Grass seed prices

[Great In Grass]

Was the 'Organic' part of the grass seed written in biro !?! That's why he saved you £30 / bag !!

I'm still using chalk in case we have a sale.

 

[Derrick Hughes]

I just paid £58/acre from MVF for long term (although their idea of long term is different to mine. I measure in decades...)
Seemed a big lot of money for 11-12 acres, and now it's steadily being fried, I think I might've blown that money!

Well at least we haven't got £90/acre being fried

 

[hally]

Once was getting a bit of stick in the pub about the price of grass seed, farmer saying they should be £40/acre like they were a few years ago. We calculated that was the same price at the time as a fat lamb so I was quick to point out that I will only charge him what he got for his fat lambs the previous Thursday at longtown. I was fully aware that he averaged nearly 90quid that day...........he has never complained since.
A good quality mix will only be £10/acre more than a run of the mill mix. Medium term over 5 years is only £2 per year, surely an easy job recouping that even when stock prices aren’t where they should be. Farmers rarely buy the cheapest tractors/cars/tups/bulls/feed etc, so why would you risk not buying a good grass seed?

 

[Derrick Hughes]

Funny when grass seed comes up you get a thousand and one reasons to buy the most expensive. I can assure you as dad was a seed merchant and he tought me what to look for there is nothing wrong with my cheap mix . Thinking about it you guys have the same banter as cake merchant's

 

[hally]

There is a lot of similarity between grass seed mix and a cake mix in that an 18% cake can be made very cheaply or very expensive but as any stockman will tell you, they are not the same. It’s all down to the ingredients.

 

[Sid]

I was quoted £105 an acre for an organic long term grazing ley by my cake firm the other week but @Great In Grass saved me around £30 an acre and fantastic service as arrived quickly after ordering. Shame @Great In Grass you don’t sell organic cow cake?

Was that for similar seed rates per acre?
What variety comparison?

Cheap seed CAN work out dear long term. £20 cheaper for a ton an acre DM less. Is very expensive.

 

[Sid]

There is a lot of similarity between grass seed mix and a cake mix in that an 18% cake can be made very cheaply or very expensive but as any stockman will tell you, they are not the same. It’s all down to the ingredients.

We looked at a cheaper cake. One at 13.5 ME other at 12 ME.
Working out the feed rate to keep the energy levels the same the cheap on was the poorer value.

 

[Sid]

Seed size as well.
A kilo of Timothy has 50,100, 200 times more seeds than a kilo of westerwolds.

Too many variables

 

[Sid]

Funny when grass seed comes up you get a thousand and one reasons to buy the most expensive. I can assure you as dad was a seed merchant and he tought me what to look for there is nothing wrong with my cheap mix . Thinking about it you guys have the same banter as cake merchant's

What's in your cheap mix then?
Put up a picture

 

[glasshouse]

I once bought 5 tons of intermediate ryegrass for 30p/kg @50% germ
Sowed it at 30kg/ac so cost £9/ac
Added some whiteclover
Did just fine

 

[glasshouse]

I sow straight timothy for £10 ac

 

[z.man]

I sow straight timothy for £10 ac

5kg @ £2a kilo ?

 

[glasshouse]

5kg @ £2a kilo ?

3kg @£3
6.6 lbs/ac
Sometimes add white clover

 

[z.man]

3kg @£3
6.6 lbs/ac
Sometimes add white clover

Timothy is an amazing plant it seems to regulate plant density itself , especially on heavier land , have seen pasture mixtures that included a fair percentage of Timothy (1kg ish) become a pure stand by year 4

 

[glasshouse]

Timothy is an amazing plant it seems to regulate plant density itself , especially on heavier land , have seen pasture mixtures that included a fair percentage of Timothy (1kg ish) become a pure stand by year 4

Timothy positively loves a good poaching, and will dominate quickly, esp on clay

 

[Derrick Hughes]

Seed size as well.
A kilo of Timothy has 50,100, 200 times more seeds than a kilo of westerwolds.

Too many variables

I would have never know that

Used to get the same crap when I was home mixing
[emoji1]

 

[Derrick Hughes]

Ok few things I was tought
I'm using pictures so its easier to get my point over
First point

 

[Derrick Hughes]

2cd point

 

[Derrick Hughes]

So my question is if you guys are using mixes with different heading dates from early to late over 1 month , how can you ever cut at the optimum time ?
We would never mix intermediate and late heading ryegrass in a mix
And the proof in the pudding was dad winning the grassland silage cup

But then he was being advised by one of the top grassland institutions in the country at the time

 

[neilo]

So my question is if you guys are using mixes with different heading dates from early to late over 1 month , how can you ever cut at the optimum time ?
We would never mix intermediate and late heading ryegrass in a mix
And the proof in the pudding was dad winning the grassland silage cup

But then he was being advised by one of the top grassland institutions in the country at the time

Your screenshots (?) haven’t come out completely, but your first one tells us to use intermediate AND late heading varieties in a ‘long term’ ley.

But yes, none of what you posted is rocket science.