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

Crofter64

Member
Livestock Farmer
Location
Quebec, Canada
Would it pay you to convert to Organic? Not sure what the payments are atm but think they may be a extra bonus for you, the bonus in Beef/ sheep can be very variable but some years I've had enough of a bonus to replace tractor/ bits of machinery. It's worth looking at.
I considered getting certified but knew I would not be able to handle the paperwork. I buy certified feed for my poultry and follow organic practices (98% - I poison rats and treat with antibiotics if an animal will die otherwise) . If you deal directly with the consumer your word is your bond and they trust you. No need for middlemen in that case. If you are selling in an open market then you need certification, but the cost and hassle for a small producer is very discouraging.
 

Samcowman

Member
Mixed Farmer
Location
Cornwall
29366809-E7B3-476E-877A-BB66891EA5DA.jpeg
You lot have been busy today!!!
With regards to size of cow I weighed all calves and cows last year and worked out weaning efficiency. See attached graph for results they were slightly skewed because I included heifers in it which are all at the lighter end. My thinking is you don’t want a cow heavier than a finished steer
I culled 1 cow on the results of last year and will cull accordingly going forward when space allows (there are other things higher up the cull list than efficiency.
 

Kiwi Pete

Member
Livestock Farmer
How far do you run the bottom twine you use as a ground? All the way back to the energiser?
With a portable energiser, yes.
With the mains one I have here I just run a wire through the grass and connect it to the netting or bottom wire of the fence, if it is going to short out on the grass then it may as well be the earth.
It doesn't often get dry enough but when it does.... nothing gets much of a zap as the soil has too much resistance.
 
@Samcowman how did you work that out - im wondering if i can do that for my lambs - im weighing at 100 days and roughly every month thereafter...so i assume i could even though im not weaning........is it just set date weight - birthweight?
also on the graph - X axis is clearly the wight - whats the Y - birth weight?
 

Kiwi Pete

Member
Livestock Farmer
View attachment 729058 You lot have been busy today!!!
With regards to size of cow I weighed all calves and cows last year and worked out weaning efficiency. See attached graph for results they were slightly skewed because I included heifers in it which are all at the lighter end. My thinking is you don’t want a cow heavier than a finished steer
I culled 1 cow on the results of last year and will cull accordingly going forward when space allows (there are other things higher up the cull list than efficiency.
@Woolless
 

Samcowman

Member
Mixed Farmer
Location
Cornwall
@Samcowman how did you work that out - im wondering if i can do that for my lambs - im weighing at 100 days and roughly every month thereafter...so i assume i could even though im not weaning........is it just set date weight - birthweight?
also on the graph - X axis is clearly the wight - whats the Y - birth weight?
Y is Calves 200 day weight as a % of the cow weight at weaning.
I have a handset with a mobile version of our data so put the cows weight in and the Calves weight in. Computer program evens the Calves weight to 200 days. I set a spreadsheet up so I can just go through the calves and put their 200 day weight in and their dams weight it then works out the %.
I have quite a few graphs and spreadsheets. Brother takes the pee out of me for it!!!!
 

Kiwi Pete

Member
Livestock Farmer
Y is Calves 200 day weight as a % of the cow weight at weaning.
I have a handset with a mobile version of our data so put the cows weight in and the Calves weight in. Computer program evens the Calves weight to 200 days. I set a spreadsheet up so I can just go through the calves and put their 200 day weight in and their dams weight it then works out the %.
I have quite a few graphs and spreadsheets. Brother takes the pee out of me for it!!!!
Really quite interesting to see that graph.
It backs up most of what I have read and seen through the accounts, hence my "2 cattle where one grew" philosophy.

Just been moving my leader mob. Lambs seem to be doing!
 

Kiwi Pete

Member
Livestock Farmer
Your place looks in tremendous order, Pete (y)
Thanks, Barry.
I really quite enjoy having a little place to potter about on, even if I am completely backwards :confused: it is in really good fettle now, and I am learning every day about what where grows like, and how I can get it going even better.
It's at that point now that the pH is slowly going up without lime, and each year it grows that little bit more tucker :cool: so I have high hopes.

:)
 

Kiwi Pete

Member
Livestock Farmer
Another by age of cow. Graph is by year born. Ignore the few oldest ones as there isn’t enough in those groups to be worth noting.
That's really interesting, is the upward trend influenced by weight of the dam, I assume they will still be growing a little each year?
Or is it just the direction your herd is going?
Many multiple births, how would you account for them if you did?

Sorry for the bombardment of questions :oops::oops:
 

Samcowman

Member
Mixed Farmer
Location
Cornwall
Multiples I took them out of the equation but one old girl was ove 80% but she had been dragged back by the twins which would have helped.
With regards to the trend it’s probably a combination of things. It is known that a cows rearing ability does decrease after about 10. I believe it also due to the fact as the cows get older they also get heavier and could also be due to the improving trend in the herd.
You have given me some more ideas for another graph now (y)
 

SFI - What % were you taking out of production?

  • 0 %

    Votes: 80 42.3%
  • Up to 25%

    Votes: 66 34.9%
  • 25-50%

    Votes: 30 15.9%
  • 50-75%

    Votes: 3 1.6%
  • 75-100%

    Votes: 3 1.6%
  • 100% I’ve had enough of farming!

    Votes: 7 3.7%

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

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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/
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