Episode 8 - This job is called zero grazing which allows me be able to drive to fields away from the farm to bring fresh grass back for our cows! Hope you enjoy Please like, comment and subscribe
Grass/Paddock health: Earthworms need some grass trampled (Greg Judy and others say 50%) which will build up the the organic matter that feeds all the other life and builds up the soil to the point that no more inputs are required. Inputs cost money. Because your ground is too wet you are quite right to zero graze however the replacement (processed) nutrients from dung and urine are missing (dung in patty form so the dung beetles can find it and sink it even deeper, which isn't slurry by any stretch). When you look at the paddock from the Earthworm's perspective which is the #1 goal of Regenerative Agriculture you will find a way. Zero Inputs, none, nada, Nature working hard. Farmers keeping their hard-earned income, not Ag-Tech-Business. Composts and compost teas, get good at knocking up those. Also lightly seed with herbs/forbs and legumes as they don't compete with grass and will prove more productive in meat and/or milk.
This kind of extremely low-input low-output system only works in areas constricted by periods of heavy drought where you can also winter graze the built up forage. The British isles do not have the constriction of drought to the same degree the US has, while also a lot of the time not being able to overwinter at high stocking rates without destroying the land. You are also dealing with a totally different species of grass - ryegrass vs fescue, which produces a much higher quality forage while holding worse into the winter. There is an upper limit of sustained soil carbon that can be achieved, and this can be hit through a low residual zero grazing system (assuming continual perennial pasture or no till) due to the roots of the plant rotting as the plant dies; you could even argue that this is superior to biomass left on the surface of the soil as it actually widely distributes the organic matter instead of having it in a hyper concentrated 1-2cm where a large percentage of it will inevitably end up volatilized. You cannot apply systems used in marginal land to top quality land and expect them to transfer - you are talking about x4 the amount of forage production in t/dm, with 50% more energy and protein per unit of mass, averages of 7-8 grazing rotations per year compared to 1.5-2 recommended by the US consultants (again picked to be this low because of moisture constraints). This is reflected in the price of the land - it will be x4/5/6 times the price of average grazing land in the US. If you tried to apply the systems you are talking about to a farm in the British Isles or New Zealand you would be looking at
Hello Peter Clark, I agree with your comment to Jason Smith on the merits in Regenerative Agriculture (RA) and in fairness to him, he did reply and thanked you. RA can play an important part in dairy farming and it's 100% possible. It may not be as productive as conventional farming but produces a higher nutrient rich milk and what's more it's more profitable on account of less inputs. Zero grazing is reliant on cheap fuel and artificial fertilizers which will never be cheap again . Also RA practices are drought tolerant anywhere in the world. I know because I've seen it first hand in the summer (june July August) 2018 here in Ireland. RA has the ability to solve all the world's problems but it's obstacle is to change mindsets. The old narrative is a stubborn beast.
Hello Peter Clark, I agree with your comment to Jason Smith on the merits in Regenerative Agriculture (RA) and in fairness to him, he did reply and thanked you. RA can play an important part in dairy farming and it's 100% possible. It may not be as productive as conventional farming but produces a higher nutrient rich milk and what's more it's more profitable on account of less inputs. Zero grazing is reliant on cheap fuel and artificial fertilizers which will never be cheap again . Also RA practices are drought tolerant anywhere in the world. I know because I've seen it first hand in the summer (june July August) 2018 here in Ireland. RA has the ability to solve all the world's problems but it's obstacle is to change mindsets. The old narrative is a stubborn beast.
@@kwoltekublai3337 You have had two months to mull over that response you gave. I was wondering if you'd refined your view? BTW those calculations don't match any reality I've encountered. The 'inputs' are still required, but instead of being a costly nett loss to the farmer they are replaced with thought and knowledge, using microscopes, making a variety of compost extracts in multiple ways for different outcomes, with a specific purpose in mind. All of which restores the farmer as his own master.
Yes it would do because there is little to no wastage at all with zero grazing. Grazing the cattle you have to allow for trample/manure damage. However, if you just zero graze then your cows will be staying indoors therefore you''ll have extra costs that way so there a balance. We have around 250 cows, 350 total stock to feed, but our dairy cows are very big intake cows (17kg of dry matter per day)
Many people in the netherlands do something like this but we mow it with a front mower and pick it up with a loading wagen we call it stalvoeren and that,s not to expensive
Was a long time ago so couldn't really say but i know its paid for itself over and over! We like to keep it clean, well maintained and dry stored through the winter so its lasted us a long time!
