Turning Out

[natmadaboutdexters]

Has anyone thought about turning out yet? We normally hope to turn out at the beginning of May but the place where we are wintering a couple of our Dexters has asked if they can be turned out now. Although we have had four or five dry days now since the last snow and the ground is firm to walk on, I worry that a few days of rain will turn their paddock into a mud bath if the cattle are on it. Also the height of the grass is approx 3 inches high at the moment so not really enough to eat.

I have advised them that I will wait until the grass is longer but just wondered what other Dexter owners are thinking at this time of year?

Natasha

[Duncan MacIntyre]

Gosh, can you measure your grass? I don't think I have ever seen so little green on the island of Bute at this time of year and I have known it well for 42 years.

Duncan

[domsmith]

No grass here at all, we will be feeding all livestock for weeks yet! it has never been so bare this year has started badly and i hope it doesnt continue.

we are so dry 10 days since last snow/rain and its been a gale every day. dust blowing around. it will take warm rain to bring anything on.

in answer to your question. normally i turn out as early as poss. first sign of any grass and just about dry get them out and hope to cut down the silage. i am sure everyone will disagree with that. but i am about low input, if they can graze get them too. but no hope this year.
we had heifer out at the end of march last year, they had a bite of cake and managed to graze right through from about march 28th, couldnt believe my luck.

dominic

[natmadaboutdexters]

To be honest Duncan, the length of the grass is an entire estimate on my part, I havent actually got out there with a tape measure! I just know that it is normally about twice the height is now when I turn out.

Nice to know (or not maybe) that we are all in the same situation and probably a lot of people are worse off than me. Please please can the sun shine and the ground dry up and the grass grow, or is that too much to ask?

Natasha

[Rob R]

We don't normally turn out until April, however we usually house in January, not October, and there isn't a lot of point turning out for another four weeks at least, looking at the growth we have (or rather haven't got). It's dried up nicely but just not warmed up. Fortunately we've managed to keep the finishers finishing on the good hay & lucerne so they're going ahead of schedule.

[ann]

We don't normally expect to turn out until around the 21 April, but unless we get an amazing amount of growth between now and then it will be well into May, we are starting to dry up but the cold winds are turning what little grass we have brown. fortunetly I have enough silage for at least another month, but would certainly like to be able to cut down on the straw. Plus i usually aim to get my steers out early to give me more room when the cows start calving. What an awful 12 mths we have all had, and now to add insult to injury I hear they have dreadful fires in parts of Scotland. The weather really has gone crazy with drifts of snow 18 ft high in some parts and fires in other places

[Louisa Gidney]

I had to let mine out for a gallop in Feb on a sunny day as they were going stir crazy inside. They've been out today as I'm short of water, hay & bedding inside and outside they can get a drink and use the bale cradle. Had to come in tonight as it's so cold and wet out. It'll stop the whinging temporarily as they were blaring to go out again.

[ann]

Has anyone got any grass yet, ours is just starting to grow, but its going to be at least another week before I can get anything out. 2 calves have arrived in the last couple of days, and my daffodils are coming out, so at least spring is starting to arrive.

[Rob R]

Last night we had our first 'real' grass growth of the season, hopefully this is the start of it. We do have some grass, but none of it in the right places for turnout, annoyingly.

When it does get going though I'm not going to have enough stock to eat it, having cut back over winter, having more steers away earlier & more land, it's a catch-22 situation at the moment.

[Broomcroft]

Grass is growing now but not there yet for cattle. Got sheep outside and even though half stocked, they're still ahead of the grass. Also got excess silage this year, so the cattle are going to have to stay inside and eat it. With the late grass and late sewing of new leys (just doing it now 2-3 weeks late), forage may be a big issue this year? We're going to do everything poss to grow as much as we can. What a horrible year it's been.

[SteveM]

five steers and heifers turned out onto ex anti-aircraft gun site this morning, plenty of grass there for them, not a lot of grass at home but should have more to go out by next weekend.

[domsmith]

Put 31 stirks out last week, grass or not. 6 months of scraping them out has done me in. needed space for sheep and it just felt good to get rid of them!

still being fed at ring feeders but they are looking ok. no grass but it is coming. we dont normally get out until May but they have been in so long. just about to post about other problems on a seperate thread.

dominic

[Rob R]

We've just had a kick about where grass should be and it looks like next week we'll be turning out but supplementary feeding. Unfortunately the layout of our farm means we can't be as flexible as it means trailering the cows out and calving them away from the farm, but they will be nearer the stock of remaining bales. The growing stock will stay at home where there isn't much grass but probably enough to put them on until it starts. It will start, won't it? I'm ordering another tub of molasses though, as I think we're going to need it.

[SteveM]

another five steers and heifers out yesterday afternoon, once they are used to the fences again will move them away and the bull and some cows can go out, so by next weekend shouldnt have as many to feed, (weather permitting).

[ann]

I have managed to get my steers out today and they look very happy to be out. thankfully this has given me some room to get my newly calved cows into the vacant pen. Hopefully I can get a few more out in the next few days as the grass increases. Its certainly been a long winter, lets hope warmer weather is on its way.