[graham-j]

Hi,I have a bout 5 acres I keep my sheep on over winter and I want to use for hay,but am I too late.
I pulled my sheep off only a few weeks ago latter than I wanted to due to the weather and other problems.
My question is what next,the field is permanent ley,has some ragwort on it also thistles and creeping butter cup.I have most equipment fertilizer spreader and a small sprayer.Is it going to be worth spraying and fertilizing the field.
Any advice would be appreciated.

Thanks Graham

[ZaktheLad]

Definitely get rid of the ragwort for a start - lethal when in hay for sheep, horses etc.  The grass here in the South West has not grown at any great rates this year and so you may struggle to get a good crop if you have only just taken your sheep off the grazing a few weeks ago.  However, if you fertilize it, it is suprising how quickly it can come on, and you can cut hay as late as August or even later if necessary and the weather is ok for the process.   I would also want to get rid of the thistles and any docks that might be there.  It's very hard work keeping grassland in fine fettle, but producing your own hay is very satisfying.

[lachlanandmarcus]

If you spray the ragwort you have to remove every single bit of dead plant, as it is unlike other weeds (and contrary to what some of the weed killer instructions say :-((() MORE poisonous ESP to horses and more palatable as it loses it's bitter taste when dead, really they need to be hand pulled using a rag fork. I wouldn't sell anything from such a field until the ragwort is 100% gone as it is biennial so there can be little plants hiding.


On the positive side the late start to spring this year means I reckon you have a good chance of getting a single decent cut of hay off it. :-))


Thistles and docks need getting rid of but aren't poisonous. Our Shetland sheep eat docks tho which is handy for us, I dont think all other breeds do this.

[sabrina]

If I was you I would forget about hay this year. Maybe take it more sheep wither your own or rent for grazing. In the Autumn spray and again next Spring  making sure ragwort is gone. then think of hay. Ragwort seeds can be on your land for years so maybe never be suitable for making hay. We have sprayed our paddocks for over 17 years but my neighbour never treats her so I get seeds blown over from her fields which means I am never ragwort free.

[graham-j]

Hi,I have walked the field today and I haven't actually been able to find any ragwort.I hand pulled it then mowed it early last year and have had sheep hard grazing it,up until the end of April,no doubt there is still some there.
Here are some pictures I took today what do you think.

Thanks Graham.

[sabrina]

Looks nice enough but there still may be small ragwort that you cannot see. the choice is yours.

[lachlanandmarcus]

For your own use if you really can't find any and don't mow too low then it might be ok - after all if you buy in who knows what you get! But I wouldn't try to sell it, just in case.

[OhLaLa]

I'd spray and not do a cut this year. In the meantime I'd keep a very close watch for Ragwort and lift and burn every bit I found. Spring has been late this year, there could be small plants which you haven't spotted yet. Ragwort is notoriously difficult to get rid of so if you had it last year, there will be some in there this year. You can't risk it going into hay.
 

[Castle Farm]

You have about the same as I have here and I intend to make a crop.

 The best crop is when the grass is still in blade and before it turns into stalk.
It is obviously shorter, as there are no stem and seed heads.It will be harder to make hay out of it because of baling, but made as haylage while still in the blade stage you could get a crop off and still have grass to graze later.

Cut it when the sun is full on it mid afternoon while the sugars are high in the grass. Don;t knock it up to much when your turning it and try to do it on a 3 day window.

It will be more expencive to make, but it will be quality feed high in value and save you money on bag feed next winter.
Sheep waste a lot becuase they try to pick out good bits from a bale. They don't like stalk and get nothing out of seed heads.

Cutting it early will knock back other weeds in the field as well. You will know when it's ready to wrap by twisting a handfull till it breaks. If there are droplets of water dripping out of the ends it's to early. It should just leave a stain of wetness around your hand. wrap it then.

Grazing management is key to small farming and saves you money in the long run.

Hay is going to be expencive this year.

[graham-j]

Hi,do you spray for weeds at all,if so when is the best time/length of growth to do this.

Graham.

[Still playing with tractors]

As per all replys before once the ragwort is gone your best bet if you can get it is slurry and then follow up 2 weeks later with fert, that will probably give you a fighting chance of decent growth.

[graham-j]

Hi,my question is in reference to spraying for ragwort and other weeds such as buttercup and thistle.Looking at the photos above 1/should I spray it and 2/when.
I have dug out any ragwort I can find.And will continue to do so.
I now only want to get enough hay off this field for myself this year mainly to fatten my stores over winter.

Graham.

[Still playing with tractors]

Graham,

Your a bit too late to spray it would be better to top this year and catch it early on next year at the first signs of growth

[graham-j]

Right OK thanks,assuming I get the ragwort out manually,will I be OK to make hay with the butter cups and the thistles in it.As I say it will be for my own use.

Graham.

[ellied]

I'd lime it for the buttercups before making hay even if you're ragwort free, but if it's for your use then personally I'd graze it rather than cut bale and store it for this year anyway.