Zero grazing.

[pappuller]

6 days in with the zg and we've abandoned ship here, making an awful mess on the headlands and with rain forecast everyday for the next 10 days or so I can't see us resuming until after 1st cut.

 

[Scholsey]

4 days in now, headlands are tender but trying to work the field to avoid hammering the headlands too much. 4000kgDM/ha covers of IRG planted end of July, got 3 weeks of it left then onto the 5 year leys that I don’t want to damage quite as much.

 

[vantage]

Seen that, how does the feed out box work?

The base tips up sideways onto the side rollers which tease the grass out.
I just broke out in a cold sweat remembering when we had the same system,not the fault of the trailer,rather the mower ,not a PZ as Zero's,but a god forsaken Kidd Clipper,what a piece of!

 

[Suckndiesel]

See man on pit kept silage just below the concrete which is good

Good and bad, would rather have it above the walls, means I’ve more silage!

 

[happycows]

Not much mess here, although I’ve picked driest fields now it’s bit wetter, not one’s with most grass.
Strip grazed 2 westerwold fields first but can’t believe my luck as it stands as had grass in there ration since 14th of February even if only half the forage intake as grass. Rest still bales. Happy days if it lasts.

 

[Beef farmer]

View attachment 775222 View attachment 775224

Not much mess here, although I’ve picked driest fields now it’s bit wetter, not one’s with most grass.
Strip grazed 2 westerwold fields first but can’t believe my luck as it stands as had grass in there ration since 14th of February even if only half the forage intake as grass. Rest still bales. Happy days if it lasts.

Whats the vicon wagtail doing in the shed? Hopper for cake?

 

[The Agrarian]

Mustnt be many starlings about your country!

Or rooks

Or jackdaws

Or pigeons

Or magpies


Pain in the ass here.

 

[happycows]

Whats the vicon wagtail doing in the shed? Hopper for cake?

Hopper on top oopf. I’ve got a little bucket too fill it up with skid steer.
I do my best too keep the starlings at bay.
It’s not a issue unless it’s really cold and they are starving and fancy trying their luck.

 

[yin ewe]

Right- would all you boys taking photos of nice lush grass in front of their cows please quit it- sleet blowing sideways here today, certainly not a day for grazing, zero or otherwise.

 

[The Agrarian]

6 days in with the zg and we've abandoned ship here, making an awful mess on the headlands and with rain forecast everyday for the next 10 days or so I can't see us resuming until after 1st cut.

That would be our problem too, and we aren't in a rain shadow either. Can easily rain every single day for three weeks here at any time of the year, repeatedly. It rather messes up rotation when you have to stop, as you can imagine. Catastrophic in May/june!

Your next problem is it's hard to get going after first cut, and keep on top of it.

 

[pappuller]

That would be our problem too, and we aren't in a rain shadow either. Can easily rain every single day for three weeks here at any time of the year, repeatedly. It rather messes up rotation when you have to stop, as you can imagine. Catastrophic in May/june!

Your next problem is it's hard to get going after first cut, and keep on top of it.

Yes, the fact we saw an initial bounce in milk and then a drop back hasn't helped the situation either, might be a case of reviewing the situation and parking it for the season if we can maintain production as we had.

 

[Blue.]

Right- would all you boys taking photos of nice lush grass in front of their cows please quit it- sleet blowing sideways here today, certainly not a day for grazing, zero or otherwise.

86mm of rain so far this month here,horrid day here yesterday,better this morning but heavy rain forecast later today into the night.

 

[pappuller]

86mm of rain so far this month here,horrid day here yesterday,better this morning but heavy rain forecast later today into the night.

As you would say, the weather is shite

 

[Blue.]

As you would say, the weather is shite

Forecast was right it's persisting down.

 

[Scholsey]

I know I missed a bit before anyone says anything!

How’s everyone doing, this was cut 10th March, started 2nd time over yesterday, just let it get a tiny bit older to help BFs a bit.

 

[Suckndiesel]

View attachment 789896

I know I missed a bit before anyone says anything!

How’s everyone doing, this was cut 10th March, started 2nd time over yesterday, just let it get a tiny bit older to help BFs a bit.

1/2 way round the 2nd rotation here, running a bit tight so zg ing a silage field to stretch the rotation, would be going round in 16 days otherwise

 

[Jgs]

Does anyone struggle with FPD readings when on zero grazing? We were feeding 50% grass and they were around 510 but now on 100% and down to 506 and 505 today, they were fine before starting grass in April and the same thing happened last year. Any ideas?

 

[cattow]

Last test was 520FPD 4.25fat 3.73protien 50/50 grazed & zero-grazed grass no silage

 

[Scholsey]

Does anyone struggle with FPD readings when on zero grazing? We were feeding 50% grass and they were around 510 but now on 100% and down to 506 and 505 today, they were fine before starting grass in April and the same thing happened last year. Any ideas?

Have had to stop zero grazing the IRG and onto long term keys and FPDs are better, struggle to get over 515 on robots as it is so not much margin for error!

 

[pappuller]

Does anyone struggle with FPD readings when on zero grazing? We were feeding 50% grass and they were around 510 but now on 100% and down to 506 and 505 today, they were fine before starting grass in April and the same thing happened last year. Any ideas?

Water in water out.
5/6kgdm zero grass and a small TMR anymore and we struggle