No Grazing!! :-(

BethanT

BethanT

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Is anyone else as fed up as I am with this weather being as shocking as it is? We have no grass growing at our livery yard, and we've got 30 acres and fields have been rested all winter ready for summer turnout, yet nothing.

We probably have about 12 acres in use at the moment - and they aren't being over grazed either, everything else is resting. This wouldn't be worrying me if we were still in winter, but as the horses are due to go out for summer grazing 24/7 it is concerning me that we might not have any grass for next winter. I am choosing to leave my boy in to give him hay so he doesnt starve but not everyone on the yard is thinking on the same page and seem to think once they are out thats it and wont need to bother with feeding them.

So my question is......... Is anyone else finding that their land has no grass growing? Or does it sound like we desperately need to fertilize our fields?
 
Ours isn't growing either but that may be a good thing - I won't have to worry about sectioning it off to reduce laminitis risk and nor will have have as much worry about the sugars possibly affecting her shoe-less feet. Every spring we try to persuade the farmer not to fertilise the field and to let us graze it before its knee deep in lush green new growth - hopefully won't be a worry this year!
 
I was thinking the same thing, but then noticed my lawn isn't growing either, nor the weeds.

My next door farmer said the same thing. He normally turns his cows and sheep out now but there is no grass. The rape crops should be running up to flower around now and they are still tiny. We need some warmth - and soon!
 
What you need is grass growing weather, you can fertilise all you want, if it doesn't warm up, it won't grow! The spring is late this year and my fields are desperate, but we are forecast a bit of rain at the weekend and then temperatures in double figures, so I am quite hopeful. Horses come in for the night, but I feed forage in the paddocks anyway as they literally look like moonscape :eek:
 
It's just too cold for the grass to grow! I'm not worried yet as I never expect much grass before mid may anyway, although at this rate it may be a bit later......!!!
 
We have no grass. We recently planted a new hedge all around the perimeter of both our fields, which has been electric fenced off to stop the horses eating it, & even in the bit that they can't reach, there's NO grass!

We never get much, so I'm resigned to feeding & haying all year round.

T x
 
I don't think much is growing anywhere, as you drive along the verges still look grey and dead, we have a few spots very sheltered from the wind that look a little greener but probably about three horsey mouthfuls.

I like martlin and very much hoping the forecast is right as some double figure temps in the day and above 6 at night - combined with some rain (it's actually very dry on our Lincs clay soil at the moment!) with have the grass coming through in no time.

Loads of farmers have been doing stuff in the last few days and they are usually spot on with when things start to turn weather wise!
 
I was looking at my summer fields today and thinking the same thing. BUT as already said, it has been cold and dry recently so not likely weather for grass growth. I'm expecting higher temperatures and rain next week and I have fertiliser ready to apply after that. I'm resigned to feeding hay until late April but am optimistic we'll have some edible grass by then.
 
We have no grass yet but managed to get 3 fields harrowed and 1 rolled today so fingers crossed spring is on its way. The soil temp needs to be 6 degrees for the green stuff to make an appearance.
 
martlin said:
What you need is grass growing weather, you can fertilise all you want, if it doesn't warm up, it won't grow! The spring is late this year and my fields are desperate, but we are forecast a bit of rain at the weekend and then temperatures in double figures, so I am quite hopeful. Horses come in for the night, but I feed forage in the paddocks anyway as they literally look like moonscape :eek:
Click to expand...

I'm focusing on the temps being in double figures here!

I didnt think it was just us that was struggling, but I think all at our yard will be suprised at how quick grass will cme through after some rain and warmer weather.
 
I was really looking forward to it warming up but I see that it will be rainy too, what we need is sun and warmth, maybe with some short periods of light rain, then we'll all be posting that our horses are bonkers on the spring grass! :)
 
My grass isn't growing yet either, even the garden isn't growing. I need the grass to start growing as my horses are getting quite naughty trying to stop and graze any grass that they see when i am taking them out to the field.
 
OMG what's the temperature? There's a big burning ball of gas in the sky :eek:

Now, time for the "grass dance"!
 
Scary thing is if the grass doesnt start growing soon the hay & haylage crops this year will be really low & if we end up with a summer & winter like the ones weve just had we are all going to be in trouble, i didnt stop feeding all last year & i can see it being the same again this year.
 
Things that just need better weather to grow like grass and hay and haylage crops should be fine, once the sun comes out and the temps rise it will grow like stink, I know this because that's the normal pattern up here in the Cairngorms. A short season but you can literally see the stalks growing once it's off!

The things that will be grim are hard feed prices as lots of farmers haven't managed to get on the land to plant anything, and straw, because of the same reason. Both will be in short supply and very expensive in most of the UK.
 
By the middle of April I am usually thinking of sectioning off the field for my mare as she has had laminitis in the past and will live off fresh air but this year I have no grass growing to worry about and I am still feeding hay. I have never in the 30 years we have had horses been feeding hay this late in the year. I am totally fed up with it and my three miniatures are looking for food constantly and don't really want to be turned out at all they would rather be in their stable eating hay. I just think it must start growing soon it can't possibly stay like this much longer surely.:(
 
The grass cannot grow until the soil temperature reaches 7C. The spring is terribly late this year, but it WILL arrive and then we'll all be moaning about over-fat ponies and having to section off/muzzle/strip graze/keep in/etc. Have faith; the Sun God will relent someday soon......
 
A glimmer of hope today as temperatures soared to 10 degrees took the rugs off the fatties today and will leave them off if we dont get anymore freezing winds and rain. Biggest trouble round here is it is sandy soil and we have had no rain for a while
My wish for the weather would be proper April showers with warm sunshine in between. or better still rain all night and stay in double figures all day with sunshine
 
Two of my paddocks have no obvious grass growth but my sheep are now leaving their hay and are grazing and not stood near the hay so there must be something going on!
 
The section of the paddock the ponies are in is like a dustbowl,with the odd blade of grass sticking up.My dad is a farmer and said that the fields were greener in January than they are now.

But,the tractors are flying around here now,harrowing,rolling,muckspreading,and I noticed that the lettuce seeds I planted in early March are now germinating.I hope the grass comes in soon.
 
We harrowed 3 paddocks today and just need to finish sorting fencing off, then will move the herd tomorrow. :D

There's a bit of a bite, but I'm sure they are all fed-up of hay so can't wait to move them tomorrow. :D

It's all hands on deck then, to poo-pick the fields they were in, we usually do it everyday but threw the towel in the last couple of weeks due to the manky weather! Will start doing it daily again when they move tomorrow.

HOPEFULLY it will stay dry long enough this spring once the grass is actively growing so we can spray as we had quite a few buttercups last year, but due to the rain, no time to spray.

Fingers crossed!
 
Grass only grows once the soil temp is above 5degrees air temp means nothing. We still have snow hanging around. It will be a week or 2 before the soil warms up, then the grass will take off. I think we have just been spoilt these last few years with unseasonaly early springs.
 
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