Strip Grazing

[Saffy]

Many years ago we used to strip graze our dairy herd. It is so dry here now - Near Abergavenny in Monmouthshire - that we have resorted to strip grazing the dexters this summer, we move the fence a very meagre distance every evening but it is helping to preserve the grass and does mean we will probably be able to make some hay!

Despite our efforts they are now strip grazing part of what was to have been mowed. I had hoped to sell a few dexters and ease the pressure on the grass that way but with everyone else in the same boat there is little chance. A few heifers and young cows that are less than perfect are going to go for beef.

Stephanie

[Mark Bowles]

Hi Saffy, it is a tough year for many reasons, weather, finances etc.
The sad fact is that if you don't have the fodder for the winter and you can't or won't buy any in, then reduce your stock. Sales are best described as slowish.
I am beefing heifers this year that i would have sold other years, the cattle have to give some kind of income beyond just paying for themselves, buying in fodder is an extra cost i don't want.
These are the harsh facts that some dexter breeders will learn this coming winter.

[bjreroberts]

Same here I'm going to be more ruthless and not looking to add to the herd until I am sure of my fodder situation.

[davidw]

I've also been strip grazing. Some neighbours commented that they haven't seen anyone do it for years. But why not, it works? I tried to reseed one field this spring, I'm still waiting for it to germinate. Until it does, I'm getting a practical lesson in grassland management.

[Broomcroft]

We strip grazed our herd last year and it worked well. I put a ring feeder at the top of the field and then once a day gave them the treat of a strip of grass about 2 metres deep. Tried it with sheep later on, but that didn't work as they went straight through it.

We found that youngsters who had not seen a wire before at first dived through it, but eventually got to respect it. If I were doing it again for the first time, I would put up a training wire first just to get them used to it before they went storming all over my nice grass that was meant to be harvested.

We've reduced our breeding cow numbers now from 60 to just 17, but that is as much out of the fear of TB and the realisation that nothing is going to change in this regard for a very long time. But it is also the grass / forage situation which hasn't been good for a few years, although usually because of too much rain, now not enough, although last year was OK. I'm just about to cull another 13 breeding cows, anything over the age of 11. I booked in 5 yesterday. The cull price is very high at the moment, £2.70/kg deadweight and the deadweights they give are within a few hours and are usually higher than you'd expect presumably for that reason? Our herd is still big at the moment, but most are youngsters going for beef.

We're going over to 90% sheep. More flexible, not so much forage required, or straw or mucking out, and can graze right down. Will still keep cattle but still a shame really.

[debra wiltshire]

May I ask where it is you take your OTM cattle?

[Broomcroft]

ABP Shrewsbury. Haven't taken any for some time though, I assume the £2.70 is for R grade so probably won't get that price, but should still be OK. You (and the animal) have to be farm assured for ABP, not certain with culls though? I shall know what price I actually get in a week's time.

There are other ABP's around the country.

[Broomcroft]

Debra,

I said I'd let you know how I got on with cull prices for older cows. I took 5 this week and they achieved the following:

• 2 large shorts, £200 each (180kg DW O+5H & R5H)
• 1 really poor, weedy non-short £160 (145kg DW -O4L)
• 1 fairly big non-short, £475 (250kg DW O+5L)
• 1 average non-short, £347 (217kg DW O+5L) - she had missed a calf and was very fat

I'm a bit disappointed but only the last two were my normal stock so should be better in the future. I've done well with bulls in the past with their extra weight and better grades.

[domsmith]

Clive do you not have alocal live market for culls?

I see alot of culls going through Ayr market, and prices are really keen. £200 wouldnt buy you much there.

i must try and buy some in from someone.

we are awash, it never stops raining, grass all over, but it is cold at the moment.

we arent growing any silage ourselves this year, we are buying it all in. with fertiliser so dear and grass so plentiful, i got a deal from a neighbour for the same cost as i could grow it. 30 acres of extra grazing for my lot.

sorry to hear of such hardship elsewhere.

[Broomcroft]

Not very good here grass-wise Dom. We've lost 90% of our clover in which we depend very much, and one field that produced 11 bales an acre last year, we got 3 . I'm going to put turnips and forage rape in for the winter, for the sheep. I'll give the cull market a go see what happens.

[Duncan MacIntyre]

I think we are probably even more awash than Dom. Argyll and Bute had 300% of average rain in May, and though we have had a few dry days the dairy farms were weeks late getting first cut. My own grass has bulked immensely during the last couple of weeks, and I am itching to get at it. However the 10 day forcast is almost completely for rain. We may get a dry day tomorrow, then rain till at least next Tuesday.

Duncan

[Saffy]

There is at least one area of Wales that has had lots of rain - our son Tom has a smallholding near Aberaeron and they have had almost constant cold rain, he says they have had poor growing weather as it hasn't been warm enough.

Stephanie

[jems5]

in kent even dairy herd farmers are culling more cows them usually as their is not the fodder or straw for the winter.never know whats best as the market report says good money for culls but the abbatoir pays little for cattle under a certain weight because it costs to much to kill them per a kilo.Once their in calf what do you do then .markets says most of the dairy cows are in call that go for cull seems a waste.

[Jac]

There is at least one area of Wales that has had lots of rain - our son Tom has a smallholding near Aberaeron and they have had almost constant cold rain, he says they have had poor growing weather as it hasn't been warm enough.

Stephanie

I live 10 miles from there and I have webbed feet.

[Saffy]

Oh where do you live then Jac?

Stephanie