Grass growth, how's yours?

[AJR75]

How's everyone finding grass growth? I know it's later in the season and it's always going to be pretty slow this time of year but I went and fenced an away block of ground that was mown about 6 weeks ago to find that it's pretty yellow and the regrowth is very poor. Usually this block grows well so was surprised to find it like this. Immediate reaction was to get out there with some N but is that a waste of time at this stage?

 

[yellowbelly]

Dad always told me that grass only grows so much in a year - if you get a lot early (like we did this year) you don't get so much now and vice versa.

I'm guessing all those extra bales we made when we'd 'too much' grass early on will come in handy sooner than we'd thought

 

[mixedfmr]

How's everyone finding grass growth? I know it's later in the season and it's always going to be pretty slow this time of year but I went and fenced an away block of ground that was mown about 6 weeks ago to find that it's pretty yellow and the regrowth is very poor. Usually this block grows well so was surprised to find it like this. Immediate reaction was to get out there with some N but is that a waste of time at this stage?

Regrowth from haylage, 7 weeks ago is excelent, but it was a new ley last year
Sheep ley very steady and browning, But no rain of any consequence for 6 weeks
N on when it comes, ok for 2 or 3 more weeks in my region to get a result

 

[Davy_g]

We have chased our tails all year. Too wet, too cold, then too dry. Growth never really got going nor recovered. If you need the grass id sow it.
I will sow fields close to the farm yard 'till the first week in September as i can graze them off last whilst the cattle are housed at night. Or if they are not grazed at the back end will have decent covers for turnout.
Got more second cut to mow and bale. Weather is turning, hopefully get a good week or two in September. What we don't need is a bad back end and a long winter.

 

[An Gof]

Grass growth has really taken off here last few weeks. Can’t keep on top of it

 

[livestock 1]

Turned backend very quickly with us haven’t had a good spring or summer for grazing too wet too cold for too long. Been autumnal for a long time.

 

[zero]

Cut a bit of grass for second cut yesterday., some bits were nice leafy rye grass, slightly taller than the mower canvas and some bits were hardly tall enough for the blades to catch. Cows are still pasturing away but followed me back to the gate this morning and grumbled a bit.

 

[Northern territory]

Aftermaths are very slow here. Barely any rain in the last month so quite dry and hard now.

 

[Devil's advocate]

Aftermaths are very slow here. Barely any rain in the last month so quite dry and hard now.

Agreed but everytime we use the combine, baler or mower we get a silly little shower.

Swedes & to a lesser extent leaf brassica's look thirsty.

 

[Jackov Altraids]

Must be one of the best years ever for grass growth here.

It's been hard to find a few dry days together to harvest any but the light watering almost every other day has kept it growing.

Finding it hard to find anywhere 'tight' to put the weaned ewes is a nice problem to have.

 

[livestock 1]

Silage crops have been good up to now, anything with cover on in the end of May has fared well, some of the grazed pasture that was bare then has never recovered or got going even with fert on we just had to move stock instead

 

[som farmer]

grass carried on growing most of last winter, had a hammering with the heavy rainfall as well.

ours has slowed, grass leys seem to be less nutrition, herbal leys are better. PRG hasn't really performed, in a dry week, just sends up a seed head. Earliest for years that we have buffer fed the cows at least plenty of silage, bales and pit, lot of hay, and 65 acres of maize to come, pretty well all 7ft plus.

my view, its just run out of steam, needs its 'rest period'!

younger store cattle are going back, despite being fed ad lib wheat gluten, mainly on older pp pastures.

seemed to be a month behind, weather wise all spr summer, all of a sudden, autumn seems a month early.

been a miserable summer, all start/stop

 

[livestock 1]

grass carried on growing most of last winter, had a hammering with the heavy rainfall as well.

ours has slowed, grass leys seem to be less nutrition, herbal leys are better. PRG hasn't really performed, in a dry week, just sends up a seed head. Earliest for years that we have buffer fed the cows at least plenty of silage, bales and pit, lot of hay, and 65 acres of maize to come, pretty well all 7ft plus.

my view, its just run out of steam, needs its 'rest period'!

younger store cattle are going back, despite being fed ad lib wheat gluten, mainly on older pp pastures.

seemed to be a month behind, weather wise all spr summer, all of a sudden, autumn seems a month early.

been a miserable summer, all start/stop

We have some store cattle with any amount of grass in front of them but it’s turned sour about a month sooner than it should have done

 

[som farmer]

We have some store cattle with any amount of grass in front of them but it’s turned sour about a month sooner than it should have done

we have shifted nearly 80 on, very noticeable that the grass has lost nutrition. Another 50/60 to go.

Need to make room for calves to come in, about 40 a month, till xmas, if more, we will have to find temporary housing for some or sell more.

 

[NorthumbrianFarmer]

I’ve had no grass at any point this year. My Jan/feb calving cows are getting pretty lean and thinking I will have to wean the calves 3 weeks earlier then usual.

Put 300 weaned lambs onto 35 acres of red clover fog and it’s all gone within 2 weeks

 

[livestock 1]

I really struggled this spring, basically ran out of grass at one place even though we had some fert on, the wet stopped us getting the rest on at the right time. Moved stock around in May which sort of set us wrong ever since in some ways

 

[Cecil snear]

Must be one of the best years ever for grass growth here.

It's been hard to find a few dry days together to harvest any but the light watering almost every other day has kept it growing.

Finding it hard to find anywhere 'tight' to put the weaned ewes is a nice problem to have.

What part of Devon are you based? We are desperately dry in mid Devon stubble turnip’s drilled 3 weeks ago haven’t germinated, selling store lambs tomorrow as we’re running out of hybrid rape no grass to move onto

 

[Man_in_black]

Fields at home farm are great, growing well & able to rotate as I'd like.
Half mile down road on some rental & it's slowed right down, lambs more than "keeping on top of it" .

 

[Cecil snear]

Mid Devon this morning

 

[livestock 1]

Mid Devon this morning

One place we have had 8 inch of rain in the first fortnight in August and 6 inch of rain last night