Miscanthus for bedding?

[GTB]

Anyone tried it? I know IBERS are trialing it. Will grow anywhere by all accounts.

 

[linga]

We grew it for many years. I thought it made good bedding but other people don't think much if it.
It's strange stuff but I found the cows kept quite clean on it.
Only way is to try using it and see if you like it or not

 

[Blod]

@GTB are you thinking of growing it to sell as well as use?

 

[linga]

@GTB are you thinking of growing it to sell as well as use?

I wouldn't grow it

 

[GTB]

@GTB are you thinking of growing it to sell as well as use?

Just thinking aloud reaĺly. IBERS grow some and a local farner has it for bedding. He likes it and is considering growing some for himself also as part of the IBERS trial. I think they were originally thinking of it as biofuel but had no outlet for it locally hence tried it as bedding.

 

[GTB]

I wouldn't grow it

Why not?

 

[linga]

It's easy enough to grow and doesn't need fertiliser ( although we put a bit of slurry on every now and then)
The problem comes at harvest. The canes tend to wrap around things and not every mower likes it. The canes also managed to dislodge various lynch pins with the resultant damage to repair but the real problem is trying to bale it. We failed to find anyone who could square bale it and finding a round baler and driver who could bale it was difficult. Most of them stomped off after a few hours saying they would never return to the £&@!&#% Stuff.
There are supposed to be techniques which make it easier but we got rid of it instead. That's another story as it takes a couple of doses of Glyphosate to do it

 

[GTB]

Ah, I wasn't planning to bale it. IBERS have been chopping it with a sp forager. I assume it needs a special header unless it's a maize header. It was then carried in silage trailers to a farm where it was tipped in a shed.

 

[hillman]

Couple off guys growing it around here , needs good ground, expensive and slow to bulk up , mowed generally in spring good coat of bio-fert after

 

[linga]

Ah, I wasn't planning to bale it. IBERS have been chopping it with a sp forager. I assume it needs a special header unless it's a maize header. It was then carried in silage trailers to a farm where it was tipped in a shed.

That's a lot easier then. Maize / whole crop header would do fine. Only problem then is the bulk and I have heard that in some years it never fully dies back so you end up with some green in the mix and that causes heating in the heap

 

[multi power]

@GTB watch the grassmen dvds Wilson farms

 

[Derrick Hughes]

Plant some rushes, cheap to grow

 

[exmoor dave]

Have met a few chaps baling bracken for bedding if you've got any that's accessible.
Ticks might be a problem. But haven't heard any problems with stock eating it as it's dead and dry.

I've always thought thou if they can get a baler on it then why not the sprayer &a strong mix of asulox

 

[jimred]

Plant some rushes, cheap to grow

Plant them?. I've spent my life trying to keep them under control.

 

[Nithsdale]

Have met a few chaps baling bracken for bedding if you've got any that's accessible.
Ticks might be a problem. But haven't heard any problems with stock eating it as it's dead and dry.

I've always thought thou if they can get a baler on it then why not the sprayer &a strong mix of asulox

Steep is just flat... On an angle

 

[rhuvid]

Lad I meet when out in Newzealand grows acres of it down near Taunton. Makes into horse bedding. On hell of a winner. " Fennington Fibres".

 

[Strawgalore]

I sold a load for bedding a few years back, He's Never ask for any more,

 

[Derrick Hughes]

I sold a load for bedding a few years back, He's Never ask for any more,

how much for a load

 

[Strawgalore]

how much for a load

I cannot remember, it was 2010

 

[Derrick Hughes]

how much for a load

now