We've done it, bales need to be eaten within 48 hours.Just to add as well, I think the cows would be closer to 600 rather than 700
In regards to the baler I thought the grass would heat too quickly
We've done it, bales need to be eaten within 48 hours.Just to add as well, I think the cows would be closer to 600 rather than 700
In regards to the baler I thought the grass would heat too quickly
The farm is fine with 150, I should have 3 years with only 90-100 cows which gives me time to set up and get used to the cows before upping to 120 and then 150 in the fourth and fifth. My capital costs wont have been paid for until the fifth year and by that point my overdraft will be looking fairly unhealthy. But I'll be in a position to pay it off quickly then.Is there any need to go to 150 cows so quickly when most of the capital costs have been paid? Would it not be best to milk around 80, graze them on your close block until you've got a better feel for what the cows/farm/you can take?
Well by the sounds of it not much chance of one 9 months after calving!If you’re real smart your misses has a baby in the middle of it
No. Just in the spring to open up we have 2 groups and just looked at the diary we seperated to house the highs at night but hoping to keep them out for another 2 weeks then house them full time possiblyDo you run all your cows as one group like the high yielder with the others?
Depends on which herd,stage of lactation and time of year. In spring we feed no protein and very little silage, only enough to carry ground corn for energy. After that it’s either DDG, corn gluten or soybean meal. It’s dependent on prices. We have spreadsheet we put prices in every week or other week to determine what is cost effective and a budget that rule allWhat protien do you feed to compliment the silage? Or do you find enough protien in the grazed "forage" to suffice?
Thankyou, our climate has changed and this year was okay but nothing spectacular, currently I think I should be able to adapt to any dryer conditions just with more drought resistant crops in with ryegrass (chicory, red clover, plantain etc) which is what I'm currently planting.@Jdunn55
You asked what we grow when the ryegrass goes dormant June-September. We plant corn silage on a portion of the ground to chop and feed during winter and when grass slows down. Corn silage is our cheapest stored feed per lb of dry matter. That’s our competitive advantage in this area, it may not be in yours. We also have 50 acres of alfalfa and 40-65 acres of sorghum sudan to graze June, July and August.
Native crabgrass comes up in the ryegrass in June. It has to be kept on a short 10-14 day round or it loses quality fast.
Thankyou, our climate has changed and this year was okay but nothing spectacular, currently I think I should be able to adapt to any dryer conditions just with more drought resistant crops in with ryegrass (chicory, red clover, plantain etc) which is what I'm currently planting.
But should it get worse than it currently is I would like to know I could do something!
I would like to try some lucerne, but wet and ph would concern meIf it's just for cutting, red clover would be worth a shout. If it is land that doesn't hang wet, lucerne may be worth a look.
I would like to try some lucerne, but wet and ph would concern me
What pH am I? Anything from 5.4 to 6.4.What pH are you?
Unless it is a field that really hangs wet, it's often ok, it's the establishment phase that would concern me. Once it's actually up and growing and got some root mass it is normally fine.
What pH am I? Anything from 5.4 to 6.4.
Depending on last liming.