That's what I thought too, but they had better recovery in my leader mob (in with the bigger lambs) than they did in the following mob (smaller lambs and calves) and I have no idea why that would be?
I'd imagine it would, the gorse looks like this
even if it made sheep graze them a bit more due to the salt content i may help it's on a inland site ..I'd imagine it would, the gorse looks like thisView attachment 537952 that is, very dead, can't see why it wouldn't work on anything bar seaweed!
Has to be strong strong solutions though, you struggle to dissolve that much salt in cold water. I crank up the copper and get the water up to about 70°C and stir in as much as it'll take, captain! Then spray to runoff, just like the real stuff. With a tree you would maybe not have it dripping off (or there'll be a dead ring around the drip zone.)
That's why I don't use liquid on little weeds as it's just too deadly, just crush them underfoot and drop a small handfull on the crown and they're gonners.
If you try it let me know how it goes
It's too warm for him yet. Need some snow and a few inches more mud yet
another way to kill trees is put a couple of angled bores in with a gudgeon bit, and tip a bit of toxin into it. Jam the shavings back in the hole and watch it cark it or I'll be castigated
as a mulcher mob-stocks anything, dig out any big thistles and raggies etc and then wax the rest out of worn cultivator points and stuff.
HAHAHA ummm don't think i'll be drilling them 1000's of them been scrub cutting them but alot of wee guys coming back so thinking if i could knapsack spray regrow and new growth it may work not had alot of luck with some chems on themIt's too warm for him yet. Need some snow and a few inches more mud yet
Yeah beggar carrying a copper like mine anywhere
I had good results on some firewood trees, kill them one year, drop them when you need dry wood (and most of the fluff is off them in a year or so).
I won't mention what I tip in the tree on here
Could well be worth a try when they're small. Works way way better on a hot day, you could probably ringbark anything bigger and spray the cut.
I agree. That is another aspect of what I was trying to say. Once the basics are right, grazing management is everything, and leader/follower is a proven system. (Cattle are supposed to be following our sheep around, but that is a different story!)You never know, in these conversations, how much training or experience the original questioner, or respondents have, and the right answer is always a combination of training, experience and advice, adapted to a particular farm. We are all fairly confident about what we have done, but I could no more tell my neighbour how to manage their fields than they would be able to tell me how to manage mine. If we took over each other's land, it would be a steep learning experience - and probably a lot of fun and heartache! A look at the textbooks often reminds us of things that we have forgotten after long experience when those forgotten treasures have not been needed.That's the slant I've put on it here.
Depending on the practicality of electric fencing I usually put the biggest lambs in first, so they get the best of it, then run the calves and smaller lambs in behind them to tidy it up.. and there's plenty for everyone, its not like they deck it and start to roam.
This year I still topped some but it was more for looks and weed control than much else. An extra 120 calves would have been better!
I lost my nerve a bit when I started getting scald issues but to be fair 1% isn't much of an issue, just I am very fussy about nipping things in the bud- eventually worked out if I kept them off the short grass they came righti.e. I put them in the leader mob.
No but have a UTV and a self propeller 5' flail mower which I've been playing with. Seems to mash the thistle totally but more strips the doc and nettle. Certainly does it more harm than good though. I'm very understocked this year year (24 sheep on 40ac) but hope to build over time. I'm not panicking about it and will simply flail off where I should be mob stocking. I can't contain cattle at the moment as our road fences are falling apart but these are steadily being done. I am then planning on weaned calves in April ish and moving them on in Oct. I know is the worst time to buy and sell but they should have put on some weight and I hope cost nothing much. Maybe could keep back a few good heifers for breeding. I have to also consider coming down with TB as we are in a hot spot and then might need winter housing etc. which I don't have. Also don't yet have a yard for collecting / testing etc. What I don't want to do is end up overstocked and locked down over a long, wet winter.@Pasty do you have a tractor on your farm? It wasn't mentioned in your OP, but a tractor and mulcher is a massive help- especially if you own one yourself and can hit your pastures at the perfect time.
I dont think I've seen a tractor in your posts though.
You can have all the benefit of a big herd of cattle at the flick of a key
Cattle are great, if you're set up for them..
So are sheep.. but if you're doing well without them..
I am off to begin making my weeder-on-a-stick prototype
as those mulcher flail style machines are a completely different kettle of coal to a mower. Especially going into grazed pasture, as you can go a bit faster and not lower your cover as much as with a mower IMO and then creep through the weedy bits. but that's much easier achieved when you can adjust numbers on the fly to suit the weather.. which is really where the flail and discs/harrows etc are easier to turn off. 
You will eventually wear those thistle out if you keep mowing the tops off.
bracken has a phototoxon in it and damages livers it is long term and will kill things we lost a heap of ewes on it years ago but they grazed it out fully were not ment to eat it thoYou will eventually wear those thistle out if you keep mowing the tops off.
Bit hard for them to keep the root alive with no green stuff on top.
Bracken is tough stuff indeed, old mate down in the sandhills has bother with about 800 acres of it, they intensively outwinter cattle on it and then plough, and the cattle eat the roots happily (I'd heard they were high in cyanide, myself) along with baleage. About the fastest way to get the sand to have much OM and kills the bracken, but it comes back if you eat out the paddocks too low in his opinion.
For what that's worth, I will invoice accordingly
it's a bit gut less if better fert levels and grass covers it wimps out
Yeah, just can't get the flail on it this year. Many mower killing rocks poking up and no way can you spot them through it so everything has to be done slowly or with a brush-cutter. Given up this year really and intend to map the rocks over winter so we can attack at least set areas next season.
