grass?

[mjganfield]

Just wondering what the grass situation is like across the country in this hot weather atm? I'm a contractor in sunny Somerset and we have just finished first cut. Been round to a few of my customers today and the story seems to be the same, the grass is burning up, and there worried there will be a lack of second/third cuts. As my business relies on silage making its starting to get abit worrying as we have had a bad first cut as is.

 

[RobFZS]

did they forget to do first cut at the start of june down there?

all slow growth and stalky in cheshire. 2nd cut tomorrow.

 

[Samcowman]

We are getting short on most of our blocks particularly where the stores are as they rely on re growth after silage and it only ever greened up and never got going. Started feeding hay. If you are on managed grazing I would have thought there will be enough grass in front of the cows by bringing silage fields into the rotation but there won't be much second cut about. The second cut we have done for customers there isn't much volume there but it needs to be cut as it will be going backwards, these were guys that did first cut early though

 

[mjganfield]

There was very little grass at the beginning of June, we have done very little second cut, but very light and patchy

 

[tr250]

We had medium first cut first week June about to cut a really good second cut really pleased with it but worried about stubble burning off and 3rd cut being rubbish too dry to put any n on really. Been having really heavy dews at night is this enough for n or not?

 

[mjganfield]

I had a few hold there frist cut hoping it would bulk up and have only cut in the last few weeks, already burning up, we have had a few dews but hasn't done any good yet.

 

[Baling Hay]

I don't think I would cut until some rain is expected in the near future. By cutting you are also getting rid of the roots and preventing any more growth. I know quality will be down but I would want to make sure I have enough fodder.

 

[tr250]

Completely agree but want to get on so we can get ready for harvest don't want to be behind again like last year

 

[BAC]

Heard Jet stream isn't moving for the foreseeable future! Could be september before anything substantial comes

 

[Tonka]

2nd cut nicely underway, here in N Yorkshire.
No rain for a fortnight.........but by hell, the clouds are rolling in this evening!

 

[Blue.]

Took a decent 2nd cut last week but grass isn't getting going again on older leys,not panicking as lots of time yet for another cut.

 

[Princess Pooper]

Got a good first cut 2nd week in June, second cut this weekend, as good as it is most yrs with average 650mm annual rain - we never get the second cut those further west get (apart from last yr). Cutting 2/3 of our first cut acreage will fill the clamps to capacity anyway, the rest has gone as excellent quality grazing. Heavy land, slow to regrow at present but we have plenty of good hay in and big bale silage from last yr being buffer fed every milking. Cows mainly late lactation/dry but milking better than forecast. Contractors into the whole crop locally. Might get a small acreage of third cut which will be baled just to tidy the fields up.

 

[Big_Alan]

We are in I suppose a fortunate situation in a dry year like this where we can handle the dry summer. Grass at the moment is getting away from the cows and sheep. Top surface is also solid but go down 6inches and there is a lot of moisture. Suppose this is what you expect in a wet farm. Unfortunately we don't get a dry summer every year. The last 2 years were some of the toughest tho so the weather has a lot of making up to do.

 

[Baling Hay]

We are in I suppose a fortunate situation in a dry year like this where we can handle the dry summer. Grass at the moment is getting away from the cows and sheep. Top surface is also solid but go down 6inches and there is a lot of moisture. Suppose this is what you expect in a wet farm. Unfortunately we don't get a dry summer every year. The last 2 years were some of the toughest tho so the weather has a lot of making up to do.

Our silage ground in Ayrshire is growing like mad! Lush green grass. Best year since we moved there three years ago.

 

[grumpy]

Our silage ground in Ayrshire is growing like mad! Lush green grass. Best year since we moved there three years ago.

the west coast thrives on a drought year,shame you only get it once every 100 years and a drought kills the east coast.

 

[Big_Alan]

Our silage ground in Ayrshire is growing like mad! Lush green grass. Best year since we moved there three years ago.

Previous 2 years were terrible though. Where in Ayrshire are you??

 

[Baling Hay]

Previous 2 years were terrible though. Where in Ayrshire are you??

Outside Coylton.

 

[grumpy]

Outside Coylton.

whats the Northamptonshire and north paddy land about then?

 

[Baling Hay]

whats the Northamptonshire and north paddy land about then?

I am originally from N.Ireland and the rest of my family lives there, as for Northamptonshire, thats where my wife is from and I lived down there for a few years when I finished Harper Adams.

 

[Big_Alan]

Outside Coylton.

Lovely area there. Mum's cousins farm is near there.