure they go downhill

 

[shields kaiser]

If i was using hay I would do as you intend. We've only ever used silage bales so too heavy to roll.
The only practical issue maybe actually rolling the bales on wet ground and any sort of incline. Make sure they go downhill

Ha ha, I'll be regretting it in the p*shing rain or snow! I like the idea of a rolled out bale will spread any potential poaching, have hay "Carbon" spread over a wider area and ive heard people say that the animals use it as a bed for a few days too. The Hay will cost less than Silage bales too, but more to the fact the hay can be rolled.
Sounds a good idea, I' ll see if it works for me!

 

[TurboCon]

I'm thinking of laying bales out on their rounded edge at side of field and rolling out behind the forage crop to cover a specific poor bit of ground with eaten/trampled hay. Have you tried rolling out Onesiedale, or would it be easier in lines on their edge? cheers

We did this once...very hard to plough afterwords.

We grow Kale/Rape/Redstart sown after winter barley and added leafy turnip and stubble turnip to the mix this year. Great feeding for weanlings, lighter animals leave less of a mark on the land. We did get a bit caught out last year with the in calf heifers they had a bit too much condition for calving.