Silage 2020

[Chae1]

Charge per ton.

But what happens when its wet or coming wet and farmer has to lift wet grass. Can't see farmer wanting to pay per ton.

 

[Fendt516profi]

Bale it

 

[Mouser]

I see what you're aiming for. Best of both worlds. But if everyone does this, the average tonnage per cut that the contractor will be shifting for customers will rise. And less tonnage. So the only logical outcome of that is that his/her price per acre will rise. And it will probably force the contractors hand to price each cut individually with a bit more consideration to tonnage etc.

That's the way it should be. Mowing tedding taking fixed price/acre. Everything else hourly. It's the fairest way I can see and pretty much how our man works. Light crops round yard cheaper than heavy crops or long draws. Docket is still per acre but number changes and diesel use changes. Field size makes as much difference as anything to be honest. I notice when mowing that you are only actually mowing about 50% of the day.

 

[The Agrarian]

I can believe that in mowing. The longer a stripe you have per turn, the higher the productivity. But also shape. Points are a total nuisance. At home some of the field shapes are very irregular, even though most are a reasonable size. Mowing productivity improves a bit when we go to outlying land.

Less of an issue for the wagon though. Large fields can sometimes just mean you end up full far away from the gate. Smaller fields work well enough, especially if you've got a batch together so you can go next door and fill out, rather than come home without a full load.

 

[dowcow]

I can believe that in mowing. The longer a stripe you have per turn, the higher the productivity. But also shape. Points are a total nuisance. At home some of the field shapes are very irregular, even though most are a reasonable size. Mowing productivity improves a bit when we go to outlying land.

It's the reverse for us as most of our fields are a decent size and shape, then one set of rented fields has me mowing around 30 acres spread over 7 fields. It seems to take most of a day, and is hard on the back end of the tractor with all the lifting and clutching.

 

[The Agrarian]

Clutching while mowing?

 

[Derrick Hughes]

Ok so here’s the muticut debate, that should of been 3rd cut going in, between a light 2nd and a light 3rd I’d of had double the contractors invoice and would the pits be any fuller? So for the contractor cost saved it works out about 2 loads of soya right now will I be any worse off?

You would need to work out the value of the extra nutrients in multi cut but you will never match the production level of multi cut silage with a lesser quality

 

[dowcow]

Clutching while mowing?

When you're on the headlands, do you not reverse to keep the corners square and clean? On a small field it's mostly headlands and corners.

 

[The Agrarian]

Trailed or mounted?

 

[som farmer]

the milk from forage measure, can be misleading, some forages are expensive, to ensile etc, personally, I would like to see the figure split, between, grazed grass, and ensiled forage. Could be interesting !

 

[dowcow]

Trailed or mounted?

Mounted. One landlord was happy when we went from trailed to mounted as we wouldn't leave so much in the corners now. Not on our fields, but seen some retired farmers go round with their pasture toppers and little old two-drum after contractors have been into their field for other people.

 

[Cows 'n grass]

the milk from forage measure, can be misleading, some forages are expensive, to ensile etc, personally, I would like to see the figure split, between, grazed grass, and ensiled forage. Could be interesting !

I bought a single cut off a standing crop of grass at an agreed price in January based on what we cut there last year. This year's was about a third of the amount and I reckon it cost me £150/tDM. An expensive mistake on my part but luckily not a huge area.

 

[vantage]

the milk from forage measure, can be misleading, some forages are expensive, to ensile etc, personally, I would like to see the figure split, between, grazed grass, and ensiled forage. Could be interesting !

Only if you can graze all your fields.

 

[teslacoils]

2nd cut after the weekend.

 

[Derrick Hughes]

Only if you can graze all your fields.

That was our system that ended with dad winning the grassland cup . Never had silage / grazing fields . All fields stip grazed. d . If grass was getting ahead a field was skipped and cut for silage a few weeks later

 

[vantage]

That was our system that ended with dad winning the grassland cup . Never had silage / grazing fields . All fields stip grazed. d . If grass was getting ahead a field was skipped and cut for silage a few weeks later

I meant fields a few miles away.

 

[Derrick Hughes]

I meant fields a few miles away.

Ok we were lucky we could get milkers to all the farm . Any land away was young stock grazed

 

[Sid]

I bought a single cut off a standing crop of grass at an agreed price in January based on what we cut there last year. This year's was about a third of the amount and I reckon it cost me £150/tDM. An expensive mistake on my part but luckily not a huge area.

Any acre would be similar.

Did you get a discount on your rent because it grew less this year so far?

 

[Sid]

Ok we were lucky we could get milkers to all the farm . Any land away was young stock grazed

Or cut for silage.

Isnt that what anyone does?
The whole home farm is for grazing / silage?

 

[Cows 'n grass]

Any acre would be similar.

Did you get a discount on your rent because it grew less this year so far?

No, and some of my bigger rents are very questionable in dry summers when they just become a very expensive place for cows to lie down.