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

[Agrispeed]

You would be surprised how quickly you can lengthen a rotation. I started on something like 20 days and 2 rounds later was on 75+ days on 2/3 of the area. Rotation lengths are right down again now though, but I think I can build forage going into winter ok.

@Ukjay Looks like there should be plenty of Organic matter there. I would say that moisture would be your limiting factor still? I would spread the muck as it'll become quite friable and break down quite easily on the next grazing. I think this year has taught me that the less you can do to grass in hot/dry weather the better. You could see the tracks my spreader's floatations made burning off in the heat after spreading in the heat this summer. I would've thought you would be ok now though

You won't get the same microbial activity though if its dry so it might take longer to break down, but if your struggling, rattling over it with the harrows should shatter it apart quite well if its dried well.

To add; fields that I've grazed (even at 1900kg/dm!) have recovered and greened up & grown a lot quicker than those I've left alone following the drought (which is still sort of going on here).

 

[ShooTa]

yeah would echo agris idea of spreading muck - weve got an old one that is sitting in a field atm with flat tyres - thinking of resurecting it...
did you run cattle or sheep onto that ground?

 

[Kiwi Pete]

Some perennials love to be hit hard, like roses and some shrubs, but you only do that when they're dormant.
A hedge is probably a good example of a sustainable // regenerative management approach.
Or an apple tree, you don't take the whole tree, just the fruit...

Sam, how early do you start grazing?
Can you get avg pasture growth rate info for your area?View attachment 717508
It's reasonably easy to run a rough feed budget (fag packet math) to work out what type of allocated areas you're aiming for based on expected covers and growth rates.
My rough rule of thumb in spring was: a hectare per hundred cows per day

For a start that would mean pregraze 3000kgDM leaving 1500 = 15 kgDM per cow
Once covers start to rise then speed them up - start of grazing maybe a 50 day recovery down to 28 or so during peak growth, graph the two points and rule a line between.
It's really handy to know when you reach pasture balance date: supply = demand

@3 cows/ha (x18kg) = 54kgDM/day

feed based on area allocation + supplement if required?

 

[Samcowman]

Smaller cells (= more of them = longer rotation) ?

I could but I don’t want to be taking much on that first round just nipping a bit off to encourage more growth and getting the cattle out earlier. If I make smaller cells I will end up taking too much. I’m thinking a couple of days in the next door silage field will help and also a couple of days in the bulling heifers turnout field will help extend my rotation.
@Ukjay id get the muck out there it’s not doing any good in the heap and as you said that field needs it so the sooner the better.
@Agrispeed still bloody dry here the little waterway that runs down beside some of our fields has stopped running.

 

[Agrispeed]

yeah would echo agris idea of spreading muck - weve got an old one that is sitting in a field atm with flat tyres - thinking of resurecting it...

I would do it. We used to use contractors and big rear discharges and they could spread a serious amount in a day. However, we now have our own, and its a titchy rotospreader on the same size tyres - the front tyres of the tractor make the most mess. I can now spread when I want and as I know what gets what and how it grows I can vary rates to suit. It's actually made a big difference in nutrient management, and even loading and spreading with one tractor isn't that bad (apart from the occasional sinking drawbar...) I can't do 20 or 30 Ha a day, but there is a significant saving too.

I spread any grazing fields I've cut silage on, it works quite well at making sure they get enough rest time and the cows smash any lumps up quite well when they graze it again.

 

[Samcowman]

Sam, how early do you start grazing?
Can you get avg pasture growth rate info for your area?View attachment 717508
It's reasonably easy to run a rough feed budget (fag packet math) to work out what type of allocated areas you're aiming for based on expected covers and growth rates.
My rough rule of thumb in spring was: a hectare per hundred cows per day

For a start that would mean pregraze 3000kgDM leaving 1500 = 15 kgDM per cow
Once covers start to rise then speed them up - start of grazing maybe a 50 day recovery down to 28 or so during peak growth, graph the two points and rule a line between.
It's really handy to know when you reach pasture balance date: supply = demand

@3 cows/ha (x18kg) = 54kgDM/day

feed based on area allocation + supplement if required?

Traditionally last week of April, because we like to get plenty of grass in front of them and we have plenty of silage in the pit and we have always done it this way
So far with mobs I’ve been rotating I have been doing it by eye with a sward stick checking myself occasionally.
I’ll be getting a playmeter this winter to do it properly as I will be trying to finish some cattle at grass on the new rotation next summer.
Growth rates, no idea but I will be able to add and take away from the bunch if needed during the season.
Do you still graze down to 1500 in your rotation or leave it slightly longer to help the roots?

 

[Kiwi Pete]

Traditionally last week of April, because we like to get plenty of grass in front of them and we have plenty of silage in the pit and we have always done it this way
So far with mobs I’ve been rotating I have been doing it by eye with a sward stick checking myself occasionally.
I’ll be getting a playmeter this winter to do it properly as I will be trying to finish some cattle at grass on the new rotation next summer.
Growth rates, no idea but I will be able to add and take away from the bunch if needed during the season.
Do you still graze down to 1500 in your rotation or leave it slightly longer to help the roots?

Depends!

I try to graze the paddocks "right" when I have the option, but needs must during spring. It's usually damp enough they punch plenty of residue in, anyway, and there will be plenty more grass grown.

It really comes down to what's practical, doesn't it?
I have no issue grazing low, just I don't over summer unless there's reason to (like I want to overseed something)

 

[Samcowman]

Depends!

I try to graze the paddocks "right" when I have the option, but needs must during spring. It's usually damp enough they punch plenty of residue in, anyway, and there will be plenty more grass grown.

