I do, I feel it helps to keep the fescue in a more active growing state. I think also helps to keep the tall grass out of their eyes.herofan":r9ram36g said:I have three weaned calves in a lot, and the grass growth is outpacing their consumption abilities; it's tall seeded out. Is there any need to clip it down, or let it be?
I hate treating eyes even worse then burning diesel.Caustic Burno":321h7vb9 said:I am not burning diesel to mow a pasture that is what I have cows for.
Since we've cut back so far the ungrazed paddocks get way ahead of the cows. This year had been even stranger then usual. The week of 80s got the grass to bolting and setting seed real early.novatech":1n0vv6l1 said:If you don't have enough cattle to keep the grass in a growing state then I think shredding is good. Fresh grass growth is higher in protein and more palatable than old grass. A better way may be to divide the pasture into smaller plots (electric fence), which would force the cattle to eat what was there rather than just pick a chose what they want to eat.
If I just let it go I wouldn;t have the seed I collect to seed/reseed areas that I'm reclaiming.Bigfoot":34z1pgt7 said:I parked by bushhog 4 years ago. If I am going to run a tractor over ground, it's to cut hay. I spray for weeds. That's what I won't to control anyway. I would either buy some more calves to put with them, or just let it go.
Bigfoot":2mkmzow7 said:I parked by bushhog 4 years ago. If I am going to run a tractor over ground, it's to cut hay. I spray for weeds. That's what I won't to control anyway. I would either buy some more calves to put with them, or just let it go.
novatech":iuqmekz1 said:If you don't have enough cattle to keep the grass in a growing state then I think shredding is good. Fresh grass growth is higher in protein and more palatable than old grass. A better way may be to divide the pasture into smaller plots (electric fence), which would force the cattle to eat what was there rather than just pick a chose what they want to eat.
dun":8n267k27 said:If I just let it go I wouldn;t have the seed I collect to seed/reseed areas that I'm reclaiming.Bigfoot":8n267k27 said:I parked by bushhog 4 years ago. If I am going to run a tractor over ground, it's to cut hay. I spray for weeds. That's what I won't to control anyway. I would either buy some more calves to put with them, or just let it go.
I run the front bucket just a bit above level and have it positioned about a foot above the ground. I also sweep the accumulated seed off the top of the brush hog before I clean it up to put it away, Frequently get around 4-5 5 gal buckets when I do a fieldjallen":2958jhj8 said:Dun, how do you collect the seed?dun":2958jhj8 said:If I just let it go I wouldn;t have the seed I collect to seed/reseed areas that I'm reclaiming.Bigfoot":2958jhj8 said:I parked by bushhog 4 years ago. If I am going to run a tractor over ground, it's to cut hay. I spray for weeds. That's what I won't to control anyway. I would either buy some more calves to put with them, or just let it go.
dun":2i7a8tr9 said:Sweep it off the top of your bruch hog, you would be surprised how mcuh accumulates on it. The fescue on this place was originally seed about 80 years ago. Not sure how much may have been seeded since then that was bought from outside sources. I've been using our own seed for about 12 years. Had it colelcted one year and sold it, the next year I needed some seed for a new area and it cost about 4 times a pound more then what I got per pound. Decided, screw that, I'll just collect and use my own. I've never tested it, but I;ve had some pretty poor cows brought over and turned out a couple of months and the all gained condition. The extension office thinks that possibly since ours was from the really early inportations that it may not have been as high in endophyte and some of the newer stuff. Plus the stuff is acllimated to this area.
Most times it is a field that we're letting lay fallow for a grazing season or it's one that for one reaosn or another (health/weather) I haven;t been able to get to for clipping till later then usual. I've also found that if when you clip the seed heads if you also take an inch or 2 of the blade that it will grow pretty well. Problem is that in the summer fescue goes pretty much dormant anyway. Clipping (if it hasn;t been grazed short) is just part of my prep for stockpiling for the winter. In years more typical then this past winter we graze stockpiled fescue through the beginning of calving seaosn in the spring then only feed hay for a week or so after calving starts before they go out on new growing grass. Last winter was so screwy we fed hay for almost a whole month.Banjo":253erdt0 said:Sounds like you need to find you an old pull type combine and designate 3 or 4 acres for seed. I bought an All crop AC harvester a few years ago and I'm going to do that myself this year.
The way you are doing it is a good idea, but when you let the fescue get that mature(brown) it goes dormant until fall and its real slow coming back. If it isn't allowed to get mature(brown) then when fall comes it starts growing quicker. JMHO