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

[Farmer Roy]

Quorum sensing
Not just trees, but all plants do it apparently
Another reason why it is so beneficial & important to have a diversity of plant species growing in our soil

https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=2037397152946067

 

[Farmer Roy]

And why fungi is so important


Fungicides anyone ?

 

[Henarar]

1.2kg/day would be considered a good average per day off grass here.
Grazing management would have an influence on that, but genetics too.
Some of us want to do things differently though

we don't weigh that often but the calves would mainly be between 300 and 400 kg at 10 months, so around 1kg/day

 

[Henarar]

And why fungi is so important


Fungicides anyone ?

never used any

 

[holwellcourtfarm]

And why fungi is so important


Fungicides anyone ?

Rarely been used here and won't in future but most of our neighbours follow the full 3 dose programme pushed by the Ag Chem conglomerates.

 

[CornishTone]

Rarely been used here and won't in future but most of our neighbours follow the full 3 dose programme pushed by the Ag Chem conglomerates.

3 dose?!

 

[martian]

BASE UK has got this fellow speaking at two events in two weeks time. If anyone is interested, get onto BASE, He'll help us wean ourselves off insecticides with any luck

 

[holwellcourtfarm]

3 dose?!

Didn't you know "You've gotta keep that flag leaf green for maximum yield"

 

[awkward]

Quorum sensing
Not just trees, but all plants do it apparently
Another reason why it is so beneficial & important to have a diversity of plant species growing in our soil

https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=2037397152946067

It seems that a particular group with a particular agenda have hijacked the soil web notion. But then that would be inclusive and remove their special status in society

 

[Poorbuthappy]

I am always surprised that the Brits are always surprised that we get growth rates like that without grain or silage or telehandlers or diesel
Just another one of those unfair advantages I guess

To be fair, whilst it might be achievable, and again I commend Pete, a quick Google suggests target growth rates in NZ or Australia off grass are similar to here.

 

[CornishTone]

Didn't you know "You've gotta keep that flag leaf green for maximum yield"

I was thinking a “full” program is more like 5 or more. T0, 1, 2 & 3, plus an ear wash depending on the end use, buyer demands and weather. When I left, the National company I was working for (I’m ashamed to say) was extolling the virtues of a T1.5 and a winter fungicide application to combat sub-clinical Net-blotch in Barley. I once sat in a sales meeting and listened to our area manager start the proceedings with the words “How can we screw more money out of these farmers”!

3 fungicides would be an absolute minimum!

 

[awkward]

I was thinking a “full” program is more like 5 or more. T0, 1, 2 & 3, plus an ear wash depending on the end use, buyer demands and weather. When I left, the National company I was working for (I’m ashamed to say) was extolling the virtues of a T1.5 and a winter fungicide application to combat sub-clinical Net-blotch in Barley. I once sat in a sales meeting and listened to our area manager start the proceedings with the words “How can we screw more money out of these farmers”!

3 fungicides would be an absolute minimum!

Hell after reading that I had to check to see what thread I was reading.... thing is it shows how we are viewed by our suppliers.

 

[holwellcourtfarm]

An excellent response to the "research" report from the FAO calling for a large reduction in the number of ruminant farm animals to address climate change

https://www.fcrn.org.uk/fcrn-blogs/fcrn/commentary-sustainable-food-trust-grazed-and-confused-report

 

[holwellcourtfarm]

Hell after reading that I had to check to see what thread I was reading.... thing is it shows how we are viewed by our suppliers.

