Scholsey
Member
- Location
- Herefordshire
Anyone plate meter before cutting? If so when do you aim for cover wise.
Zero grazing.
- Thread starter Nh6050
- Start date
- Location
- M6 Hard shoulder
We have some irg that is at 3500 now and will start in that over the weekend and then move onto more standard leys. I've probably cut too low a cover previously hence why we've struggled for cow condition and cleanliness so planning on cutting bigger covers this year.
Scholsey
Member
- Location
- Herefordshire
tried it last year to help milk quality and lost all fertility even though the stuff would have made rocket fuel silage!
- Location
- M6 Hard shoulder
Tried cutting higher or lower covers ?
If you can try and put it in a keenan and transport back from fields... Saves bailing etc etc etc..... If you have a forager just chuck it in top and feed out as normal.... Might be faster than bailing and then transporting it off fields every couple of days... Just an idea
dannewhouse
Member
- Location
- huddersfield
I think when this was discussed before the answer was that even a forage wagon bashes the grass too much so it heats up very quickly?
Personally I would try with what machinery you have and go from there.
Personally I would try with what machinery you have and go from there.
- Location
- South Molton
Does a conditioner bruise the grass too much then?
- Location
- South Molton
I've tried telling a friend that but they are going to try it with conditioner right off.
We cut night before, pick up with baler and unroll for evenings pickings at grass. Seemed to lessen the brusing
Dont do it very often but it works for us with what machinery I have.
We now have front mower so may cut and bale all in one
- Location
- M6 Hard shoulder
We are going to start next week with front mower, conditioner wound right off and pick up with wagon with knives dropped right back and feed straight out
Scholsey
Member
- Location
- Herefordshire
personally I haven’t had great experience mowing hours before picking up let alone days, picked grass up yesterday, wheel fell off pick up reel as wasn’t put on properly after changing flat (can’t get the staff) resulting in a dozen broken/bent tines so could a few hours to sort, the bucket full of grass that was left in the wagon (in the throat) for a few hours whilst fixing it was steaming when I eventually fixed it and put it out this morning, cows even left it, was only grass left in passage this morning.
That will work fine, we do the same if zerograze wagon brakes down. Feeding straight away is the key?
Scholsey
Member
- Location
- Herefordshire
- Location
- M6 Hard shoulder
You not got a plonker meter ?
Even an amatuer like me has one [emoji23]
3600+
happycows
Member
- Location
- North Devon Cornwall border
I’d be happy to go in and start at that. Higher wouldn’t concern me.
not much stalk to that by the looks.
Scholsey
Member
- Location
- Herefordshire
I need to get one, just seem a lot of money for a calculator on a stick!
Their going nuts for it anyway, had 3 days of stronger stuff. Going to have my first go growing fodder beet on this field once I have cleared it.
- Location
- South Molton
Borrow one, get an idea and go from there.
An educated guess is better than none!
Suckndiesel
Member
- Location
- Newtownards
Agree. If the covers were any smaller it’d take all day to fill a load!
Scholsey
Member
- Location
- Herefordshire
Anybody ran out of grass yet?