- Location
- Quebec, Canada
Zach Bush knows his stuff.
"Improving Our Lot" - Planned Holistic Grazing, for starters..
- Thread starter Kiwi Pete
- Start date
- Location
- somerset
average £1317 a head.
so very pleased with that, its always a bit 'tense', as always, some seemed a bit cheap, and others were 'how much .....
'
perhaps we should have sent a few more .............................
the 50 odd back here should be about 1200 l/day, that's roughly 24 litres head, so a respectable milk cheque to ease the pain !
best part, eased the work load for son, 100+ calves will get kicked out to grass as well !
30/40 calves to come in on wednesday.
so very pleased with that, its always a bit 'tense', as always, some seemed a bit cheap, and others were 'how much .....
'perhaps we should have sent a few more .............................
the 50 odd back here should be about 1200 l/day, that's roughly 24 litres head, so a respectable milk cheque to ease the pain !
best part, eased the work load for son, 100+ calves will get kicked out to grass as well !
30/40 calves to come in on wednesday.
- Location
- somerset
read £1392, forgot it was in guineas.average £1317 a head.
so very pleased with that, its always a bit 'tense', as always, some seemed a bit cheap, and others were 'how much .....
perhaps we should have sent a few more .............................
the 50 odd back here should be about 1200 l/day, that's roughly 24 litres head, so a respectable milk cheque to ease the pain !
best part, eased the work load for son, 100+ calves will get kicked out to grass as well !
30/40 calves to come in on wednesday.
- Location
- Owaka, New Zealand
Hi, yes it's all pretty new to us up here, I went more towards risk minimisation for a start.
We just didn't know how summer was going to be, you know going from somewhere wet to somewhere dry it'll be different... but how dry is 'dry'?
Now we have some data: rain turned to snow in July and that largely was it as far as rain went, until about a fortnight ago. Over the past 9½ months half the recorded precipitation has arrived in that last fortnight, this is a much different "look" than where we were.
Management of the two is actually very much the same, plants are ready to graze when they look like ungrazed plants, however, it takes a lot longer to get to that stage over summer than just a few weeks.
I don't really see pasture management changing too much over the next year or two, we have 3x as many cattle on as 12 months ago, so it will sure look different.
But still the same basic process, graze it well but not too well.. the same basic timeframes, main point of difference is that last winter we had very short covers and they've come up quite a bit, so there's my opportunity to make a bit of dough on the side.
Bought some store cattle last week? and then got offered good money so sold them on, making a little over $11k in 10 days
Still won't be doing any topping/mowing or that kind of stuff, will plant some rye in the next few weeks
- Location
- somerset
so, now you have got loads of grass, and way many more livestock than the last man,
what are your neighbours saying ?
probably like you, l don't give a toss what other people say about the way we farm, but it has been interesting to hear how those same neighbours, comment, 3/4 yrs in.
gone from ridicule to asking questions, or passing no comments whatsoever.
don't get it all right, we have to redrill half the wheat, with spring barley thought we had got that in 'just right', both pieces to re drill, are our 2 driest flattish fields.
straw, its going to be stinking dear next yr. We had a load in 3/4 weeks ago, and been offered more than we paid, by the chap we bought it off ! not interested. So our bit of arable is quite important to us. Barley straw, is the same money, as a ton of feed barley grain ! Wheat isn't far off either
what are your neighbours saying ?
probably like you, l don't give a toss what other people say about the way we farm, but it has been interesting to hear how those same neighbours, comment, 3/4 yrs in.
gone from ridicule to asking questions, or passing no comments whatsoever.
don't get it all right, we have to redrill half the wheat, with spring barley
thought we had got that in 'just right', both pieces to re drill, are our 2 driest flattish fields.straw, its going to be stinking dear next yr. We had a load in 3/4 weeks ago, and been offered more than we paid, by the chap we bought it off ! not interested. So our bit of arable is quite important to us. Barley straw, is the same money, as a ton of feed barley grain ! Wheat isn't far off either
- Location
- Owaka, New Zealand
Same thing as everyone on here says.so, now you have got loads of grass, and way many more livestock than the last man,
what are your neighbours saying ?
