winter

[victorfirst]

Anyone put their cows in yet

[ann]

I've got 2/3 in as they where starting to make to much mess in the fields they were in but still have my late calvers out with the bull, not sure for how much longer as they are in my best silage field so if we get much more rain they will have to come in as they have been having silage put out for the last couple of weeks which does cause the ground round the feeder to get chewed up. Saves on bedding if nothing else

[Rob R]

We just moved the main group of cows into their last field before they come home for the winter at New Year. The steers are working their way back for the last pass and the second group of cows will be coming back to eat off a random paddock or two. The bulls bought at York have stayed in since they arrived though, was going to turn them out but never got round to it. Soooo much better than last year though when, by now, we'd been housed for a month.

[Duncan MacIntyre]

Mine stay out all winter, unless any look very lean. Not likely to be fed any silage/haylage till well after new year, just about to move 21 to an 8 acre field which was only half cut for silage, then possibly a few weeks on rough ground which has not been grazed for about 10 years. Breeding bulls will go in at the weekend.

Duncan

[Jac]

Been in at night for a few weeks now - they don't do rain. We have a sacrificial paddock and try to get them out during the day for as long as the ground will permit.

[JohnnyP]

Ours are just giving our two hay/silage fields a last trim before moving to their winter quarters - a large rough field complete with woods, stream (which doesn't freeze), and rocky outcrops. It's been empty since they left it last March. They've had a couple of mini-round bales of silage to see if they like it (my first effort this summer) and to give them a boost before the cold northerly gale we just had (they loved it).

[SteveM]

last four cows and bull brought home this afternoon, just about eaten up in the field so easier to feed at home than risk them breaking out, or puddling up round the gateway waiting for hay.

Fourth year we have had the 10 acre field, average 10 head of cattle through summer, meter now showing 128 cu.metres of water used