Topping grassland

[neilo]

You want 540 at the pto so your blades get to speed if your mowing 8-9k

+1 decent revs will mean it cuts cleaner and clears the bed better, so it’s easier work.

Malone fella told me their mower is best run at 600 rpm, regardless of what the sticker says. I usually run it at 580-600 PTO revs.

 

[Classichay]

You don’t want to be running over 540, as the gear set in the box and bed is designed to get your blade speed to around 2700 to 3300 rpm. Over revving it will over balance the disc you want the tip speed at max so it can swing through the material and not cause backlash in the bed gears shock loading the bearings

 

[Derrick Hughes]

The thought was to cut them now along with headed grass and thistles, and then spray the regrowth later in the year which would be more susceptible to the spray?

I would do them twice , spray now mow in 4 weeks then spray any survivors later on , , I add Validate as well

 

[neilo]

You don’t want to be running over 540, as the gear set in the box and bed is designed to get your blade speed to around 2700 to 3300 rpm. Over revving it will over balance the disc you want the tip speed at max so it can swing through the material and not cause backlash in the bed gears shock loading the bearings

I’m only going by what the engineer from the manufacturer told me…

 

[Cowmansam]

Just mow it in warm weather will wilt to nothing

 

[Derrick Hughes]

Like a lawn

 

[toquark]

I would do them twice , spray now mow in 4 weeks then spray any survivors later on , , I add Validate as well

Do this.

 

[steveR]

You beat me to it Neil....

I have bought a new Malone specifically for mowing herbal leys with a 5-6" long stubble and it came with 3 topping skids for this. I reckon they are OK on billiard table surfaces, but I was advised by the malone rep, that for rougher land, I should fit a full set, "as the Irish lads do" to preserve the mower bed when topping. I also run a long top link.

First cut was all trad leys so on the floor with the bed. Then the herbal ley ...

After 30minutes on the ley, I was on the phone chasing down another 4 skids, which I found at Border Plant near Sandbach (thanks Steve!!) They transformed the ride on the bed... no more rattling and shaking!

I have subsequently used the Malone for topping, and the flail and the rotary moweres can stop in the shed now... Flail will be used on heavily BL infested areas still, but it is slow and power hungry, the Malone tootles around at 1300RPM on a whiff of fuel and leaves a grand job amd the stock tidy up nicely.

PS: Malone will also make even higher skids if required... I asked, but am delighted with the job it is doing.

Skids Image.

 

[Aspiring Peasants]

Like the look of those skids. Anyone used skids on a Krone mower? Are they similar

 

[Fendt516profi]

Like the look of those skids. Anyone used skids on a Krone mower? Are they similar

My mate has some on a claas similar so krone will likely be same

 

[steveR]

Like the look of those skids. Anyone used skids on a Krone mower? Are they similar

Not a clue I am afraid. But one of the primary reasons for buying the Malone for me, was the skid system, this was after chatting to other users and dealers.

The skids are a 30mins fit, so not super quick, but seem very solid once on.

 

[kill]

just spray rushes they will just dissapear over winter slowly giving the grass time to fill in

Have seen some wonderful results after spraying rushes on a farm locally where feilds were absolutely covered and now are growing decent grass. I personally think solid muck encourages rushes

 

[Skintagain]

Have seen some wonderful results after spraying rushes on a farm locally where feilds were absolutely covered and now are growing decent grass. I personally think solid muck encourages rushes

I think Sheep encourage rushes. Graze tight and just nibble them to tiller. Can’t beat a load of hungry sucklers to keep them at bay (as well and lime and pipes)

 

[Ffermer Bach]

I think Sheep encourage rushes. Graze tight and just nibble them to tiller. Can’t beat a load of hungry sucklers to keep them at bay (as well and lime and pipes)

I am wondering if mob grazing cattle will get rid of the rushes without me having to do anything. Noticing that rushes are starting to pop up all over the farm (organic, 650 to 1050 feet up, 64" rainfall a year), and I think the lack of Nitrogen fertliser allows the rushes to out compete the grass, so next thing to try is smaller paddocks and mob grazing.

 

[Skintagain]

I am wondering if mob grazing cattle will get rid of the rushes without me having to do anything. Noticing that rushes are starting to pop up all over the farm (organic, 650 to 1050 feet up, 64" rainfall a year), and I think the lack of Nitrogen fertliser allows the rushes to out compete the grass, so next thing to try is smaller paddocks and mob grazing.

It will definately help. Lime too

 

[Derrick Hughes]

I am wondering if mob grazing cattle will get rid of the rushes without me having to do anything. Noticing that rushes are starting to pop up all over the farm (organic, 650 to 1050 feet up, 64" rainfall a year), and I think the lack of Nitrogen fertliser allows the rushes to out compete the grass, so next thing to try is smaller paddocks and mob grazing.

No ,

 

[Ffermer Bach]

No ,

how come?

 

[neilo]

I am wondering if mob grazing cattle will get rid of the rushes without me having to do anything. Noticing that rushes are starting to pop up all over the farm (organic, 650 to 1050 feet up, 64" rainfall a year), and I think the lack of Nitrogen fertliser allows the rushes to out compete the grass, so next thing to try is smaller paddocks and mob grazing.

Worth a try, given limited other options I suppose, but I suspect high intensity grazing followed by a long resting period would suit rushes ideally.

 

[hally]

Sucklers generally keener to smash the fence down to find more grass than eat rushes unless the rushes are very small

 

[john432]

Waste of diesel topping rushes ( unless a scheme prohibits it like here) as the buggers just grow back stronger. At the end of the day it is a type of grass and like a grass being grazed hard they will tiller until they are thicker. Luckily they are cheaply killed by mcpa.

I would totally disagree. Some of us down here cut fields with rushes every year and bale it up dry for bedding, trouble is , the rushes get less every year. Also after cutting, put a bit of muck or slurry on the ground and the stock will eat the succulent young growth.