Hi Protein Forage Crops

[Samcowman]

this is really interesting, as we are looking this way, I have grown r clover, and Lucerne as straight crops, for dairy, the biggest problem being, as we grow maize as well, it is to much grazing removed, and our focus went to maize. We are all being told that multi cut silage, is the way forward, and you can easily produce top quality silage, but its very costly, and you really need small pits, like the dutch, which most farms don't have. We have been looking at all sorts of ways to reduce our costs, last year, we grew hybrid rye, cut a large crop, approaching 20 ton/acre, followed by maize, which did well, and analysed well. We have 19 acres rye in the ground, but failed to get another 9 acres in. We have decided not to grow maize, as our spring calving herd, doesn't warrant the cost, and peas/barely undersown will go behind it. I have always been very quick, to plough and reseed. We have bought a vaderstat drill, this year, with the aim of overseeding, when leys look thin. And pp or very long leys, if correctly managed, can be highly productive, and we will go as far as we can, to max litres from forage. and grow rape, to outwinter the cows,
that's our plans, not to sure if its holistic, but it would seem we are heading that way, and I allways listen to other peoples views, and would welcome comments.

It could be the first step into the rabbit hole!! Next you will be doing more reading and adding more diversity to your winter feed crop.

Farming: A Case Study in Next Level Grazing – part 2 » Polson Higgs Wealth Management

www.phwealth.co.nz

 

[cousinjack]

Good thread...

Some interesting info on here..
Giving lucerne a go this year, mainly as a nitrogen fixer for arable crop, but with the intention of feeding to the stores too..

Was hoping to go for hay rather than silage for ease of feeding out..

Any thoughts ?

 

[Kiwi Pete]

It could be the first step into the rabbit hole!! Next you will be doing more reading and adding more diversity to your winter feed crop.

Farming: A Case Study in Next Level Grazing – part 2 » Polson Higgs Wealth Management

www.phwealth.co.nz

Mark's a good sort, we're doing similar but slightly different to him on our lil ranch this year.

His fields are ex "very conventional" arable, (where he's pictured) so the soils are flogged out.
Our mix is thus a bit different as we just want to restore our "old weed grass" to potential quickly,
while giving a good TMR to incalf dairy heifers.

We've drilled oats, ryecorn, buckwheat, vetch, daikon, peas, beans, lupins, sunflower, forage brassica, millet and phacelia across about 40 acres - expecting a first graze of around 6-7 TDM/ha and then further grazings of lesser amounts, Mark said about 16TDM/ha or so - with zero inputs

Testing's shown about 1.3% SOM increase at Mark's place from his covercrop, due to slowed growth we only managed 1% .. and we're a wee bit competitive so...

FWIW his mix basically turns into pasture after the main annuals have gone, our tack was to broadcast clover on it last year and then drill into that - hence not terminating the old stuff, we want that back with bells on

 

[Kiwi Pete]

Good thread...

Some interesting info on here..
Giving lucerne a go this year, mainly as a nitrogen fixer for arable crop, but with the intention of feeding to the stores too..

Was hoping to go for hay rather than silage for ease of feeding out..

Any thoughts ?

Make sure you let it flower first if you want to keep it.
Use a mower-conditioner not a mower to mow it
Only ted it once, early, if you must ted it, you lose most of it if you bash it about dry and end up with stems

 

[cousinjack]

? We are planning to try and keep the lucerne going as long as possible... aim is to mow it off at the last feasible time and then direct drill wheat into it...

Either top or graze it over winter to stop either one swamping the other and hopefully get a cereal harvest next year.. followed by a couple lucerne cuts again ..

Might work... might not !

Worst case is I get some lucerne silage and some wholecrop next year ..


Unless it all dies !