Herbal Leys for Sheep

[neilo]

No additive … never quite bought into that sales BS ( controversial there I know) have to be v picky about the weather…… and don’t ted it, will Knacker protein by knocking leaves off clover,
Learn learn …… those fert sales people …..

If you don’t ted it at all, do you not get a lot of wet fodder?

I baled some RC/Westerwolds the other day, cut and ted on one day, then left another 48hours before (gently) rowing up. It was still pretty wet stuff imo, despite the Westerwolds being a week past their best. I couldn’t find any number of lost leaves on the ground afterwards.

No idea what it will analyse like as it was sold before I’d got the second load out of the field. 60 Fusion bales off 8ac, grazed lightly in March and no fert applied (Fibrophos coming on Monday to replace offtake).

 

[Jerry]

Just finished baking 12 acres GS4.

110 fusion bales. Yielded better than I thought. Should be nice stuff.

 

[Benr]

Just finished baking 12 acres GS4.

110 fusion bales. Yielded better than I thought. Should be nice stuff.

You should be pleased with that. How long did you wilt it for?

 

[Derrick Hughes]

 

[Jerry]

You should be pleased with that. How long did you wilt it for?

Cut Tuesday evening. Tedder 3 times

 

[Norfolk Hill Farmer]

Cut Tuesday evening. Tedder 3 times

Do you have chicory in your mix ?

 

[Jerry]

Do you have chicory in your mix ?

No

 

[som farmer]

regrowth after 1st cut 40 units N, our cows love it. We are finding they don't eat/need as much as prg'w/clover leys, perhaps its more 'filling' for them ? Herbs being a bit more solid, than a juicy grass leaf, just guessing. They eat the plantain down, tighter than anything else.

 

[gwi1890]

Are herbal lays easy to establish in through direct drilling into existing pasture? This would be into short term IRG that’s basically coming to its end and dying off.

 

[som farmer]

we have spun plantain and chicory on with fert, there are now odd plants of both, appearing everywhere, from 'odd' seeds that have been left in the spinner, so answer is probably yes.
plantain here is taking over, in some very dry banks, must self seed, but its not a problem, without that, and clover, there would be very little for cattle to eat !
Wild plantain is a very common weed here, let a ground out for maize one year, no idea of what spray he used, but after a good crop of maize, we had 28 acres, of wild plantain, the tack sheep loved it.

 

[Kevtherev]

Are herbal lays easy to establish in through direct drilling into existing pasture? This would be into short term IRG that’s basically coming to its end and dying off.

Into a short term ley that’s very ‘open’ then I cannot see why not
Just watch for slugs in the early stages of the herbal ley.

 

[Derrick Hughes]

Are herbal lays easy to establish in through direct drilling into existing pasture? This would be into short term IRG that’s basically coming to its end and dying off.

Not burning off ?
Overseeding is hard at the best of times , I would burn it myself, if only for the fact that weeds can be an absolute nightmare in a herbal key and burning is a good way of getting rid of a lot

 

[neilo]

Not burning off ?
Overseeding is hard at the best of times , I would burn it myself, if only for the fact that weeds can be an absolute nightmare in a herbal key and burning is a good way of getting rid of a lot

+1 If it's open IRG and perhaps a bit of meadowgrass, it wouldn't need a very high/costly rate of glyphosate.

 

[gwi1890]

Topped it with a mower yesterday, very patchy, half the field was quite open IRG and other medow grass quite thick in patches here and there, IRG looked relatively strong in April but surprising how quick medow grass and weeds take over arfer grazing. So yes will go with some glypho, I’ll hang on to see the details of the welsh government scheme on the 20th before cracking on.

 

[hally]

Burn it off, there are some very slow establishing species in herbal keys so not ideal for overseeding unless as Kev says it is very open.

 

[Kevtherev]

By what your saying if it’s quite dirty then roundup it off

 

[som farmer]

weed control is the bugbear of herbal leys. We had a good young agrominist, with sustainable farming, firmly in his mind. His 'firm' had no interest in pursuing that line, so, sadly moved on.
Had his replacement out, mentioned herbal leys, 'you don't want to pee about with that rubbish, can't spray the weeds out'.
We will stay with him, till our corn/maize requirements are finished, and then, someone's 'garden leave' will have expired.
To be honest, we are being encouraged to go down a more sustainable farming route, and besides the weeds, we have found some serious cost savings, without yield compromised, not really expected, but very welcome. So to get told, the sustainable farming direction, is a waste of time, doesn't sit to well. So a move is forthcoming !
On weed control, we are moving towards a rotation of wheat, followed by an high production type, grass ley with a clover 18 month catch crop, before maize, then back to wheat. Hopefully without ploughing, to avoid disturbing the dreaded weed seed bank. And give us a chance to clear up weeds. The grazing ground, is a different matter, other than topping and spot spraying, not sure of the answer yet, and suggestions, are very welcome !

 

[hally]

If you take out the pride element of the equation I often wonder how much weed is acceptable commercially with sprays at the prices they are and the destruction of the clover with nitrogen where it is.

 

[Derrick Hughes]

If you take out the pride element of the equation I often wonder how much weed is acceptable commercially with sprays at the prices they are and the destruction of the clover with nitrogen where it is.

I hate docks but perhaps I need to get over it and live with them ,

 

[Humble Village Farmer]

I hate docks but perhaps I need to get over it and live with them ,

If this thread is about sheep then docks shouldn't be a problem...