Running out of Grass

[Asha]

Forage yield is 20% down here verses last year and second crops may not even happen if we don’t get rain soon .
With that and the timber price it’s looking like a diffcult winter is coming .

ive spoken to a few contractors, and they are all saying the same. first cut didn't get what they expected, and 2nd cut at the moment isn't looking too promising. Maybe a late September cut ?

 

[windand rain]

living in a very arable area I have never seen them take a second cut it seems they go June hay, July August September grain and rape, October potatoes and carrots, November sugar beet and root crops, Run up to Christmas sprouts and other green veg, Spring flowers and so on. There is little time in the farmers year for second hay cut the yield has been higher and quality better because of the hot weather so none was lost to rain.

 

[tda]

Our haylage crop is down quite a bit 😐 May by the time it was dry enough to fertiliser, then literally it has not rained since, so I guess it has never washed in.

 

[MiJodsR2BlinkinTite]

I'm in Devon, East Devon, and the fields where my three graze is right down to bare earth in parts, tho' there IS some longer grass in one section of the field which TBH is more like hay, which they seem to be chomping away at - and all three are good doers and fat as piglets, so not worrying for now.

But could deffo do with some rain; its a total PITA not having any water in the water-butts for one thing!

 

[Orangehorse]

All our grass fields are crisp and brown and I have been feeding hay for ages - this year's as I had completely run out of last year's hay due to the long wet winter/spring!

Even so, the horses are nibbling at the dried up bits of so called grass and judging by the amount of droppings they leave they are getting enough to eat.

I have just been on holiday to Devon and you have much more grass than here in the Midlands. Mine have been coming in during the day to get away from the flies anyway.