tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4227507713475561895.post8790733922071619323..comments2023-12-22T08:42:06.087+00:00Comments on Pasture to Profit: Winter Kill on Dairy Pastures has been CostlyPasture to Profithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09918321236101650313noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4227507713475561895.post-82544714186008762042010-02-28T11:02:40.274+00:002010-02-28T11:02:40.274+00:00I think there is a danger of getting too hung up a...I think there is a danger of getting too hung up about winter kill,while i would agree 2800 is the max to take through the winter ,you do need some cover ,otherwise we are back to putting sheep on. 1200 covers will eliminate winter kill but you wont have any grass until april.Don`t forget we have come through the coldest winter for 30 years.Do we farm for the 1 year in 30 or do we exploit the other 29!!!David Leenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4227507713475561895.post-14296038588762694392010-02-23T20:19:25.341+00:002010-02-23T20:19:25.341+00:00This is a year where I am glad that I calve quite ...This is a year where I am glad that I calve quite late. I find it far too tempting to utilize grass at the end of the season when conditions are dry, further extending the round by introducing kale and silage (day) grass (night), meaning cows are completely out well into December. If there is plenty of cover at calving in March/April I adopt a leader - follower system ensuring v.high intakes by milkers. On lower covers this year, dry cows might not graze until calving imminent, but milkers will be on fair quality, touch wood. Still think a feed wedge is good for early calving, maybe make it concave to spread risk? Liking this blogspot Tom. Malcolm E FewsterAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4227507713475561895.post-24193966867165894422010-02-20T20:50:34.418+00:002010-02-20T20:50:34.418+00:00Interesting comments Tom. Many people would regard...Interesting comments Tom. Many people would regard this winter as more typical of the UK climate, meaning we should be expecting these conditions more often than not. Our pastures are very yellow at present but the worst were not the ones with the highest covers. They were the ones that we struggled to clean out in the autumn and that carried the most debris. We will definately be using the low yielders to take the first rotation and i would imagine it will be high d.m.and take a bit of shifting.<br /> John WigleyAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4227507713475561895.post-27511875111108848842010-02-20T19:39:38.593+00:002010-02-20T19:39:38.593+00:00Good and timely article Tom. Last week the soil te...Good and timely article Tom. Last week the soil temp was 4.8 here in County Down yesterday it was just 3C.Jason Rankinnoreply@blogger.com