Why not livestock in your rotation?

[unlacedgecko]

Did think that myself... It's not an item to scrimp on if moving a lot of stock IMO...

If moving a lot of stock book a haulier. Or buy a tractor drawn float. Moving large numbers behind the pickup is a waste of time and diesel. And will most likely be illegally overweight as well

 

[DRC]

People seem quite blasé about their cattle getting out. Seeing a large group of heifers heading straight onto a busy main road, made me very frightened of the injury or death to motorists they could cause .

 

[lloyd]

If moving a lot of stock book a haulier. Or buy a tractor drawn float. Moving large numbers behind the pickup is a waste of time and diesel. And will most likely be illegally overweight as well

Taking 30-35 cull ewes to market tomorrow.
Having to go anyway so may as well tow a 12ft box behind pickup.
Why pay a haulier 50-60 quid.

Get your point on large nos but haven't decided yet to which
Container to buy .

 

[glasshouse]

We will have between 200 and 250 beef sired calves (mainly AA) available next spring. These would be perfectly suited to go into an 'arable type' system as a group for grazing once weaned. No buildings required once weaned, just a grazing plan that will take them through to finishing at 24-30 months of age. Proper low cost beef production and soil improvement too
Ideally an arrangement would be with one unit, however flexibility could be arranged where it suits all.
Anyone see it fitting into a business plan for next year??

how much are you going to charge?

 

[steveR]

If moving a lot of stock book a haulier. Or buy a tractor drawn float. Moving large numbers behind the pickup is a waste of time and diesel. And will most likely be illegally overweight as well

Seeing more and more tractor drawn units in markets.

Surprised we have not seen a return to demount boxes on flatbeds as used to be the case 60 years ago here! Admittedly, that was a farm lorry then, but most farms will have access to a 75hp+ tractor that can haul 8t easily...

 

[unlacedgecko]

Taking 30-35 cull ewes to market tomorrow.
Having to go anyway so may as well tow a 12ft box behind pickup.
Why pay a haulier 50-60 quid.

Get your point on large nos but haven't decided yet to which
Container to buy .

What weight are your ewes? It’s very easy to be over weight with these pickup drawn boxes. And DVSA are taking an increased interest in farmers theses days.

Which ever container you get, make it one with lifting decks. Sheep load easier and your knees will thank you.

 

[lloyd]

What weight are your ewes? It’s very easy to be over weight with these pickup drawn boxes. And DVSA are taking an increased interest in farmers theses days.

Which ever container you get, make it one with lifting decks. Sheep load easier and your knees will thank you.

Pickup plated for 3.5t
Approx 2t of ewes
rest for box

Yes would have to have lifting decks feel
too old and tired.

 

[unlacedgecko]

Pickup plated for 3.5t
Approx 2t of ewes
rest for box

Yes would have to have lifting decks feel
too old and tired.

Double check your box is plated to carry that much. My 12ft only has a payload of 1250kg.

If you need assistance sourcing a container let me know.

 

[lloyd]

Double check your box is plated to carry that much. My 12ft only has a payload of 1250kg.

If you need assistance sourcing a container let me know.

I've been vosa checked before
That's why I said buy a better box and make savings elsewhere .

You can buy a useful enough dog for a grand.
Don't need a quad if you dont use electric fencing.
Don't need to start off with an expensive handling system
just build a few fixed pens with cheap hurdles .

Thanks for the offer

Are you sure the payload on your box isn't per axle?

 

[multi power]

The potential benefits of livestock in an arable rotation are well documented - good blackgrass control, reduced fertiliser usage, increased soil health, drainage and fertility. But we all face lots of obstacles when thinking about bringing livestock back into the rotation.

If you're all arable/cropping, have you considered it and what are the main reasons you don't have livestock on your farm?

I'm also interested in those who have reintroduced livestock - what obstacles did you have to overcome, have they been so great that you've stopped keeping livestock or are you still persisting with them?

(Livestock can mean cattle, sheep, pigs, poultry etc)

It's a brilliant idea, but it would never work, livestock need attention on a daily basis, especially in winter, that SHOULD fit in very well on an arable farm, only fly in the ointment would be sking holidays and shooting

 

[Tim W]

Yes that would be a good idea, it would have to be looked at properly to work out The best value for money, rather than an agent drawing some lines on a map.

All Creo timber, and with a grant for hedging aswell, all to a good spec rather than the shite spec they use now for mid tier. It would last for generations.

Grants are not the answer

We have to wean our industry off the dole

Permanent fencing is very hard to justify economically and there is nothing wrong with good electric fencing

 

[S J H]

Grants are not the answer

We have to wean our industry off the dole

Permanent fencing is very hard to justify economically and there is nothing wrong with good electric fencing

I'm properly anti grants and subs Tim, just rather see them spent on infrastructure that will still be there in 40 years rather than grants on kit.

I agree there's nothing wrong with electric, but whenever I've asked about grazing, using electric fencing has put them off.

 

[teslacoils]

It's a brilliant idea, but it would never work, livestock need attention on a daily basis, especially in winter, that SHOULD fit in very well on an arable farm, only fly in the ointment would be sking holidays and shooting

I as a lowland arable farmer may have time to check on them in winter, but not the experience or skill to see problems early enough to avoid big expenses. A concern would be the ability of my livestock to turn into dead stock at the wrong time.

 

[lloyd]

I as a lowland arable farmer may have time to check on them in winter, but not the experience or skill to see problems early enough to avoid big expenses. A concern would be the ability of my livestock to turn into dead stock at the wrong time.

Prevention better than cure
Someone who's switched on with agronomy
like yourself should pick up livestock husbandry quick.
It all depends how you value your time.

 

[onesiedale]

how much are you going to charge?

£80/head

 

[HarryB97]

Grants are not the answer

We have to wean our industry off the dole

Permanent fencing is very hard to justify economically and there is nothing wrong with good electric fencing

We have never applied for grants as it's just endless paperwork but I would say stock fencing is one of the best investments you can make. We are currently all temporary electric but have just started putting in permanent and with new leys and good stocking rates the pay back for most fields is only a year. Main use is for cattle but will also be grazed by sheep.

 

[glasshouse]

Rylock net is under £1/m
Posts every 6m is 40p/m
Barb is buttons
Telegraph poles for strainers
Add a bit perspiration and you have a stockproof fence for £1.50/m
First field is the dearest as 4 sides to do
A good winter / wet day job.

 

[Tim W]

Main obstacle to getting grass/stock into arable rotations is mindset
Everyone needs to think about different business approaches --- joint ventures/share farming --with neighbors/livestock specialists etc

You also have to accept that essentially a system that has been in arable only for 20 years will have spent that time reducing organic matter
To put this back in costs in time and money ---don't expect massive financial returns whilst you are repairing the damage you have done in the last 20 years

 

[Pan mixer]

Rylock net is under £1/m
Posts every 6m is 40p/m
Barb is buttons
Telegraph poles for strainers
Add a bit perspiration and you have a stockproof fence for £1.50/m
First field is the dearest as 4 sides to do
A good winter / wet day job.

Buy a quick fencer, ht stock fence in 300m rolls, can put up fence faster than 2 chaps can staple up behind me. No sweat (from me anyhow)

 

[glasshouse]

Buy a quick fencer, ht stock fence in 300m rolls, can put up fence faster than 2 chaps can staple up behind me. No sweat (from me anyhow)

I made my own quickfencer