"Improving Our Lot" - Planned Holistic Grazing, for starters..

[som farmer]

When I use the blue barrels filled by the IBC I have to be very organised- the barrel has to be full when the cattle move to a new paddock, otherwise it just doesn’t fill up quickly enough.A couple will want to drink, will suck water from the bottom, the others will come crowding around and before I know it, the barrel is sideways. But if the barrel is full and everyone comes to drink, the system can handle it. Next year I plan to have a couple more barrels, set up and filled ahead of time to makes moves smoother and easier.

l have seen 2 half barrels bolted together, water fitting to bolt together, and nut/bolt, works well, and much more 'robust'. Have seen same, with ball valve in one, outside of paddock, so they cannot pee about with the valve, and you also have a 'reserve' when cattle/sheep drink.
Have also seen blue barrels, on their side, with a chunk cut out, not impressed.

 

[Kiwi Pete]

indeed - the one strand idea is something im coming around to -
3 years in and im growing alot of grass - im just not sure how well the stock are really doing - theyre very much the same as when i began - the grass tpyes seem lusher/thicker leaved but the residuals im leavind are not really being compressed into the soil as much as i would like - so im concerned that im just creating a poor thatch which will in the long term harm the quality..
moving more than once a day i think will be on the cards next year - not all year but very much early spring and autumn post wean - the land size limit is something im always fighting but i know this year where ive used lambs to hit the sward on one field at the right time is/feels right.
also next year should be interesting as ive got to fit a wedding into the grazing plan... (huw you might have to come watch some sheep for a few days )

We noticed our "good" plants were thinning out - not necessarily making bare soil increase but just the plants weren't replacing themselves as fast as we were losing them

we then did some "troubleshooting" to confirm what we already really knew - plants don't grow in the dark, and leaving more residue than the soil can reasonably "eat in one sitting" gives the system indigestion (slows ability to manage the pH by itself) in much the same way as making baleage "takes out" of the system

thus we need "softer" litter with softer soil and maybe harder litter if the soil is hard?

We cannot make a living from grazing moss with heifers and so what is available as litter or residue needs to be cycled / able to be cycled - leaving it there isn't enough unless there's a plan for it

 

[farmgineer]

 

[farmgineer]

Might have been put up before

 

[Crofter64]

I am careful with the hose pipe. I make a series of big loops with it on the ground before I move it to a new hydrant. I don’t drag it lengthwise , except short distances by hand.

 

[exmoor dave]

@Samcowman and me, with our grazing group visited a follow member of the group last week, the chap was trialling No fence collars,
I must say I was throughly impressed with the idea, especially if the software driving it all, was to have a few features added

 

[Karliboy]

So I decided to leave this all season, i topped it in mid April for rushes and been left since.
Some serious volume in there. Idea is to strip graze it hard being the time of year and top what ever is left, probably won’t bother with a back fence as not expecting regrowth. So something like 6 1/2 months rest since topping by the time I get there at end of October.
Grass is growing steadily behind cows at the moment now we have had a bit of rain but I’m not expecting massive growth due to time of year but will still get a few days here and there.
So long as weather doesn’t turn too crappy I may stretch grazing out by around a month hopefully this time around

Anybody any ideas on these fungi/mushroom type?

 

[Samcowman]

Agree. Has some real potential. If the price comes down to commercial level then I would definitely be looking at it.

 

[Poorbuthappy]

So I decided to leave this all season, i topped it in mid April for rushes and been left since.
Some serious volume in there. Idea is to strip graze it hard being the time of year and top what ever is left, probably won’t bother with a back fence as not expecting regrowth. So something like 6 1/2 months rest since topping by the time I get there at end of October.
Grass is growing steadily behind cows at the moment now we have had a bit of rain but I’m not expecting massive growth due to time of year but will still get a few days here and there.
So long as weather doesn’t turn too crappy I may stretch grazing out by around a month hopefully this time around
View attachment 988119

Anybody any ideas on these fungi/mushroom type?
View attachment 988120View attachment 988121View attachment 988122

Don't know how many days they'll be in there, but I'd go with a back fence if at all possible. You'd be surprised at what regrowth you'll get, and it'll give the grass a headstart come spring.
Will also avoid prolonged poaching on grazed areas.

 

[holwellcourtfarm]

@Samcowman and me, with our grazing group visited a follow member of the group last week, the chap was trialling No fence collars,
I must say I was throughly impressed with the idea, especially if the software driving it all, was to have a few features added

Agree. Has some real potential. If the price comes down to commercial level then I would definitely be looking at it.