probably like you, l don't give a toss what other people say about the way we farm, but it has been interesting to hear how those same neighbours, comment, 3/4 yrs in.
gone from ridicule to asking questions, or passing no comments whatsoever.
don't get it all right, we have to redrill half the wheat, with spring barley
straw, its going to be stinking dear next yr. We had a load in 3/4 weeks ago, and been offered more than we paid, by the chap we bought it off ! not interested. So our bit of arable is quite important to us. Barley straw, is the same money, as a ton of feed barley grain ! Wheat isn't far off either
"Oh, it's alright for you", followed by a list of reasons, excuses, and complaints
Only real difference is that I am responsible, even for all the stuff I can't be responsible for. That is a choice
Fenwick
Member
- Location
- Bretagne France
this x 1000
I had a conversation with a mate last year on this theme.
We figured you know your doing something right when you hear.
"he's lucky because' or 'its alright for him because'.
- Location
- somerset
that is a perfectly true statement.
- Location
- Owaka, New Zealand
Nothing wrong with 'being at the effect of' either
it's just very limiting when we can't spot it in ourselves, there seems to be nothing we can do about whatever it is, nowhere to go.
I'd like to blame it on covid but that would be false, it merely reinforced what was already always there
it's just very limiting when we can't spot it in ourselves, there seems to be nothing we can do about whatever it is, nowhere to go.
I'd like to blame it on covid but that would be false, it merely reinforced what was already always there
- Location
- somerset
covid was the reason/excuse, everything went haywire, costs shot up, getting spare parts etc became stupidly slow.
in fairness, shipping was all in the wrong places, that caused delays, but several yrs later ?
the just in time policy, has been well and truly shafted.
Rod Dumbreck
Member
I was training in the engineering world when someone came up with "just in time technology" and at the time I remember thinking it was a good way of getting other people to do your storage. We have taken this to the next level and adopted "just too late technology" which encompasses all the things that might have been useful, but turn out to be un-necessary. Thus we progress with whatever is to hand and the bare minimum of anything from outside.
The idea that the people couldn't get eggs, not because eggs were short, but because there were not enough egg boxes is a salutory lesson, and we are brewing up for a difficult time for people who can't imagine life without constant electricity or heaven forbid ...the internet....
- Location
- somerset
virtually everything we buy, has components from several countries.
if we fell out with China, the country will grind to a halt !
if we fell out with China, the country will grind to a halt !
- Location
- Owaka, New Zealand
- Location
- somerset
our remaining cows are grazing a field, where the plantain has self seeded, and is the dominant plant, 80%, in big patches. Eating it right down, to tight really, but leaving a big residual, where the grass is, tells me they like it, milk has gone up a tad, so that knocks the claim, there's no milk in it.
interesting article in one of the farming comics this week, promoting the idea of feeding longer grass to the milkers ................... Always been told, farming is like a wheel, what goes round, comes round.
this is a funny spring, the weather is more like march. Our fields have taken a lot of heavy rain, and could well have suffered surface compaction, we are thinking maize ground will benefit from the dreaded plough. All the maize ground, except the underwater bit, will have a cut of silage first, either short term IRG, or w/wolds after maize, as cover crop, picking up £60ac sub.
the silage kit, could do some damage, heavy kit, tender ground, remains to be seen. Heavy cuts of grass though, 1st cut will see us this year.
sampled fresh grass, 21% protein, 13 ME 12.5% sugars, and ZERO nitrates, pretty hot stuff, but has also proved, cover crops over winter, really do scavenge N P K. We have spread a low application of urea, things looked very backwards not long ago, especially the w/wolds, that need to be cut, asap, before maize. Grazing grass, and older silage grass, all over the place, and have probably benefitted from that low dose of urea.
