PuG
Member
- Location
- Languedoc-Roussillon
Morning, we run about 90 head of beef (which I've reduced), need to produce 500 bales p/a for summer buffer and winter feeding which I can just about do at the moment.
We cut from May to June, the grass basically doesn't recover, gets baked off from the sun, even the Lucerne is struggling and won't begin to perk up alittle until later half of next month normally (assuming we have rain). Majority of the cow's have to graze woodland at this time of year but very sparse pickings.
I've ploughed and planted Sorghum in 2.4 Ha this year as an experiment - very pleased, good growth and yield for worn out compacted heavy clay fields which included mulching the 2nd cut for some green manure. Re-tilling next week for a winter cover crop, Vetch, Barley, Pea's, Turnips (total seed rate of 160kg p/ha) which I plan to no-till drill into next May another Sorghum but probably a single cut forage.
Any suggestions of idea's with the other grass fields?
I'm not going to be doing anything else going into this winter but I want to begin growing cover crops on them to build up the biomass - my thoughts for next year is to cut as normal, plant Sorghum and Pearl Millet no-till straight after (if I can get the drill into the ground), graze, mulch and bale over the year and finish by broadcasting cover crops into the last leaf growth next autumn.
Year April mulch that cover with a high cut, then let the grass come back through for two months before the main season cut. The actual grass lays are worn out in there own right, but the fields need building up desperately and I can't afford make a mistake given everything cut able is being cut. Also concerned about running rakes over for wind rows, but I figure just raise it off the ground not to drag in too much of the mulch.
The cover crops are to add green manure to help on water retention and soil improvements, and to fix NPK. Bio so no spraying for termination, anything planted will have to be flailed down or crimper.
Cheers, James
We cut from May to June, the grass basically doesn't recover, gets baked off from the sun, even the Lucerne is struggling and won't begin to perk up alittle until later half of next month normally (assuming we have rain). Majority of the cow's have to graze woodland at this time of year but very sparse pickings.
I've ploughed and planted Sorghum in 2.4 Ha this year as an experiment - very pleased, good growth and yield for worn out compacted heavy clay fields which included mulching the 2nd cut for some green manure. Re-tilling next week for a winter cover crop, Vetch, Barley, Pea's, Turnips (total seed rate of 160kg p/ha) which I plan to no-till drill into next May another Sorghum but probably a single cut forage.
Any suggestions of idea's with the other grass fields?
I'm not going to be doing anything else going into this winter but I want to begin growing cover crops on them to build up the biomass - my thoughts for next year is to cut as normal, plant Sorghum and Pearl Millet no-till straight after (if I can get the drill into the ground), graze, mulch and bale over the year and finish by broadcasting cover crops into the last leaf growth next autumn.
Year April mulch that cover with a high cut, then let the grass come back through for two months before the main season cut. The actual grass lays are worn out in there own right, but the fields need building up desperately and I can't afford make a mistake given everything cut able is being cut. Also concerned about running rakes over for wind rows, but I figure just raise it off the ground not to drag in too much of the mulch.
The cover crops are to add green manure to help on water retention and soil improvements, and to fix NPK. Bio so no spraying for termination, anything planted will have to be flailed down or crimper.
Cheers, James