The idea is brilliant. I've been watching the 3 players I'm aware of for about 3 years now.

As Sam says, it's all about the price now.

Water could get complicated but would only need setting up once.

 

[holwellcourtfarm]

Don't know how many days they'll be in there, but I'd go with a back fence if at all possible. You'd be surprised at what regrowth you'll get, and it'll give the grass a headstart come spring.
Will also avoid prolonged poaching on grazed areas.

We are still getting some good regrowth here but then temperatures are still around 18 / 10 ⁰C yet.

 

[Poorbuthappy]

We are still getting some good regrowth here but then temperatures are still around 18 / 10 ⁰C yet.

Indeed.
But even if there's very little regrowth over winter, eating that recovery shoot off will slow the spring start, besides the extra poaching.

 

[Fenwick]

The idea is brilliant. I've been watching the 3 players I'm aware of for about 3 years now.

As Sam says, it's all about the price now.

Water could get complicated but would only need setting up once.

How much are we talking.

Dexent fencing is expensive, and so is its mainenance, especially in time, and I calculate what my times worth so I am interested.

How precise is the 'no fence' fence? We are moving several tines a day, is it able to do that?

 

[holwellcourtfarm]

How much are we talking.

Dexent fencing is expensive, and so is its mainenance, especially in time, and I calculate what my times worth so I am interested.

How precise is the 'no fence' fence? We are moving several tines a day, is it able to do that?

Iirc from talking to them at Groundswell their collars start at £230 each plus an annual app subscription of £50. Volume discounts apply but no idea how big.

The boundaries are pretty precise in most situations (around 1 metre) but do depend on the quality of the gps signal.

Halter (from NZ) follow a different model where the whole system is supplied on subscription. They swap the collars as upgrades come out. They also offer a ruminal bolus, linked to the collar by Bluetooth, which reports health criteria (pulse rate, temperate, rumen movement etc). I don't think they are supplying yet in Europe though.

The other is the Agersens "E-Shepherd" (from Australia). I'm not sure their price model.

 

[holwellcourtfarm]

Agersens: Home page

agersens.com

Halter® | Virtual Fencing for High Performance Grazing

Halter’s solar-powered smart cow collars and simple app allows farmers to remotely shift, virtually fence, optimise pasture, and proactively monitor the health of their herd; unlocking real-time visibility and precise farm management.

halterhq.com

Nofence - World’s first virtual fence for livestock

World’s first virtual fence for livestock - Nofence

www.nofence.no

 

[som farmer]

getting near robotic fence moving ! While l can see many advantages, the biggest disadvantage is inflexibility of 'adjusting to grass growth'. Next stage, moving on a virtual map.
It is really quite amazing/scary how far farming has gone down the high tech route, and yet the industry is treated as, as a low paid, non challenging, simple industry, by career teachers in schools, and only recommended for the, not quite so bright pupils. I can remember my careers teacher wasting his time, telling me not to go farming, it was a dead end industry, l sometimes regret not listening, rarely.
This view desperately needs changing, we are in fact, a high tech, vibrant industry, as this virtual fencing, with a quick glance in a new tractors control panel, will tell you. It is how we can change our 'out dated' image, and attract more young people into farming, many of those, that are in, find their jobs extremely interesting, and we desperately need more young people to choose ag, as a career. Once we get them in, we have to learn, how to remove mobiles, glued to ears !

 

[som farmer]

Agersens: Home page

agersens.com

Halter® | Virtual Fencing for High Performance Grazing

Halter’s solar-powered smart cow collars and simple app allows farmers to remotely shift, virtually fence, optimise pasture, and proactively monitor the health of their herd; unlocking real-time visibility and precise farm management.

halterhq.com

Nofence - World’s first virtual fence for livestock

World’s first virtual fence for livestock - Nofence

www.nofence.no

sounds nearly like science fiction.

 

[holwellcourtfarm]

Throw in a drone to check the stock and it is!

Every bit as high tech as a modern tractor cab, especially the Halter version with the health monitoring.

Dad is 88 and started his farming career working with heavy horses. All that change in 1 lifetime!

 

[Henarar]

trouble is when someone hacks in and steals your livestock

 

[Karliboy]

We are still getting some good regrowth here but then temperatures are still around 18 / 10 ⁰C yet.

Bloody continental climate down south you boys get. Never gets to cold and wet

This will slow grass growth up quick sticks around here