It's not just insurers who "reward" loyalty by skinning you

 

[Kiwi Pete]

As long as it gets the job done.
No matter what business we're in

If I was planning to keep them over that second winter it would be a much different story, but I don't - big cattle inside take serious resources (as is the basis of several TFF threads at present) but then I don't want to overcook them early like last year, and then run out of tucker


Probably very similar to the other convo regards pushing products, there is a limit as to what people will spend but then a year without much rain and you see what that spending achieved - whether that's me topping away my drought reserve, Roy using some nitrogen or someone else spraying fungicides around for insurance purposes - I am concerned about "having a system" having been burnt by one (and I thought it was OK)

Hence I want a more measured approach, I don't want animals hanging around here too long but I do have all season.
Some bulls will go out on lease soon so that will take some pressure off, both the pasture demand and the need for cashflow.
I am charging $600-1200 each which will pay for the animal to date, and if those leased come back I get to fatten and sell him "twice"

Edit- see below

 

[Kiwi Pete]

But then.... there are so many variables in our game that it really pays to have the broad approach IMO
We are getting good rain here this year, whereas last season we did not - this changes the picture very fast.
At the start of the month we were 122mm short for the calendar year but in the last ten days we have had about 90mm - so I am constantly adapting to suit

I don't want to make too much or take too much, so today I have my big mob on a whole paddock (older, thatchier pasture) but my little mobs are inside keeping dry (eating my contingency bales, unneeded in the early spring)
They won't grow as fast in there but it is about the bigger picture at this early stage

 

[Kiwi Pete]

the place to be, in an easterly rain

sorry, Roy

 

[Poorbuthappy]

As long as it gets the job done.
No matter what business we're in

If I was planning to keep them over that second winter it would be a much different story, but I don't - big cattle inside take serious resources (as is the basis of several TFF threads at present) but then I don't want to overcook them early like last year, and then run out of tucker


Probably very similar to the other convo regards pushing products, there is a limit as to what people will spend but then a year without much rain and you see what that spending achieved - whether that's me topping away my drought reserve, Roy using some nitrogen or someone else spraying fungicides around for insurance purposes - I am concerned about "having a system" having been burnt by one (and I thought it was OK)

Hence I want a more measured approach, I don't want animals hanging around here too long but I do have all season.
Some bulls will go out on lease soon so that will take some pressure off, both the pasture demand and the need for cashflow.
I am charging $1200 each which will pay for the animal to date, and if him comes back I get to fatten and sell him "twice"

Do you have maximum and/or minimum ages and weights for the bulls to get prime prices Pete?
Are the leased ones going to dairy farms to work? Are they straight beef or dairy breeds? Seems odd to pay so much to hire bulls that are otherwise destined for fattening.

 

[Kiwi Pete]

Do you have maximum and/or minimum ages and weights for the bulls to get prime prices Pete?
Are the leased ones going to dairy farms to work? Are they straight beef or dairy breeds? Seems odd to pay so much to hire bulls that are otherwise destined for fattening.

There is a bit of a system involved with hire bulls down here. Basically the options are either a lease or a buy (with a buyback clause) so my post was a bit ambiguous.
The lease ones (any over 400kg now) will be a ten-week lease for $650 but the smaller ones are "sold" but I keep the option of buying them back at reduced rate to compensate me for any losses injuries etc - but it shares the risk between the other farmer and us.

Breedwise the bulls are all F12 to F16, ie three quarter to full friesian but they are recorded through LIC which does add value to their use as sires
Jersey bulls are very similar as most all farmers will use them as sweepers at least, or just naturally mate their heifers to jersey bulls (calving ease mainly).

However, it was partly those jersey bull's calves tugging at my moral and ethical values that saw me out of the dairy industry - so that rules them out even if they were to make us more margin - I do not pawn my values.

Funny, isn't it, considering they might sweep all the beef I grow into the landfill and I don't know.... but I don't want to be part of the problem, as far as the "bobby calf" thing goes (I think it is going to be a major issue for dairy producers here, the waste of calf situation)

 

[Kiwi Pete]

Oh, and to better answer your question about prices @Poorbuthappy

it usually stays fairly similar per kg, from 290 up to 444kg for bull. It does vary between processors and at times of the year depending on what they want, but it is basically just a price per kg basis.

A little more money for heifer and steer, but the bulls grow heavier faster, these should be gone at around the 18-20 months of age but there is no restriction.
Take it as it comes.