Big farm mobile harvest lights3/1/2024 ![]() ![]() As sward quality improves and becomes more consistent, this is expected to lift.Ĭattle are being slaughtered at about 610kg liveweight, producing 300-320kg carcasses at a grade of O+3. Modest daily liveweight gains of 0.7kg in summer and 0.5kg in winter have been recorded. Note: Total seed rate is 22.2kg/ha (9kg/acre) Lower yield, higher margin Species included at a lower seed rate (0.01-0.10kg/acre) Rough stalked meadowgrass, red/chewing’s fescue.Species included at a moderate seed rate (0.15-0.6kg/acre) Mix of grassland species broadcast onto woodland floor Species included at a higher seed rate The pipework of the original dairy farm could not be found. “The grazing collars worked well, but the economics between fencing and collars with increasing stock numbers – we’re aiming for 500 – made it less viable.”Īfter an initial graze, herbal leys (see table, right) were broadcast onto the forest floor, using a small Kubota tractor, to thicken the vegetation and increase its digestibility.ĭrag troughs and micro troughs were used to get water to subdivided woodland and, since then, more concrete troughs on quick-fix fittings have been used to get water to each paddock. To simplify management, virtual fencing technology was used to achieve daily rotations, and water was supplied with a bowser. ![]() Grass naturally came in after a few weeks and cattle were moved into the woods in the spring of 2021. Professional foresters were brought in to thin the woods in 2020, removing ash and any wonky trees to let more light reach the forest floor. Yeo Valley Farms bought the ground in 2018. In recent years, ash dieback had killed many trees. The woods, on top of the Mendips, had been established on a former dairy farm in 2001, with some of the paddocks planted almost entirely with ash. The idea to harness agroforestry to finish cattle came about when 182ha (450 acres) of woodland between Yeo Valley’s two dairy units came on the market. An example of woodland before thinning has taken place, with limited light for grass growth © MAG/Michael Priestley ![]()
0 Comments
Leave a Reply.AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |