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

[onesiedale]

How far is it from your dairy?
Probably the most expensive way is the best, it usually is with water; run a line and put a big tank on your hill?

As the crow flies, its 2km to the high point and a lift of 150m.

 

[onesiedale]

Bloody good advert for planned grazing
I thought it didn't work in the UK, in fact we've been reliably informed that it doesn't/won't/can't work.......

It'll never work!

 

[Crofter64]

can i suggest some race track style fences - i do like em - ie a simngle length that runs down the center of a paddock that you rotate around it - allows you to travers up and down one side whilkst the animals are on the other...

water wise - could you use a series of IBCs that are linked up the land - then some form of pump that lifts water up to the topmost tank (a battery+solar bildge pump or ramp pump) it wouldnt have to lift alot as you have 40 odd days to move the water up and then each tank would do 1-X days per mob

I recently set up a watering system with IBC tanks on pallets on runners hooked up to blue barrels with ROJO valves. The problem is that with hardly any height the recharge is just too slow. The barrels and hoses are all in a tangle from the cows reaching down to the bottom.With more height the flow would probably be better. Otherwise the system is easy to use

 

[Kiwi Pete]

Not many left to lamb, now.
Quite enjoying running 2 farms at this time of year, but I think the boss may find 4 of his 2-tooths don't lamb 'this side of Christmas...'
Some nice deferred feed ahead of the lambing mob.

 

[holwellcourtfarm]

@Sheila Cooke and 3LM are running a number of new training courses this winter across the UK.

HOLISTIC MANAGEMENT

Get trained and accredited as a Holistic Management practitioner. Download training calendar .

www.3lm.network

In October they are running the whole lot as a 9 day intensive at the Groundswell site thanks to @martian

 

[Henarar]

View attachment 826974View attachment 826975View attachment 826976
Not many left to lamb, now.
Quite enjoying running 2 farms at this time of year, but I think the boss may find 4 of his 2-tooths don't lamb 'this side of Christmas...'
Some nice deferred feed ahead of the lambing mob.

Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh

 

[Henarar]

It'll never work!

Is it the first time you have divided up the 120 acres ? how did you run it before ?

 

[Poorbuthappy]

Another before;
View attachment 826898
After;
View attachment 826899
And lastly, before;
View attachment 826900
and after;
View attachment 826901

I'm thinking now I'll be allowed to have a budget to put some real electric wire up instead of reels and reels and reels of feckin' polywire

Is the penny dropping?

 

[onesiedale]

Is the penny dropping?

Ching Ching! Can you hear it?

 

[onesiedale]

Is it the first time you have divided up the 120 acres ? how did you run it before ?

Yes. It's always just been run as one paddock, "turn the stock on there and forget about them, they'll find the water tank" Then pull them off at the end of the summer.

 

[bitwrx]

Yes. It's always just been run as one paddock, "turn the stock on there and forget about them, they'll find the water tank" Then pull them off at the end of the summer.

Sounds like a nice easy life. Is the new way worth all that hard work all the time? (Slightly tongue in cheek, but genuinely interested in how much extra work it is...)

ETA: clearly it's better, but it's not always worth doing something 'better' if 'good enough' is already, well, good enough. Just asking, devil's avocado and all that.

 

[Poorbuthappy]

Sounds like a nice easy life. Is the new way worth all that hard work all the time? (Slightly tongue in cheek, but genuinely interested in how much extra work it is...)

ETA: clearly it's better, but it's not always worth doing something 'better' if 'good enough' is already, well, good enough. Just asking, devil's avocado and all that.

But this is the holistic thread. You can't measure the value of it just in monetary terms. Fewer worms, healthier stock, improving the soil, greater carrying capacity.

That's not to detract from the value of your question btw, more by way of widening the viewpoint.

 

[Henarar]

Lots of these on the topper this morning
Crap photo as I couldn't see the screen

 

[Henarar]

Yes. It's always just been run as one paddock, "turn the stock on there and forget about them, they'll find the water tank" Then pull them off at the end of the summer.

No wonder it's improved
Anything is better than set stocking imo

 

[Karliboy]

Sorry folks weekly update
Cattle went into this on my last post some cells were not big enough so got a bit over grazed not leaving much trample but there is some

some parts not so bad

Why do they all congregate in the same area and create a bloody mess like this even when there’s no rain

Went into next field down on Friday night split it up into 3 cells. Cells 2&3 on the right have to run back through 1 on the left for water bet hey ho

Cell 2 but no pic of cell 3 as rushing

Came out tonight looking reasonably well trampled forgot to take a pic off the muddy mess at bottom of hill on the left but it’s black and chewed up properly

Moved them into here tonight I was planning on 3 days with 1 day moves here but it’s that wet now I’ve opted for 2, 1 day moves instead to hopefully reduce any damage (I can always leave them in a tad longer if I feel I can in each cell plus they have a little sacrifice steep hill area to run back onto as well.

 

[onesiedale]

Sounds like a nice easy life. Is the new way worth all that hard work all the time? (Slightly tongue in cheek, but genuinely interested in how much extra work it is...)

ETA: clearly it's better, but it's not always worth doing something 'better' if 'good enough' is already, well, good enough. Just asking, devil's avocado and all that.

That brings to mind the quote; "Perfection is the enemy of Done"

Must admit, it has been a hard slog. To begin with, access to the hill is difficult, its probably 20 minutes in the truck, followed by a good walk on steep ground.
However, when your gut feeling keeps telling you that it's right, then you just keep going.

Whilst the fencing was frustrating at times, it did get me familiarised with the ground like never before.( I somehow feel more connected to it now). I've planned out my strategic wires to set and will probably spend between£700 and £1000 sorting these.
The water supply was more frustrating though. This is going to have to be a big investment and like KP said earlier, probably the most expensive option is the one that will work best.

