Drought for cows

[som farmer]

funny trade at Exeter today, chasing cheap milk, older cows from sussex/surrey made a very good price, I/c hfrs cheaper than normal, lots more cows from out east to come as they run out of grass

 

[Beef farmer]

funny trade at Exeter today, chasing cheap milk, older cows from sussex/surrey made a very good price, I/c hfrs cheaper than normal, lots more cows from out east to come as they run out of grass

Some cheap cows there too.

 

[jimmer]

funny trade at Exeter today, chasing cheap milk, older cows from sussex/surrey made a very good price, I/c hfrs cheaper than normal, lots more cows from out east to come as they run out of grass

I bought two , at least 3 barrens will be going to balance out the feeding shortage
Did you see what the in calf heifers from Sussex made , I had to leave ?

 

[Chips]

https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=362895204237767

 

[Farmer Bogass]

Bone dry up my end. Oldest autumn block cows in herd sent down the road, which has helped slightly, and will send another few old ladies from the spring herd down the road as well before the year is out. May sell a few more milkers and bank the money to tie us through until next year then expand back again if next spring is good. The cost of feed during the next 8-9 months won't be cheap so downsizing for me now is a neccisity. Milk down 20% on what it should be. Herd size will be down by around 100 or so will run just under 500. The goal for me is to keep the herd size where I can feed them on the land I have on a bad year like this year, without forking out silly money for feed to cover shortfalls where money saved from that plus stock sales can be put to better use in the future.

It's a shame as I make a hefty income off youngstock which we rear, and will need more replacements going forward longer term so less to sell.

Grazing on silage block not an option for me as thats on another farm a few miles down the road and in typical Lincolnshire style, no fencing. Plus the feed from there will be needed to cover for the winter.

Fingers crossed my maths is on point, and making cuts now will pay off longer term.

 

[Cowski]

Quick question.
Has any one ever grazed green spring barley?
We are going to run out of fresh grass next week and there is a field handy by .

Yep have grazed a grass undersown field of barley, found they make a better job if you can pre now it (no conditioner)

 

[countryman765]

think that says it all about west Wales. 2 big bales of hay 1 bale of haylage and molasses fed every night still waiting for brewers grains to be delivered

 

[countryman765]

 

[Chae1]

Interesting reading this thread. Dry weather for cows hasn't been mentioned much in livestock thread. We've about another week's grazing left. Started grazing 2nd cut.

 

[Princess Pooper]

Interesting reading this thread. Dry weather for cows hasn't been mentioned much in livestock thread. We've about another week's grazing left. Started grazing 2nd cut.

I think it's because when the cows are short or eating poorer quality grass we notice it in the tank within a day or so, a bit more 'disguised with beef and sheep animals. Also suspect more dairy farmers do grass budgets and monitoring growth on a 'formal' basis.

 

[Spudley]

View attachment 688066

That's a clever idea to feed along the fenceline like that.

 

[Stinker]

I think it's because when the cows are short or eating poorer quality grass we notice it in the tank within a day or so, a bit more 'disguised with beef and sheep animals. Also suspect more dairy farmers do grass budgets and monitoring growth on a 'formal' basis.

Every beef cow I see has 3 acres of grass that grew 2 months ago to chew on. Be a month or two before they chew through that. Here we have 1.7 cows an acre and even on a wet farm it's getting tight.

 

[celtis man]

I think it's because when the cows are short or eating poorer quality grass we notice it in the tank within a day or so, a bit more 'disguised with beef and sheep animals. Also suspect more dairy farmers do grass budgets and monitoring growth on a 'formal' basis.

Most of the sheep farmers I know are running creep feeders for the lambs chasing the hundred pound lamb

 

[supercow]

very hungry girls this morning so decided to bite to bullet and feed them the few bales that we will have for the winter. Never ever done this before and buffer feeding in the shed never seems to work. One in one out formation around the feeder!! Can see it being cleaned up by lunchtime! Any bales for sale in Dumfriesshire area ?!?

 

[Beef farmer]

View attachment 689232 View attachment 689234 View attachment 689236 very hungry girls this morning so decided to bite to bullet and feed them the few bales that we will have for the winter. Never ever done this before and buffer feeding in the shed never seems to work. One in one out formation around the feeder!! Can see it being cleaned up by lunchtime! Any bales for sale in Dumfriesshire area ?!?

Fair grass there

 

[jondear]

To extremes by River and middle of same field!

 

[celtis man]

Yep have grazed a grass undersown field of barley, found they make a better job if you can pre now it (no conditioner)

My brother has banned my thought of grazing any barley

 

[Rossymons]

Spring reseeds have grown a cracking crop of fat hen undersown with some PRG.

Anyone had any issues grazing fat hen? Was planning on pre-mowing in front to make sure they eat it.

 

[Princess Pooper]

Spring reseeds have grown a cracking crop of fat hen undersown with some PRG.

Anyone had any issues grazing fat hen? Was planning on pre-mowing in front to make sure they eat it.

We are on v heavy but dry land so usually autumn seed. However we did spring once in v dry conditions and also had heavy fat hen infestation, we took a cut of silage off before it seeded so it then disappeared as it is only an annual. Cows will eat it standing but apparently it can upset calcium metabolism so milk fever a risk if very heavy infestation but probably not an issue for you.

 

[Princess Pooper]

View attachment 689232 View attachment 689234 View attachment 689236 very hungry girls this morning so decided to bite to bullet and feed them the few bales that we will have for the winter. Never ever done this before and buffer feeding in the shed never seems to work. One in one out formation around the feeder!! Can see it being cleaned up by lunchtime! Any bales for sale in Dumfriesshire area ?!?

at least it's green!!!