alternative forages

The Redstart after the whole cropped winter wheat is only just about ok, it got a good dose of slurry grubbed in before sowing and about 35kg/ha of protected urea after it was up. It is well behind the Redstart that got 18-6-12.
20190913_181056.jpg 20190913_181049.jpg
 
Is it any worse than combining and selling the straw off the farm? I suppose you do get left with the chaff behind a combine.
As the straw and grain ripens, straw mainly, it returns a lot of very available P&K and other nutrients to the ground. Most of this is removed when whole cropping.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Paw
How's grazing going given the weather gone?
Rough enough, but it hasn't been ploughed for a few years so is standing up to it fairly well. The fact that the crop is poor is helping as they are moving across quickly .
 
I do the following.
2018 Winter wheat. Then direct sowed forage triticale in September 2018 which I mowed this year on the 4/5/19. Then straight back in with maize which I cut in late October last.
The triticale did about 8t/acre at 30%DM 11.5%protein and 76DMD.
The maize did 20t at 32Dry matter and 32starch.
 

Attachments

  • 8AAA0873-E494-4A22-83B0-35BEDDC6C854.jpeg
    8AAA0873-E494-4A22-83B0-35BEDDC6C854.jpeg
    396.4 KB · Views: 59
  • 89BF485D-EA2D-44F2-BA8B-A1B31069ABE0.png
    89BF485D-EA2D-44F2-BA8B-A1B31069ABE0.png
    1 MB · Views: 61
I do the following.
2018 Winter wheat. Then direct sowed forage triticale in September 2018 which I mowed this year on the 4/5/19. Then straight back in with maize which I cut in late October last.
The triticale did about 8t/acre at 30%DM 11.5%protein and 76DMD.
The maize did 20t at 32Dry matter and 32starch.
Did you bale the triticale? If so, how did the bales stand up to vermin?
 
I do the following.
2018 Winter wheat. Then direct sowed forage triticale in September 2018 which I mowed this year on the 4/5/19. Then straight back in with maize which I cut in late October last.
The triticale did about 8t/acre at 30%DM 11.5%protein and 76DMD.
The maize did 20t at 32Dry matter and 32starch.
What variety of maize had you? That’s a massive yield. Plastic I presume?
 
What variety of maize had you? That’s a massive yield. Plastic I presume?
And that was a weighed result. However I normally only average 18t weighed off maize per acre
It was P8201 but in after the triticale was the trick! The ground was in savage order due to the cover crop of triticale. In saying that the soil fertility and pH was high so really that was the difference.
yeah plastic used

@muckymanor ; I have no cattle so I sold it Some went to biogas. I trialled it with two dairy men near drogheda. Both got higher protein in the milk in May and June as it’s a savage source of digestible Fiber. The NDF came back at 48 which is excellent.
There is some work on forage triticale feeding yielding 1.9kg/milk/ kg dry matter.
I have 100 acres in again this year and I am planning more trials

Rats aren’t an issue but bird might be
 
E9314F09-2D17-4CBA-8634-A8B196999FEE.jpeg 597703A4-BBF2-40D0-9DB3-4423663E5CB0.jpeg 72AE3A23-B787-4956-A8B4-74D540304FD6.jpeg C62749E8-41CE-46E1-B23A-97D31C82ADE7.jpeg
it ain’t simple this year. Weanlings heifers, they get silage and meal in a yard at the far end of of the field on concrete and a straw bed shed that they can wonder in and out of, that’s the main saviour and wasn’t part of the plan but the weather is tough.giving them an acre of so every few days so not to wreck the place, clean out is average enough but there usually shed is out of action as we are at a building job in the home yard so they had to stay out. They are thriving very well tho.
 
View attachment 73020 View attachment 73021 View attachment 73022 View attachment 73023
it ain’t simple this year. Weanlings heifers, they get silage and meal in a yard at the far end of of the field on concrete and a straw bed shed that they can wonder in and out of, that’s the main saviour and wasn’t part of the plan but the weather is tough.giving them an acre of so every few days so not to wreck the place, clean out is average enough but there usually shed is out of action as we are at a building job in the home yard so they had to stay out. They are thriving very well tho.
Wouldn't worry about clean out this year, you have them well managed there by the sounds of it and ground conditions not too bad. What's the plan for the field next?
 
View attachment 73020 View attachment 73021 View attachment 73022 View attachment 73023
it ain’t simple this year. Weanlings heifers, they get silage and meal in a yard at the far end of of the field on concrete and a straw bed shed that they can wonder in and out of, that’s the main saviour and wasn’t part of the plan but the weather is tough.giving them an acre of so every few days so not to wreck the place, clean out is average enough but there usually shed is out of action as we are at a building job in the home yard so they had to stay out. They are thriving very well tho.
We were only saying earlier how last year was a dream compared to this, it's dear feed if your damaging ground, but you look to be avoiding anything too serious, I'd. Much rather see 50% left behind and plough it down than make muck, it's too hard on cattle and ground.
 
Last edited:
we are only saying earlier how last year was a dream compared to this, it's dear feed if your damaging ground, but you look to be avoiding anything too serious, I'd. Much rather see 50% left behind and plough it down than make muck, it's too hard on cattle and ground.
 
Back
Top