We have farmed in the MID through cow days, hay days,
strip grazing, open grazing( hell we have been round a long time!!) Pasture
monitors, Dm per hectare measurements and so on and probably most other feed
measurements that have crossed vic dairy-l>
Some very old fashioned advice. Is you cow contented, in good health, living
in a comfortable environment??( Not stressed by such appalling things as
sacrifice paddocks or strip grazed in mud to save a few dollars) Is she
fertile??? Feed her until she is and top it up with quality substitutes such
as hay,grain or pellets and do not wear yourself out on pasture perfection
or hours at the computer.
Do not be hood winked in to three leaf emergence I can promise you next year
or very soon someone will inflict another more successful equation upon you
all.
No matter what you grow your cow is what converts it to profit.
Look to her needs as carefully as you look to three leaf emergence. I
guarantee will be more profitable!!
Cheers Jeannette
----- Original Message -----
From: "Noel Pattinson" <noel@netspace.net.au>
To: <vicdairy-l@unimelb.edu.au>
Sent: Sunday, August 06, 2006 4:50 PM
Subject: Ryegrass Growth Rate
> Hi everyone,
> I am puzzled as to why the ryegrass in my district is so much slower to
> reach 3 leaves than elsewhere.
> I was at a seminar last week having the usual discussion before the
> meeting
> started i.e. weather, calving, rotation length.
> I was surprised to hear that in the MID 55 -60 day rotation has been the
> average, as my pastures were taking 75 days to reach the same leaf stage
> that was 2.5 leaves I am wondering why the difference ? I checked with a
> neighbour and looked at one of his paddocks today which had been out for
> 85
> days and we estimated it to be at 2.7 leaves which gives a winter rotation
> of approx. 90 days.
> I have at times said that the ryegrass here does not grow at the same rate
> as elsewhere only to be told that I was wrong and to check it again. well
> they are wrong! It does grow at different rates at different locations on
> the same day of the year..
> So the question is WHY?
> What are the limiting factors to plant growth rate in order of priority?
> Sunlight...temperature...?
> What if I have 2 hours per day less sunlight than the MID or that as soon
> as
> the sun drops below a hill the temperature drops 4 degrees in 15 minutes
> then continued down do 0-2 degrees C. every night, could this have any
> effect?
>
> Noel Pattinson
> Greenacres
> Willung
> Gippsland
> Victoria
>
>
>
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