Crime Scene Investigation - Perth ...

The site is 60 acres.  20 acres nestles right next to the Fair City of Perth and its large dog population; the remaining 40 sits awkwardly on the other side of the Perth Bypass with no access that doesn’t involve a highly stressful movement through a wood, over a bridge and through another wood.  There is a clear and present danger of sheep making their way to the city centre, if things go wrong.

Its poor stuff.  A lot of moss. Really slow growth rates. A lot of creeping thistle. A bit of gorse and a sprinkling of nettles.

175 sheep - mostly hoggs - spent four weeks on the 20 acres taking it down to 1,100 kgDM/Ha ... oops!  Now - safely across the bypass - 118 (the rest were sold) have been on 3.6 Ha (9 acres) for 7 days - going on at 2,100 kgDM/Ha and taking this down to 1,650 kgDM/Ha as of today (this means an average of 2.4 kgDM/day consumption which is roughly 4.5% of bodyweight which must be wrong).  The untouched remainder has grown by 70 kgDM/Ha/Day over the last week. Compared to a growth rate of 8 kgDM/Ha/Day on the original “grazed bare” 20 acres.  I should really check my platemeter but leaf grows leaf; grass grows grass ... the figures might not be completely accurate (though maybe they are) but I think it still tells a story.

Tomorrow I take delivery of the “Rappa pallet of wonder” which includes the ATV Rappa machine.  I am wearing a nappy tonight ... I am that excited.  

Once delivered we go max-strength cell grazing with hopefully additional stock numbers arriving soon to ensure we can keep on top of the grass.

An Ounce of Action, A Ton of Theory ...

The key concept of cell grazing can be summed up in one number and one word: 3 days. 

3 days represents the time (in peak growth) that a ryegrass plant will produce a new leaf following grazing.  If its leaves are continually defoliated it has to rely on its reserves within its root source to try and grow again. This represents a major challenge and stress to the ryegrass plant. In set stocking situations defoliation of the new leaf continually happens and growth is considerably hindered.  However, if the new leaf is allowed to grow without defoliation, dry matter yields have the potential to be significantly increased.  

In the UK we look down alot!  We look at soil, at soil analysis, at moisture.  These are all vital but I don’t think beef and sheep farmers look up enough ... 95% of a ryegrass plant’s needs come from sunlight. Its leaves are solar panels. By defoliating once and allowing for unhindered recovery after 2 to 3 days grazing, we can allow the solar panels to work.  Grass grows grass.  

Nice Platemeter!

In addition, I’m hoping for far less preferential grazing; far more usage (actual consumption) of any grass grown;  better fertility transfer (manure spreading); and improved sward composition with ryegrass and clover percentages increasing compared to poorer species.

I also want world peace and for Scotland to win the Rugby World Cup this year.