3 acre calf pen

[skyhightree1]

This calf pen is coming along pretty good I think. Should I put some calves on it now or wait about a month when grass is about a foot tall or lil more ? I plan on keeping up to 5 calves on it till they get to about 400lbs then put them in the big pasture. I guess I should have stated its for some bottle calves. Some spots are really thick and others aren't but I will fix that this fall.

 

[kenny thomas]

Not sure what type of grass you have but for small calves the most tender grass is what they need. As the grass gets bigger it also gets tougher and smaller calves do not do as good on it. So, I would put them in there very soon.

 

[skyhightree1]

Gotcha thats a mix of KY31 & Orchard grass. I will try to find some to put on there soon.

 

[bigbull338]

id put the calves on it as soon as they are weaned.3acs will carry 12 weaned calves.but you might be able to move the calves out every 60 to 90 days.

 

[skyhightree1]

Thanks bigbull.. that was my next question.

 

[skyhightree1]

this was taken this afternoon on the left side of my calf pen

 

[bigbull338]

thats some nice thick grass you have there.

 

[skyhightree1]

Thanks bigbull its a mix of ky31 and benchmark orchard grass.

 

[skyhightree1]

seed heads

 

[novatech]

I would use an electric fence and move them through controlling their grazing. Even though it is just 3 acres the same principles apply as would be used on big pastures, just on a smaller scale.

 

[skyhightree1]

I thought about that but thats alot of extra work on a place that small lol

 

[skyhightree1]

I clipped my calf pen today and while clipping I knew I should have cut it for hay probably but the weather is so iffy and I still have 73 more acres of hay to cut but I sure which I could have rolled it. Hopefully it will get thicker I should be finish with the fence and have calves in there by July if not before.

 

[skyhightree1]

 

[JenkinsFarm7]

SkiHigh When I first started on this forum I privately wondered if you were a farmer or not. You are, why? because you spend so much money killing your beautiful clover and bush hogging your pristine hay fields, only a true farmer could find so many ways to loose money. :lol2: :lol2: :lol2: I'll need to get some advice from you on a field I just acquired. It has a lot of grass but just as many black berry bushes. BTW you have some good looking fields.

 

[skyhightree1]

Jenkins Im still trying to figure out if im a farmer or not myself... I like to think of myself as a weed assassin... lol How many acres is the property ? Do the black berry bushes produce or just a pain in the ... lol If they produce leave them and eat berries and have fresh pies and homemade preserves. Do you have any pictures? I still have alot of hay left to cut I have alot of hay no time and lots of rain so I choose to bushhog it in the hopes it should get thicker.

 

[Banjo]

Jenkins Im still trying to figure out if im a farmer or not myself... I like to think of myself as a weed assassin... lol How many acres is the property ? Do the black berry bushes produce or just a pain in the ... lol If they produce leave them and eat berries and have fresh pies and homemade preserves. Do you have any pictures? I still have alot of hay left to cut I have alot of hay no time and lots of rain so I choose to bushhog it in the hopes it should get thicker.

You are returning the nutrients and carbon to the soil which is good, but it may take a while for it to thicken. You probably need to go over it every week or two just like your yard. The horse farms in Lexington mow their pastures once a week or some of them do and it looks just like their yard.

 

[skyhightree1]

Yea, If I have time I will do that. I walked the pasture and have sprigs of cinnamon clover in which I have no idea where it came from. and bits of alfalfa coming up. This fall I plan on saturating the thin spots and discing them in maybe I will use my drill im not sure.

 

[skyhightree1]

What fertilizer would you all suggest to lightly use on this clover to give it a good jump. I don't want to burn it up this is just a straight clover area with very lil grass.

 

[skyhightree1]

calf pen is finally ready this last trouble spot i had is now ready ... i need to get off my arse and find some calves to enjoy this orchard grass

I need to find about 10 more like this one