Straw for Muck

[franklin]

I dont think it is all for the muck. Digging out packers full or chopped straw and wet mud is never fun. And seeing what long stubbles are like after winter has been a revelation. Of course, most non-cereal residues will incorporate very easily, but I am getting around to thinking that winter seedbeds after a cereal crop are actually better with the straw off. I have little interest in stock, but if it will increase yields then worth looking at. For me it is total return on capital I am after, but looking at the medium-term picture for blackgrass, going to have to do something!

 

[Baling Hay]

We used to have the easiest stock here for many years which was straw based Turkeys. Towards the end of us producing them the main sheds had automated feeders installed fed from silo's. All sheds had auto drinkers which then also provided the medication if required. They were strawed down every other day by hand but now that could be mechanised I am sure. From memory, as it was 20 years ago, it was about 2 hours work in the morning on average over the week (obviously longer when bedding down but a lot less when not) and about an hour at night. So say 3 hours per day on average.

They would come in as day old chicks so initially more time was spent which then reduced through the growing cycle. We used to kill, pluck and dress on site but we ended up sending them out as live birds towards the end - I guess it was similar to B & B pigs so to be honest not massively labour intensive when compared to the likes of dairy, beef and sheep.

Would I go back to that - no chance
Can you get staff to do it - not easily

All that for some muck?

Did they not make any money at all then?

 

[Baling Hay]

I dont think it is all for the muck. Digging out packers full or chopped straw and wet mud is never fun. And seeing what long stubbles are like after winter has been a revelation. Of course, most non-cereal residues will incorporate very easily, but I am getting around to thinking that winter seedbeds after a cereal crop are actually better with the straw off. I have little interest in stock, but if it will increase yields then worth looking at. For me it is total return on capital I am after, but looking at the medium-term picture for blackgrass, going to have to do something!

Exactly get some grass leys down, that will get rid of the blackgrass!

 

[warksfarmer]

Did they not make any money at all then?

It was a long while ago and a bit before my time but yes they were profitable.

 

[Baling Hay]

It was a long while ago and a bit before my time but yes they were profitable.

So then they are worth a lot more to you than just muck.

 

[warksfarmer]

So then they are worth a lot more to you than just muck.

Sorry i'm not being clear.

Yes they were profitable due to a large amount of family labour which would now not be an option so I would have to employ somebody to do it making it less profitable (although I have no idea on the financials of turkeys are the moment) making it less viable and just a way of getting some muck.

 

[Baling Hay]

Sorry i'm not being clear.

Yes they were profitable due to a large amount of family labour which would now not be an option so I would have to employ somebody to do it making it less profitable (although I have no idea on the financials of turkeys are the moment) making it less viable and just a way of getting some muck.

Ah fair enough. To be honest I love having livestock on the farm, when I walk onto all arable units they don't really feel like farms to me as the whole atmosphere is so quiet and dead.

 

[warksfarmer]

Ah fair enough. To be honest I love having livestock on the farm, when I walk onto all arable units they don't really feel like farms to me as the whole atmosphere is so quiet and dead.

Exactly - that's why I like them ;-)

 

[DRC]

Exactly - that's why I like them ;-)

And the place is clean,and you can have time off without worrying who's gonna look after the stock, and stay in the warm on a wet sunday afternoon in december.