GS4...any good as feed ?

agcon1

Member
Location
derbyshire
We will be establishing some GS4 , Legume and herd rich sward under a CSS agreement...Question is, is it any good baled and wrapped as feed?....would only be fed to heifers or young stock as belly fill along side crimped barley.
 
Last edited:

Devon James

Member
Location
Devon
We silage for ourselves and others GS4. First cut is more grass than clover, then second cut the clover is there more. Good high protein silage. Sold spare to dairy cows last year. If you want to bale perhaps see if you can leave out the chicory as that can be a bit stemmy if cutting is delayed by weather
 

Great In Grass

Member
Location
Cornwall.
As Devon James says it can make excellent fodder.

The mix can be 'tweaked' more towards the grass content if need be.

It's difficult to actually leave something out due to the mixtures formulation but the bare minimum inclusion of a particular species is almost as good!
 

DRC

Member
Is this mix best established in the autumn or spring ( or either). I’m waiting to hear about a mid tier offer which includes a field . Start date of the offer would be 1st jan 2022, but I could take a chance and establish this autumn , wait until next spring or actually wait until next autumn as I think the rules say after harvest in the first year .
 

Two Tone

Member
Mixed Farmer
Is this mix best established in the autumn or spring ( or either). I’m waiting to hear about a mid tier offer which includes a field . Start date of the offer would be 1st jan 2022, but I could take a chance and establish this autumn , wait until next spring or actually wait until next autumn as I think the rules say after harvest in the first year .
It establishes really well in the Autumn.
Therefore to take maximum advantage, you can plant another arable crop this Autumn or next Spring and sow your GS4 in the Autumn of 2022.

It makes excellent fodder and you can cut cut it twice each year, provided there are at least 6 weeks between each cut.


You won’t hear until at least December before your agreement is accepted. Therefore best to plan to plant another arable crop, just in case it isn’t accepted and establish your GS4 in Autumn of 2022.
But I wouldn’t worry too much, because you are 99% certain for your CS agreement to be accepted.
 

phil the cat

Member
Mixed Farmer
431D1B4B-D56D-40E5-A501-E81EE4FF5773.jpeg
8792E571-7E27-4A3E-9985-1047EEDE6F23.jpeg
01C7C3CE-D387-46D6-A7CF-43B3B49B02BF.jpeg
431D1B4B-D56D-40E5-A501-E81EE4FF5773.jpeg
 

Cow1

Member
What are peoples views on GS4 vs conventional grass/clover ley? I’m trying to gauge how much less production you would get and whether the payment from Countryside Stewardship would fill the gap compared to using nitrogen and pushing output.
 

teslacoils

Member
Arable Farmer
Location
Lincolnshire
Gs4 better if you have access to enough organic manures. And if you prefer taking the govt money. If I can get over the second point, I'll put half my farm down to gs4. Obviously it doesn't work so well if your grass is in an arable rotation. But seems an ideal "five year rest" for a tired farm / farmer.
 

phil the cat

Member
Mixed Farmer
What are peoples views on GS4 vs conventional grass/clover ley? I’m trying to gauge how much less production you would get and whether the payment from Countryside Stewardship would fill the gap compared to using nitrogen and pushing output.

we averaged 9 bales/acre 1st cut, 4.7 2nd cut. Rounds through a mchale fusion
 

SFI - What % were you taking out of production?

  • 0 %

    Votes: 77 43.5%
  • Up to 25%

    Votes: 62 35.0%
  • 25-50%

    Votes: 28 15.8%
  • 50-75%

    Votes: 3 1.7%
  • 75-100%

    Votes: 3 1.7%
  • 100% I’ve had enough of farming!

    Votes: 4 2.3%

Red Tractor drops launch of green farming scheme amid anger from farmers

  • 1,285
  • 1
As reported in Independent


quote: “Red Tractor has confirmed it is dropping plans to launch its green farming assurance standard in April“

read the TFF thread here: https://thefarmingforum.co.uk/index.php?threads/gfc-was-to-go-ahead-now-not-going-ahead.405234/
Top