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<blockquote data-quote="Anonymous" data-source="post: 10592"><p>craig, dun,</p><p></p><p>i appreciate the responses, and i agree, it is tough to know the boundries, and as dun pointed out, i know i certainly do not want to be clipping pastures just because i didnt let a cow eat it, and what was good for this year might not be good next year because of drought, etc. i hadnt thought of stockers, but that might be a good idea because the load on the land changes with the seasons and the stockers could be the mowers (hired out as dun said) to keep the excess grass down.</p><p></p><p>i guess we each have to decide which direction we want to go in and live and learn, but it sure helps to get ideas from others on these boards.</p><p></p><p>thanks again,</p><p></p><p>gene</p><p></p><p>> First of all I'm no expert, the</p><p>> only skills I really have is a</p><p>> good memory, the ability to get</p><p>> cows with calf (via AI) anf the</p><p>> uncanny ability to piss people</p><p>> off. Whrn you run into multple</p><p>> years of drought, by the time you</p><p>> realize how geat the problem is,</p><p>> your aready too far behind the</p><p>> curve to cut down and do much</p><p>> good. Grossly understocking will</p><p>> prevent or at least mitigate some</p><p>> of the problem. If you decide to</p><p>> understock it's a crap shoot as to</p><p>> what level you can do it before it</p><p>> actually becomes an expense. If</p><p>> you have to clip your pastures</p><p>> after the have headed out you have</p><p>> the expense of fuel, time and</p><p>> maintenance to consider. Normally</p><p>> if your grass has headed out, the</p><p>> actual feed value of the leave is</p><p>> diminished, plus cattle aren't</p><p>> real eager grazers of stemmy stuff</p><p>> that doesn't have a payoff (the</p><p>> seed head) to go with it. If you</p><p>> hay it, unless you feed the hay on</p><p>> the pasture it is cut from, you</p><p>> loose soil nutrients that have to</p><p>> be replaced. If fed on the same</p><p>> pasture, and feeding is spread</p><p>> around, most of those nutrients go</p><p>> back to the soil. Te U of MO</p><p>> calculated that ther is somthing</p><p>> like 4-6 bucks worth of</p><p>> fertilizers put on your fields if</p><p>> you buy hay from an outside</p><p>> source. Even the crappiest hay had</p><p>> 2 bycks worth. Not much, but</p><p>> better then a poke in the eye.</p><p>> With the acerage we're acquiring,</p><p>> mostly excellent fescue or orchard</p><p>> grass pastures, we will run</p><p>> stickers on a lot of it and use</p><p>> them to keep the stuff from</p><p>> heading out, whrn there job is</p><p>> done, off they will go and the</p><p>> resulting growth will be</p><p>> stockpiled for winter. That's the</p><p>> plan, the cow herd is the</p><p>> important element, the stockers</p><p>> will be just hired labor that</p><p>> kopefully will also turn a profit.</p><p>> About 25 acres will be planted in</p><p>> WW for fall and early spring</p><p>> grazing. Tere will always be a</p><p>> small potential for hay feeding.</p><p>> Cows don't seem to do that well</p><p>> when they're belly deep in snow.</p><p>> This is the most challenging area</p><p>> we have tried to raise cattle, but</p><p>> with good managment I think it has</p><p>> the highest potential also.</p><p></p><p>> dun</p><p></p><p> <a href="mailto:genemax@rabofla.net">genemax@rabofla.net</a></p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Anonymous, post: 10592"] craig, dun, i appreciate the responses, and i agree, it is tough to know the boundries, and as dun pointed out, i know i certainly do not want to be clipping pastures just because i didnt let a cow eat it, and what was good for this year might not be good next year because of drought, etc. i hadnt thought of stockers, but that might be a good idea because the load on the land changes with the seasons and the stockers could be the mowers (hired out as dun said) to keep the excess grass down. i guess we each have to decide which direction we want to go in and live and learn, but it sure helps to get ideas from others on these boards. thanks again, gene > First of all I'm no expert, the > only skills I really have is a > good memory, the ability to get > cows with calf (via AI) anf the > uncanny ability to piss people > off. Whrn you run into multple > years of drought, by the time you > realize how geat the problem is, > your aready too far behind the > curve to cut down and do much > good. Grossly understocking will > prevent or at least mitigate some > of the problem. If you decide to > understock it's a crap shoot as to > what level you can do it before it > actually becomes an expense. If > you have to clip your pastures > after the have headed out you have > the expense of fuel, time and > maintenance to consider. Normally > if your grass has headed out, the > actual feed value of the leave is > diminished, plus cattle aren't > real eager grazers of stemmy stuff > that doesn't have a payoff (the > seed head) to go with it. If you > hay it, unless you feed the hay on > the pasture it is cut from, you > loose soil nutrients that have to > be replaced. If fed on the same > pasture, and feeding is spread > around, most of those nutrients go > back to the soil. Te U of MO > calculated that ther is somthing > like 4-6 bucks worth of > fertilizers put on your fields if > you buy hay from an outside > source. Even the crappiest hay had > 2 bycks worth. Not much, but > better then a poke in the eye. > With the acerage we're acquiring, > mostly excellent fescue or orchard > grass pastures, we will run > stickers on a lot of it and use > them to keep the stuff from > heading out, whrn there job is > done, off they will go and the > resulting growth will be > stockpiled for winter. That's the > plan, the cow herd is the > important element, the stockers > will be just hired labor that > kopefully will also turn a profit. > About 25 acres will be planted in > WW for fall and early spring > grazing. Tere will always be a > small potential for hay feeding. > Cows don't seem to do that well > when they're belly deep in snow. > This is the most challenging area > we have tried to raise cattle, but > with good managment I think it has > the highest potential also. > dun [email=genemax@rabofla.net]genemax@rabofla.net[/email] [/QUOTE]
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