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

[Kiwi Pete]

That's going to be the problem with widespread adoption I suspect. Many grassland farmers have no notion of what real regenerative management means so just claim to have been doing it all along. They're also the ones who say "Soil erosion doesn't happen in grassland".

He clearly has no idea what he's writing about.

It's hard to know just how much of it to 'pull apart' because, as we've discussed on here, regenerative grazing or regenerative cropping are only just parts of the jigsaw.
We need to refocus on obtaining more value rather than just increasing volume/yield or cutting costs.
Otherwise, it's just a race to the bottom, and who wants to be leading that race?

Our core values need to be ours as producers and the fat-cats adding value need to pass more of that value back to producers, this would enable the producers to then make a clear choice between mass-produced commodity models and craft.

Meanwhile, the battles will rage on... which tractor, is plough better than no-till, is rotational grazing regenerative??
And we get no where other than a day closer to death.

 

[Karliboy]

Set off twins the other day.
This cow was nearly down the road last year as she has a big silly bag and never gets back teats suckled and I always worry she will go down with mastitis. Anyway she was granted a reprieve as something else went instead.
There not big calves but there lots off milk and she’s doing a good job so hopefully she will wean quite a bit extra beef in 7/8 months

Out feeding the soil today too ?

 

[Farmer Roy]

https://www.facebook.com/1457963701/posts/10220818370036564

 

[Kiwi Pete]

His cattle look as hungry as mine at move time. It's got to the stage they don't even want to bounce
(these guys are meant to be moving to the right, not the left) ?‍

 

[Blaithin]

His cattle look as hungry as mine at move time. It's got to the stage they don't even want to bounce
(these guys are meant to be moving to the right, not the left) ?‍View attachment 866268

Go take the picture from their other side then.

 

[Kiwi Pete]

Go take the picture from their other side then.

That's the first proper laugh I've had today, thanks

 

[Blaithin]

I’m here for you, Pete

 

[Kiwi Pete]

Considering how often I advise people to look at their problems from a different angle ?‍
It's more ironic than Ms Morrisette hoarding spoons

 

[holwellcourtfarm]

His cattle look as hungry as mine at move time. It's got to the stage they don't even want to bounce
(these guys are meant to be moving to the right, not the left) ?‍View attachment 866268

Perhaps they've heard you on about the benefit of trampling and they're walking backwards....

 

[exmoor dave]

Perhaps they've heard you on about the benefit of trampling and they're walking backwards....

Pete's got them trained to take two steps forward..... one step back for a bit of reverse tample ??

 

[Kiwi Pete]

Perhaps they've heard you on about the benefit of trampling and they're walking backwards....

They aren't very active, more like a huddle of walrus holed up at a colony

Gotta watch where you sit though

Must say it's been nice to have a bit more time just chillin' with the cattle, and it's so quiet without vehicles buzzing around.
I turned on the electric fence the night before last and I could actually hear a couple of dirty insulators ticking across the way. I usually turn it on at night just to be sure everything behaves.

 

[Fenwick]

Been busy, thought i'd give you an update on whats going on on the farm.

We ended up outwintering the cattle. It went OK in the end, but there is plenty of room for improvement.

Heifers are out grazing since the 15/03

Cows and calfs grazing also since 15/03

Spent lots of money on fencing gear .

And got the water lines sorted.
And all the animals on 1 day shifts.

Bring on the grazing season baby!

 

[TexelBen]

His cattle look as hungry as mine at move time. It's got to the stage they don't even want to bounce
(these guys are meant to be moving to the right, not the left) ?‍View attachment 866268

Sorted [emoji1419]

 

[Karliboy]

Been busy, thought i'd give you an update on whats going on on the farm.

We ended up outwintering the cattle. It went OK in the end, but there is plenty of room for improvement.

Heifers are out grazing since the 15/03View attachment 866377
Cows and calfs grazing also since 15/03
View attachment 866380
Spent lots of money on fencing gear .
View attachment 866381
And got the water lines sorted.
And all the animals on 1 day shifts.
View attachment 866384

Bring on the grazing season baby!

Looking good there with plenty of grass in front of you.
Is it all spring growth?
What’s your moisture like now? I guess it will start to dry up there fairly soon?

 

[Karliboy]

Sorted [emoji1419]View attachment 866429

Only sorted for them down under ?

 

[Fenwick]

Looking good there with plenty of grass in front of you.
Is it all spring growth?
What’s your moisture like now? I guess it will start to dry up there fairly soon?

All Spring growth. That paddock with thé cows was last grazed thé 10 déc.
Gotta love cocksfoot!

Normally thé heifers are already grazing in february. But it has been so very wet this winter.

How do folks deal with thé first rotation? Traditionally we always graze thé first round really tight. To tiller thé grass, knock back thé Weeds and let might through to thé Clover. But that doesn't sit well with my hollistic context. (Subséquent rounds are in tall grass)

 

[hendrebc]

View attachment 866460
Remember this field above that I said had grown to 1650 and stalled and not moved for weeks. This picture underneath is the same field today. It was grazed down to 1500ish about a week ago with 250 ewes for a day. I haven't measured it but it looks a damn sight better than it did. No fertilizer or anything. Grazed grass grows grass?
View attachment 866461

Quote taken from another thread. Looks like my shitty field is improving just with grazing and it's done it quick.

 

[awkward]

@Kiwi Pete . Thought this local guy might interest you ,he is a great speaker on permaculture and biodynamic. A promoter of local production for local markets.

 

[ShooTa]

well talking fields and rests - ive thrown my non breeding ewelambs back onto the paddock the ewes came off - not ideal as theyll take it lower than id like BUT converlesy it will also have the longest rest - and as grass got away last time from me im seeing what the impact will be - but knowing what time overgrazing in this changeover period is seemingly difficult.

 

[Kiwi Pete]

@Kiwi Pete . Thought this local guy might interest you ,he is a great speaker on permaculture and biodynamic. A promoter of local production for local markets.

Thank you!