its a good job each year produces a different set of requirements, keeps the fun in it, would be boring other wise. There will be some big changes this year, more herbal leys, low production banks, will go into wild bird winter feed options, £300+ac sub on that. Son has been trawling through all the options, l haven't got the patience now, l blame the pain killers ! But fairs fair, with management options, close to £40k, there's plenty of money there to claim, for not a lot of effort.
the absolute stupidity of the greening policy, throughout UK and EU, mean production will fall, leading to greater imports, from where the whole 'carbon thing' means diddily squat.
but, lower production, means higher prices. But not at all sure how the guv's ability to import product, will fall foul of world events, we live in dangerous times. I give SFI policies 3 yrs, before they panic about food 'security'.
KP, thinking all that long dead grass, might just short out your leccy fence
interesting article in one of the farming comics this week, promoting the idea of feeding longer grass to the milkers ...................
Always been told, farming is like a wheel, what goes round, comes round.this is a funny spring, the weather is more like march. Our fields have taken a lot of heavy rain, and could well have suffered surface compaction, we are thinking maize ground will benefit from the dreaded plough. All the maize ground, except the underwater bit, will have a cut of silage first, either short term IRG, or w/wolds after maize, as cover crop, picking up £60ac sub.
the silage kit, could do some damage, heavy kit, tender ground, remains to be seen. Heavy cuts of grass though, 1st cut will see us this year.
sampled fresh grass, 21% protein, 13 ME 12.5% sugars, and ZERO nitrates, pretty hot stuff, but has also proved, cover crops over winter, really do scavenge N P K. We have spread a low application of urea, things looked very backwards not long ago, especially the w/wolds, that need to be cut, asap, before maize. Grazing grass, and older silage grass, all over the place, and have probably benefitted from that low dose of urea.
its a good job each year produces a different set of requirements, keeps the fun in it, would be boring other wise. There will be some big changes this year, more herbal leys, low production banks, will go into wild bird winter feed options, £300+ac sub on that. Son has been trawling through all the options, l haven't got the patience now, l blame the pain killers ! But fairs fair, with management options, close to £40k, there's plenty of money there to claim, for not a lot of effort.
the absolute stupidity of the greening policy, throughout UK and EU, mean production will fall, leading to greater imports, from where the whole 'carbon thing' means diddily squat.
but, lower production, means higher prices. But not at all sure how the guv's ability to import product, will fall foul of world events, we live in dangerous times. I give SFI policies 3 yrs, before they panic about food 'security'.
KP, thinking all that long dead grass, might just short out your leccy fence
We ploughed for our spring barley this year. It has meant it is in and will be poking through in the next couple of days. There was one field that I parked some cattle on for a week with bales in the wettest time in March to protect the grass which was next door to a field which both had compaction from before we moved here, which could be seen in the forage crops.
ploughing is still an option not to be discounted.
ploughing is still an option not to be discounted.
- Location
- somerset
the advantages of no rule book.
l don't think one should be totally against the plough, just against it as a yearly/regular action. In a difficult year, like this spring, it could well be the best option.
weather pretty well makes tillage decisions, and you cannot beat the weather.
- Location
- Owaka, New Zealand
- Location
- Owaka, New Zealand
A year ago today I put the rain gauge up here.
In the first 11 weeks we had recorded 249mm and reached a total of 273 for the 12 months, not quite 11 inches, but not far shy.
48mm this month and the place is exploding with fresh growth, everywhere, I must add.
How they grazed is how they grazed, where it's been lax there is a lot of crap - and where they grazed tight there isn't. Very unsurprising.
About the only real telling observation is that wherever sheep have grazed has significantly less pasture (now) than where they haven't been
In the first 11 weeks we had recorded 249mm and reached a total of 273 for the 12 months, not quite 11 inches, but not far shy.
48mm this month and the place is exploding with fresh growth, everywhere, I must add.
How they grazed is how they grazed, where it's been lax there is a lot of crap - and where they grazed tight there isn't. Very unsurprising.
About the only real telling observation is that wherever sheep have grazed has significantly less pasture (now) than where they haven't been
