Outwintering in the floods

[beardface]

How's everyone getting on keeping sheep and cattle outside. Pretty biblical round here. Thinking will have to house the multiples for a month to give us half a chance of getting through to spring.

 

[Aspiring Peasants]

How's everyone getting on keeping sheep and cattle outside. Pretty biblical round here. Thinking will have to house the multiples for a month to give us half a chance of getting through to spring.

Sheep making a mess, but looking surprisingly well, but being fed well. I've found the only way to stop fields being poached black is to have them spread out in as small groups as possible. Takes a lot longer feeding round though. Spring grass will be hit though so probably more feed needed. I think it would be akin to cruelty here to have cattle out and any fields they were in would be non productive for a long while, so an expensive option.

 

[Anymulewilldo]

Cows been in since November, in calf heifers came in just before Christmas. They’d be a real mess if still out.

sheep making a hell of a mess. Will be housing the multiples this next 10 days, stay in till lambing then

 

[MRT]

Brought all my sheep (less some tups) in yesterday. I've had enough of sliding around in the rain, the sheep of all ages seem to have done well though.

 

[unlacedgecko]

Young ewes on winter crop. Weekly breaks.

They've been here 3 weeks. No back fencing but the ground is light enough they aren't doing any damage. They will move off crop on to cover crops next week, and combine with the shetlands after scanning next month.

Hoof prints no more than 2cm deep.

In calf cows in the same field, further up the hill. They get daily breaks. Dry lie is cover crop at the top of the hill. They're making a bit more of a mess than the sheep but I'm lucky the soil is very free draining. Will needs some light cultivation (discs?) in spring and that's it.

I weaned them 2 months ago due to BCS concerns. These 2 are red Angus sired 2nd calvers. I'm happy with them but the older Simmental blooded cows weren't coping so well.

Cows will come off crop and on to deferred grazing approx 15 Mar. I have crop to feed them until 22 Mar, so there is some fat in the system.

Deferred grazing. Grass hasn't been grazed since Jul 23.

24/25 I aim to have young dry cows of the correct type wintered on the hill in a bale pod. This should reduce wintering costs even further. But will mean 3 mobs of cattle for 75 days from 01 Jan 25.

Youngstock on another farm. Same system, but less mess due to lighter beasts.

Plenty of residual from winter crop. Stock are being well fed and this will rapidly improve soil organic matter.

Shetland draft ewes have been on green feed the whole winter. This is forage rye. They have eaten grass, oat and bean cover crops, and will move onto cereals next week. No grazing a paddock longer than 3 days, so lots of electric fencing and paddock mapping.

They had 2 rounds on the cover crops. Moving fast to flush for tupping, then came back again to set the required residual. Very wet December meant I mated for 28 days rather than the planned 17. it paid off and I have a good scan.

This is the residual the shetlands are leaving after 3 day graze.

I've housed 22 calves that were below 260kg at weaning. They'll turn out 15 Mar, along with some heavy stores over 500kg. Twin bearing cows will then be housed for calving.

Also using a bay of the shed for lame sheep hospital pen. Hope to not have anything inside next winter.

 

[digger64]

View attachment 1164342
Young ewes on winter crop. Weekly breaks.

View attachment 1164343
They've been here 3 weeks. No back fencing but the ground is light enough they aren't doing any damage. They will move off crop on to cover crops next week, and combine with the shetlands after scanning next month.


View attachment 1164344

Hoof prints no more than 2cm deep.

View attachment 1164340
In calf cows in the same field, further up the hill. They get daily breaks. Dry lie is cover crop at the top of the hill. They're making a bit more of a mess than the sheep but I'm lucky the soil is very free draining. Will needs some light cultivation (discs?) in spring and that's it.

View attachment 1164341

I weaned them 2 months ago due to BCS concerns. These 2 are red Angus sired 2nd calvers. I'm happy with them but the older Simmental blooded cows weren't coping so well.

Cows will come off crop and on to deferred grazing approx 15 Mar. I have crop to feed them until 22 Mar, so there is some fat in the system.

