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- M6 Hard shoulder
Always my concern, my cows would never graze well enough when in the parlour so theres Bob hope now we're in the robots.
54 cows in milk have just completed their first round with just over 11 acres for the B block , they haven't got around the A block yet as they started that much later as we introduced grazing gradually but will probably be 16 acres , but this is much poorer land as we are on steep ground with some fields being shallow soils of shale over rock , the A block is far better ground . Later in the year some of this ground will grow nothing if dry and so acreage will increase dramatically for grazingAnd what area do you graze for a cow? @Chips
54 cows in milk have just completed their first round with just over 11 acres for the B block , they haven't got around the A block yet as they started that much later as we introduced grazing gradually but will probably be 16 acres , but this is much poorer land as we are on steep ground with some fields being shallow soils of shale over rock , the A block is far better ground . Later in the year some of this ground will grow nothing if dry and so acreage will increase dramatically for grazing
Paddocks are all different sizes and I just strip graze them would be about half acre for 12 hrs at a rough guess thus an acre day .
How will you let them out , i.e through a grazing selection gate or straight after milking ? If just through robot somecows wont get to the paddock intil nearly all the grass is gone as it takes about 8 hrs to milk herd . If just going to open the door and allow free access to grass they will all go at once leaving no one milking and then all return at once as grass runs outCheers. Have 3 grazeable day fields-3 acre-4 acre and 7 acre. Lend themselves to fairly easy acre size split ( tracks, water etc) giving a 14 day rotation. Do you think it would be ok to try? Have never used leccy fence and don't want to spend too much .
How will you let them out , i.e through a grazing selection gate or straight after milking ? If just through robot somecows wont get to the paddock intil nearly all the grass is gone as it takes about 8 hrs to milk herd . If just going to open the door and allow free access to grass they will all go at once leaving no one milking and then all return at once as grass runs out
BackfenceBeen using A/B grazing gate for years, problem is fields too big so when growth cover is high cows get lazy , more to fetch. Fine when growth slows from late June - Aug . Don't like wasting grass!
I don't back fence as I'm too lazy ! Even in 10 acre silage aftermaths , just get the front fence right , I never loose into the whole paddock . Quad bike and speed reeler means it's only a couple of minutes twice a dayBeen using A/B grazing gate for years, problem is fields too big so when growth cover is high cows get lazy , more to fetch. Fine when growth slows from late June - Aug . Don't like wasting grass!
How much 0 grazed grass u chucking at them ?View attachment 504958
Finally, after a week finally got the whole lot to come back in on their own from free access grazing to have their lunch.
Strip grazing them but both groups went straight through the fence during their freshly turned out madness so let them run the whole field for a few days as was getting away from them.
Had 30 visits in 6 hours when they were out on Wednesday when I looked back through MerlinView, was much better today now strip grazing is back under way.
How much 0 grazed grass u chucking at them ?
Some ask in private messages how this can be done. There was an opportunity to photograph - yesterday because of the heat another compressor element broke down. In the photo below the new compressor elements & compressor with the removed old broken spiral blockWhen our SF4 compressor broke down, we ordered an internal compressor element in the assembly. Later another element was ordered for stock.
Now, I have spare parts for the next 7 years,
and in the event of a breakdown, I can rearrange the compressor element for two hours. It cost us 5000£ for each,together with detailed instructions for self-replacement. While the local dealer offered to buy a new compressor at a price of 8500£ and claimed that it was impossible to change the internal element
Cows went out on Tuesday, have had a issue with secondhand smart gates but that will be resolved today.SID. are robot cows grazing yet ..! Do you have good news to report. .. hope so. jtt
How do you robot users tube cows at drying off. Been told not to do anything but milk in the robots but i don't fancy drying off a cow either in a crush or in a s/l yoke with me crouching beside her.