It really comes down to what's practical, doesn't it?
I have no issue grazing low, just I don't over summer unless there's reason to (like I want to overseed something)

Thanks for that just getting my head around the right residues but I will have to see what’s works best. Ideally during the summer what would your residues be?
Going to have to road trip down to you next time I’m over.

 

[ShooTa]

sam - i would suggest trailing some different levels of risiduals for your farm - as everybodys ground is different - work out whats unacceptable and then up it by whatever kgdm you want - especially if your daily moving its no harm to the animal to be ok 1 day and better off the next or slightly hungry -but the key part is monitoring it - seeing the regrowth in 7,14,21,30 days and what leaf stages its at.

 

[Samcowman]

sam - i would suggest trailing some different levels of risiduals for your farm - as everybodys ground is different - work out whats unacceptable and then up it by whatever kgdm you want - especially if your daily moving its no harm to the animal to be ok 1 day and better off the next or slightly hungry -but the key part is monitoring it - seeing the regrowth in 7,14,21,30 days and what leaf stages its at.

I agree it’s all a big experiment. I have been using an app on my phone for a few weeks to record movements for a group of cows which is really handy to have for remembering when they were last in a paddock and I will be able to use it for recording grass measurements next year. Does anyone else use any software for this or do you just do it pen and paper?

 

[Kiwi Pete]

Really just what I can maintain with my stock at hand, so it's varied from year to year, season to season. The only thing I constantly do is adapt it to meet the changes, I guess

https://www.beefmagazine.com/strategic-planning-ranch

 

[Agrispeed]

I've tried most bits of software but always go back to a diary and then manually entering into google sheets later. Anyone involved in the farm can use sheets at the same time, which is handy. I also have parlour board walls in the dairy which gets any cow issues, paddocks and a map drawn on for people who arn't used to the place which works well. I find the tech stuff is fine as long as you remember to upload it or have signal often I can't do either!

I use P+ with my platemeter, but to be honest its a bit crap. There are better programmes out there.

 

[Kiwi Pete]

I take pictures on my phone mostly
One of where they are moving to and one of what they left, trying to get a picture of what's actually in it and what they've done with that. Makes up for a lot of recording!

And a grazing chart.

 

[Kiwi Pete]

for example

 

[Ukjay]

You would be surprised how quickly you can lengthen a rotation. I started on something like 20 days and 2 rounds later was on 75+ days on 2/3 of the area. Rotation lengths are right down again now though, but I think I can build forage going into winter ok.

@Ukjay Looks like there should be plenty of Organic matter there. I would say that moisture would be your limiting factor still? I would spread the muck as it'll become quite friable and break down quite easily on the next grazing. I think this year has taught me that the less you can do to grass in hot/dry weather the better. You could see the tracks my spreader's floatations made burning off in the heat after spreading in the heat this summer. I would've thought you would be ok now though

You won't get the same microbial activity though if its dry so it might take longer to break down, but if your struggling, rattling over it with the harrows should shatter it apart quite well if its dried well.

To add; fields that I've grazed (even at 1900kg/dm!) have recovered and greened up & grown a lot quicker than those I've left alone following the drought (which is still sort of going on here).

Thanks Agri,

Paddock is very hard still, a lot of opened up land fromt he heat and loss of moisture, but obviously there will be some additional benefit from the cracks.

Plan now is to get the old land spreader working correctly, some of the linkage appears to be siezed whereby not engaging the drive correctly, but that should be farily easy once I get the guards off, then we will throw our muck onto it, then follow through with the chain harrows.

 

[Ukjay]

yeah would echo agris idea of spreading muck - weve got an old one that is sitting in a field atm with flat tyres - thinking of resurecting it...
did you run cattle or sheep onto that ground?

Hi Shoota

The paddock was grazed by lambs after they were weaned.

This is our 'new to us' muck spreader (well, will be a spreader once the engagement mechanism is freed off):

 

[holwellcourtfarm]

Hi Shoota

The paddock was grazed by lambs after they were weaned.

This is our 'new to us' muck spreader (well, will be a spreader once the engagement mechanism is freed off):

View attachment 718170

It's had paint!

 

[Treg]

I agree it’s all a big experiment. I have been using an app on my phone for a few weeks to record movements for a group of cows which is really handy to have for remembering when they were last in a paddock and I will be able to use it for recording grass measurements next year. Does anyone else use any software for this or do you just do it pen and paper?

I always carry a note book & pen with me round the farm to record everything + have white board in the old dairy for ( like @Agrispeed says ) cow issues.

 

[Ukjay]

It's had paint!

Of sorts, and not by us..

 

[Crofter64]

I have a question to ask. Included are photos of Billie, the best ewe I ever had of mixed breeds. She was born in April 2006 and is 12 years old. She has given me 27 livelambs unasisted , and the last three ( this year) knocked her down for 6 weeks but a week after the births she stood up and cared for her young. Not much milk but I didn’t mind. She has had 7 sets of triplets, 4 sets of twins and one single.
She will not be bred again. I don’t think she could handle it.Her lambs are a ram and two ewe lambs. I would like to keep her ram lamb as my flock sire for this year and keep any ewe lambs born next year. I have noticed that grandaughters often perform better than daughters of an exceptional animal. My question is: should I keep all three and not worry about the potentially unthrifty lambs born feom the union of brother and sister?
@Blaithin said a while back that the difference between line breeding and inbreeding is success or failure.
What are the opinions out there?
Not too many people around here keep sheep so there is no one to ask