View attachment 1164351
View attachment 1164352
Deferred grazing. Grass hasn't been grazed since Jul 23.

24/25 I aim to have young dry cows of the correct type wintered on the hill in a bale pod. This should reduce wintering costs even further. But will mean 3 mobs of cattle for 75 days from 01 Jan 25.

View attachment 1164337
Youngstock on another farm. Same system, but less mess due to lighter beasts.
View attachment 1164336

Plenty of residual from winter crop. Stock are being well fed and this will rapidly improve soil organic matter.

View attachment 1164339
Shetland draft ewes have been on green feed the whole winter. This is forage rye. They have eaten grass, oat and bean cover crops, and will move onto cereals next week. No grazing a paddock longer than 3 days, so lots of electric fencing and paddock mapping.

They had 2 rounds on the cover crops. Moving fast to flush for tupping, then came back again to set the required residual. Very wet December meant I mated for 28 days rather than the planned 11. it paid off and I have a good scan.

View attachment 1164338
This is the residual the shetlands are leaving after 3 day graze.

I've housed 22 calves that were below 260kg at weaning. They'll turn out 15 Mar, along with some heavy stores over 500kg. Twin bearing cows will then be housed for calving.

Also using a bay of the shed for lame sheep hospital pen. Hope to not have anything inside next winter.

what is a bale pod ? please

 

[unlacedgecko]

what is a bale pod ? please

Hay bales lined out in rows of daily allocation.

Every day move the fence over and give cows access to a new row of bales. No ring feeders or rolling out, just cut the net off and let them at it.

I'm thinking 60 cows will eat 4 bales per day, so 300 bales for the 75 day period.

 

[Aspiring Peasants]

View attachment 1164342
Young ewes on winter crop. Weekly breaks.

View attachment 1164343
They've been here 3 weeks. No back fencing but the ground is light enough they aren't doing any damage. They will move off crop on to cover crops next week, and combine with the shetlands after scanning next month.


View attachment 1164344

Hoof prints no more than 2cm deep.

View attachment 1164340
In calf cows in the same field, further up the hill. They get daily breaks. Dry lie is cover crop at the top of the hill. They're making a bit more of a mess than the sheep but I'm lucky the soil is very free draining. Will needs some light cultivation (discs?) in spring and that's it.

View attachment 1164341

I weaned them 2 months ago due to BCS concerns. These 2 are red Angus sired 2nd calvers. I'm happy with them but the older Simmental blooded cows weren't coping so well.

Cows will come off crop and on to deferred grazing approx 15 Mar. I have crop to feed them until 22 Mar, so there is some fat in the system.

View attachment 1164351
View attachment 1164352
Deferred grazing. Grass hasn't been grazed since Jul 23.

24/25 I aim to have young dry cows of the correct type wintered on the hill in a bale pod. This should reduce wintering costs even further. But will mean 3 mobs of cattle for 75 days from 01 Jan 25.

View attachment 1164337
Youngstock on another farm. Same system, but less mess due to lighter beasts.
View attachment 1164336

Plenty of residual from winter crop. Stock are being well fed and this will rapidly improve soil organic matter.

View attachment 1164339
Shetland draft ewes have been on green feed the whole winter. This is forage rye. They have eaten grass, oat and bean cover crops, and will move onto cereals next week. No grazing a paddock longer than 3 days, so lots of electric fencing and paddock mapping.

They had 2 rounds on the cover crops. Moving fast to flush for tupping, then came back again to set the required residual. Very wet December meant I mated for 28 days rather than the planned 11. it paid off and I have a good scan.

View attachment 1164338
This is the residual the shetlands are leaving after 3 day graze.

I've housed 22 calves that were below 260kg at weaning. They'll turn out 15 Mar, along with some heavy stores over 500kg. Twin bearing cows will then be housed for calving.

Also using a bay of the shed for lame sheep hospital pen. Hope to not have anything inside next winter.

