FYM on grass

[BRB John]

As above what's the best way to break up any lumpy bits?
Tine harrow or chain harrow?
What would a tedder do....

 

[Tractorboy67]

Chain harrowing then do again after a week or so

 

[BRB John]

Chain harrowing then do again after a week or so

Different direction?

 

[Jackov Altraids]

Flail topper works well if you can have use of one.

 

[Werzle]

Dont overload the spreader and have lumps being forced over the side rather than through the beaters

 

[DanM]

Set the muckspreader up properly to minimise lumps rather than burn diesel chain-harrowing

 

[Optimus]

As above what's the best way to break up any lumpy bits?
Tine harrow or chain harrow?
What would a tedder do....

I use my tine harrows.twice if I need too but don't usually

 

[Jackov Altraids]

Set the muckspreader up properly to minimise lumps rather than burn diesel chain-harrowing

Au contraire.
Save diesel by carrying as big a loads as possible.
You could get lumps anyway depending on the FYM.
Harrowing or flailing don't burn much and will do good beyond spreading lumps.

 

[BRB John]

Dont overload the spreader and have lumps being forced over the side rather than through the beaters

Easier said than done
Occasionally a lumpy bit can still get through the beaters as well.

 

[Chae1]

Use well rotted muck

 

[Werzle]

Au contraire.
Save diesel by carrying as big a loads as possible.
You could get lumps anyway depending on the FYM.
Harrowing or flailing don't burn much and will do good beyond spreading lumps.

Hardly when you increase the chances of the bed slipping and the beater bearings failing. Theres drivers and then theres screwdrivers!

 

[Jackov Altraids]

Hardly when you increase the chances of the bed slipping and the beater bearings failing. Theres drivers and then theres screwdrivers!

I was thinking of a rotary spreader.

 

[deleted user 837354]

I was thinking of a rotary spreader.

Tell me you are from Devon without telling me you are from Devon.

 

[Bury the Trash]

just leave it unless youre looking for work and cost and the more its left alone the more the worms will pull it in and get it rotted down , moving will only get dry matter lumps else where
just except it as part of the deal.

 

[Jackov Altraids]

just leave it unless youre looking for work and cost and the more its left alone the more the worms will pull it in and get it rotted down , moving will only get dry matter lumps else where
just except it as part of the deal.

That would depend on if/ when you planned to cut it.
Lumps of FYM can get picked up with the grass unless at least 5 months have passed.

 

[Davy_g]

I know this wont suit everyone.
My old man let FYM sit and rot all summer till late August. Then spread it on what ever fields required it - usually by rotation. I keep it for Potash hungry silage ground.
Spread in late August the bottom of the heap is well rotted the top still has fresh straw. Get the odd lump.
Cows graze lightly maybe one or twice more before they are housed. Help to tramp it in and it gets all winter to break down. No sign of it come the spring.

So you get some benefit with autumn grass growth and all winter to break down naturally to send silage on again in the spring. If it worked for Dad then I aint going to change it.

 

[Werzle]

I know this wont suit everyone.
My old man let FYM sit and rot all summer till late August. Then spread it on what ever fields required it - usually by rotation. I keep it for Potash hungry silage ground.
Spread in late August the bottom of the heap is well rotted the top still has fresh straw. Get the odd lump.
Cows graze lightly maybe one or twice more before they are housed. Help to tramp it in and it gets all winter to break down. No sign of it come the spring.

So you get some benefit with autumn grass growth and all winter to break down naturally to send silage on again in the spring. If it worked for Dad then I aint going to change it.

Fair few would turn it in the sheds or heaps to help it rot and then spread it on the ground after silage/hay was cut before livestock went on the aftermathes, the stock would break it up and tread it in while grazing .

 

[BRB John]

I know this wont suit everyone.
My old man let FYM sit and rot all summer till late August. Then spread it on what ever fields required it - usually by rotation. I keep it for Potash hungry silage ground.
Spread in late August the bottom of the heap is well rotted the top still has fresh straw. Get the odd lump.
Cows graze lightly maybe one or twice more before they are housed. Help to tramp it in and it gets all winter to break down. No sign of it come the spring.

So you get some benefit with autumn grass growth and all winter to break down naturally to send silage on again in the spring. If it worked for Dad then I aint going to change it.

Which is fine if your running a low intensity system but when you have as much muck as I do there's always at least two fields that get fresh fym
I just don't have enough suitable sites to make that work.
My silage ground mostly gets slurry and the arable ground takes most of the FYM but I'm 20-30 acres short every year which is why some of the grazing ground gets fresh FYM which tends to be more lumpy in nature.

Ideally the grazing ground wouldn't get anything but hey ho just trying to make the best of a bad situation.

 

[Davy_g]

Which is fine if your running a low intensity system but when you have as much muck as I do there's always at least two fields that get fresh fym
I just don't have enough suitable sites to make that work.
My silage ground mostly gets slurry and the arable ground takes most of the FYM but I'm 20-30 acres short every year which is why some of the grazing ground gets fresh FYM which tends to be more lumpy in nature.

Ideally the grazing ground wouldn't get anything but hey ho just trying to make the best of a bad situation.

Some cracking farming ground around Aberdeen. I always look forward to flying back in after 2 or 3 weeks away to see whats been going on in the fields.

Nice (ish) problem to have - an over supply of straw based FYM. We cant get straw easily so most of our cattle sheds have slurry tanks below. Nothing is simple.

 

[deleted user 837354]

If you can get out there and break up the heap at some point over winter it will generally spread a lot nicer and finer.

Spread it carefully and maybe harrow it in, see what is left.