So what is the outcome for my 2-3 hour jollies each afternoon? Well, I can see the real potential there to keep stock on the hill a lot longer, the stock this year are certainly in better condition than ever before, (but then I suppose everybody is saying that this year)
I've definitely not put weight on at a time of year that I normally do!
No stock has had any treatment at all
Given time, because this ground boundaries the milking platform, there is real potential to milk off it too. Something that would have been unthinkable 4 years ago when we took it on as a sheep sick, overgrazed, understocked block of ground that was full of thistles.
It really would have been soooo much easier to do what has been done before, take the subs and have an easy life. But when you know that 120 acres is costing you £11k+ a year for the next 25 years it focuses the mind somewhat.
I think within 5years we will average growth of 7t dm/ha, so at 80% utilisation that will give me 268 tonnes of dm. Value that at £100/t then I'm happy.

 

[bitwrx]

That brings to mind the quote; "Perfection is the enemy of Done"

Must admit, it has been a hard slog. To begin with, access to the hill is difficult, its probably 20 minutes in the truck, followed by a good walk on steep ground.
However, when your gut feeling keeps telling you that it's right, then you just keep going.

Whilst the fencing was frustrating at times, it did get me familiarised with the ground like never before.( I somehow feel more connected to it now). I've planned out my strategic wires to set and will probably spend between£700 and £1000 sorting these.
The water supply was more frustrating though. This is going to have to be a big investment and like KP said earlier, probably the most expensive option is the one that will work best.

So what is the outcome for my 2-3 hour jollies each afternoon? Well, I can see the real potential there to keep stock on the hill a lot longer, the stock this year are certainly in better condition than ever before, (but then I suppose everybody is saying that this year)
I've definitely not put weight on at a time of year that I normally do!
No stock has had any treatment at all
Given time, because this ground boundaries the milking platform, there is real potential to milk off it too. Something that would have been unthinkable 4 years ago when we took it on as a sheep sick, overgrazed, understocked block of ground that was full of thistles.
It really would have been soooo much easier to do what has been done before, take the subs and have an easy life. But when you know that 120 acres is costing you £11k+ a year for the next 25 years it focuses the mind somewhat.
I think within 5years we will average growth of 7t dm/ha, so at 80% utilisation that will give me 268 tonnes of dm. Value that at £100/t then I'm happy.

Great response. Thanks @onesiedale.

The most resonant part for me is the £11k a year bit. You've gone to all that effort because you want to make it pay. The shepherd at ours pays nothing for the keep (save the loan of his topper). And that is exactly how much effort he puts into managing the grass.

Congratulations for taking the hard road. As with much of this thread, genuinely inspiring.

 

[Samcowman]

Very impressed @onesiedale. I’m currently working on plans for next summer. First part is investing in some clover seed and making plans for where more fences are going.
At least the exercise is working off the ice cream.

 

[Kiwi Pete]

As the crow flies, its 2km to the high point and a lift of 150m.

Not unsurmountable odds..
How many stock do you imagine running up there?
That'll really dictate your overall 24 hour supply need, if you have a decent reservoir above the height of your highest planned water point. I'm fairly sure a 25mm line would do it?
Good lift for a pump though....
It is a few grand though.... what's your time worth?

That brings to mind the quote; "Perfection is the enemy of Done"

Must admit, it has been a hard slog. To begin with, access to the hill is difficult, its probably 20 minutes in the truck, followed by a good walk on steep ground.
However, when your gut feeling keeps telling you that it's right, then you just keep going.

Whilst the fencing was frustrating at times, it did get me familiarised with the ground like never before.( I somehow feel more connected to it now). I've planned out my strategic wires to set and will probably spend between£700 and £1000 sorting these.
The water supply was more frustrating though. This is going to have to be a big investment and like KP said earlier, probably the most expensive option is the one that will work best.

So what is the outcome for my 2-3 hour jollies each afternoon? Well, I can see the real potential there to keep stock on the hill a lot longer, the stock this year are certainly in better condition than ever before, (but then I suppose everybody is saying that this year)
I've definitely not put weight on at a time of year that I normally do!
No stock has had any treatment at all
Given time, because this ground boundaries the milking platform, there is real potential to milk off it too. Something that would have been unthinkable 4 years ago when we took it on as a sheep sick, overgrazed, understocked block of ground that was full of thistles.
It really would have been soooo much easier to do what has been done before, take the subs and have an easy life. But when you know that 120 acres is costing you £11k+ a year for the next 25 years it focuses the mind somewhat.
I think within 5years we will average growth of 7t dm/ha, so at 80% utilisation that will give me 268 tonnes of dm. Value that at £100/t then I'm happy.

I think the "connectedness" you mention is the real benefit, hard to put a number on it, but it unsurprisingly brings you much closer to your land.. I find that now, even on our bit of Boy's Land, that each little cell tells a story.
Each one you can "feel", and each one can be slightly "tweaked" with each grazing.
Little things, like a patch of buttercups, are so easily managed out when you can "easily do it".

Good stuff

 

[onesiedale]

Great response. Thanks @onesiedale.

The most resonant part for me is the £11k a year bit. You've gone to all that effort because you want to make it pay. The shepherd at ours pays nothing for the keep (save the loan of his topper). And that is exactly how much effort he puts into managing the grass.

Congratulations for taking the hard road. As with much of this thread, genuinely inspiring.

Thanks. And you're right, I'm sure that I am not the only one who has drawn so much out of this thread and been able to apply it to help fix what we thought was just a normal unsolvable problem. Turns out that the problems were really symptoms!