Well done for organising things so well, but that’s a non starter on most livestock farms with no arable.

 

[unlacedgecko]

Well done for organising things so well, but that’s a non starter on most livestock farms with no arable.

I'm not suggesting it is. What others do on their farms is no business of mine.

Unless they pay me to make it my business.

 

[Aspiring Peasants]

I'm not suggesting it is. What others do on their farms is no business of mine.

Unless they pay me to make it my business.

My farm is all classed as LFA and a quarter will be SDA. It’s all PP and tends to lie wet in the winter, first picture was a week ago, the second 2 weeks ago, I need a system to manage that! Any suggestions welcome , but can’t afford to pay

 

[unlacedgecko]

My farm is all classed as LFA and a quarter will be SDA. It’s all PP and tends to lie wet in the winter, first picture was a week ago, the second 2 weeks ago, I need a system to manage that! Any suggestions welcome , but can’t afford to pay

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View attachment 1164376

Consultancy is £500+VAT plus expenses per day. Phone number is in my signature, or DM me.

1 day gets you a farm visit. We look at any data you may have, discuss what you want to achieve and formulate a plans to get there.

Longer term arrangements are possible, with regular meetings via phone or zoom, email exchanges and on site in person meetings once per quarter.

A few general points which may be helpful. Or not.

- sheep can graze through up to 6" of snow.
- long covers will help mitigate wet land. Combined with small areas grazed and regular moves it will dramatically reduce poaching.
- try to avoid taking machinery in wet fields.
- poaching to the depth of approx 5cm is no issue, provided the paddock will receive sufficient rest before the next grazing.

Collection and analysis of relevant data will help with planning. I find written plans very useful. They often require adaption and flexibility, but they're a great baseline to work from.

 

[digger64]

Hay bales lined out in rows of daily allocation.

Every day move the fence over and give cows access to a new row of bales. No ring feeders or rolling out, just cut the net off and let them at it.

I'm thinking 60 cows will eat 4 bales per day, so 300 bales for the 75 day period.

wont they waste alot ? or do they feed under a hot wire ?

 

[unlacedgecko]

wont they waste alot ? or do they feed under a hot wire ?

Won't be waste if it improves what is currently heather hill.

 

[digger64]

Won't be waste if it improves what is currently heather hill.

would it be cheaper/easier to use liquid urea feed and straw ?

 

[unlacedgecko]

would it be cheaper/easier to use liquid urea feed and straw ?

Probably. But can't use liquid urea under PFL.

 

[beardface]

My farm is all classed as LFA and a quarter will be SDA. It’s all PP and tends to lie wet in the winter, first picture was a week ago, the second 2 weeks ago, I need a system to manage that! Any suggestions welcome , but can’t afford to pay

View attachment 1164375

View attachment 1164376

Sheds, f**king big ones

 

[Aspiring Peasants]

Sheds, f**king big ones

If only I could get a grant for those

 

[beardface]

Hay bales lined out in rows of daily allocation.

Every day move the fence over and give cows access to a new row of bales. No ring feeders or rolling out, just cut the net off and let them at it.

I'm thinking 60 cows will eat 4 bales per day, so 300 bales for the 75 day period.

Are those bought in bales or home made? If I was bale grazing in an upland environment I recon I'd buy the feed in and maximise summer grazing acreage, that way your brining in nutrients, instead of moving then round the farm.

 

[beardface]

If only I could get a grant for those

As has been said elsewhere drainage and sheds should be on the grant scheme offers. Be a better use of taxpayer money as sheds reduce winter poaching/runoff and drainage improves yield, thus requiring less acres for same output.

 

[ladycrofter]

My farm is all classed as LFA and a quarter will be SDA. It’s all PP and tends to lie wet in the winter, first picture was a week ago, the second 2 weeks ago, I need a system to manage that! Any suggestions welcome , but can’t afford to pay

View attachment 1164375

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Feeling your pain we keep a shovel on the quad now for diverting water. You're quite flat , at least ours runs away. Followed by another deluge behind it.