NZ Compost Update, Mushrooms, Chicken Food

Got very close to finishing building the massive 4'6" cubed compost but things kept getting in the way of putting down the last few layers. The lawn is completely mown and the Elderflower, Buddleia and Mulberry are all pruned with pruning's mulched in the compost. Finally this morning the last layers were added.

Steam has been emanating from the central hole for days and too wispy to catch in a photograph but a probe dropped down the hole measured the temperature at 66.8 C. Now that should sterilize any wanton seed.

A few of the Mushroom containers appeared to produce spore and some time was spent sterilising batches of Lucerne to use as a bed. Before adding them to the hothouse.

Oyster Mushroom Spore - I think/hope

Lucerne Hay

And the day is not finished without unloading the ute which carried the 160 KG of mixed grain for the chickens and another 100 KG of Oat grain which will be sprouted for the cattle. Grass is getting scarce and they need to keep up their strength even after gorging themselves on Pumpkin.

Of the last 100 KG of Oats they only got through about half before the rains came and the Autumn grasses took off. The remaining grain went to the chickens.

We don't expect any luxurious growth now until well into September or later. Their diet will be a little sprouted Oats and a small biscuit of Lucerne in addition to what can be picked out of the paddocks.

Harvesting

The bed in the paddock that we refer to as the Tomato Bed is continuing to produce a steady flow of produce and the Mango trees are ripening their fruit. Being February the Fig tree is ripening its load. Normally it rains in February and the Figs explode. But not this year. Our preference is to have the rain but as with all things there is some good in everything. As is the way it all comes at once.

Corn and Mango

The one and only Pimply Squash

Figs

Friends have received their gifts of Watermelon quarters as we just can't keep up with the abundance. Everyone seems pleased at their windfall. We hate to waste this sweet produce and when it is of this high quality we gift it to various people. If it is just not quite perfect the chooks have a bonus. As it is they love cleaning out the left over skins leaving only a tissue thin shell.

Our cattle are back on sprouted grain and a small biscuit of Lucerne. There is a fair bit of roughage about on HHF but it is of poor quality and the supplementary feeding will keep them in top shape and content. We were lucky that we stocked up on Lucerne in Spring as it is getting more and more expensive and harder to acquire. Grain is 60 cents per kilogram and about 2 KG per animal is good value to keep them happy and well.

Some of the larger land holders with big herds are forced to buy in large loads of grain or pellets to supplement their feed regimes. There is hay available from Victoria but the freight cost is astronomical.

The rain forecast indicates little volume in the next 28 days, just a medium chance of small showers. About 250 mm over a week would be ideal. After rain it takes another two to three weeks to get the grass to edible height. Possibly mid to late March before ground feed resumes. That is the best case and it could be later. Then of course if it is later we enter April and the Summer grasses slow down growth. Could be a miserable Autumn and Winter for the farmers.

Final notes on drought feeding cattle

Firstly an update on feeding sprouted grain to our three cattle. They (or at least one) is licking the feeder clean).

They did this overnight and we couldn't confirm if they all got involved or if it was just whinging Warren who is the most vocal every morning. We are continuing with the diluted molasses over the grain.

Hector with Martinique in the background

The following notes are just random but they do contain some interesting pieces of information.

• Cattle start to use up muscle after their fat score goes down to 2.
• Once the fat score falls below 2 it takes 2-3 months for the animal to recover even when using good grass, hay or silage and grain. There was some discussion about Selenium as a supplement aiding the recovery if calves are removed.
• Calves take 6 months to recover
• Cows with calves really get pulled down quickly in dry weather and dairy breeds even more so. Genetics plays a big part.
• Calving at 2 years is too young as it sets the mothers back permanently
• Calf pellets are well formulated but expensive
• Mineral licks are good in these conditions
• With protein supplements you need abundant grass as they drive intake of food
• A calf in poor condition will cost $65/month to bring back to good condition
• Calves should be weaned if the mothers fat score drops to 2
• The problem with low quality feed is that the animal feels full, constantly chews, does not gain nutrition and loses weight
• 5 in 1 needed at least 10 days before change in diet to prevent Pulpy Kidney and death. Even for things as minor as going from dry feed to irrigated feed
• Cattle will eat things they shouldn't when feed is low and may become ill and die
• "Maintain" is not the best option. It is better to fatten up to a saleable condition
• If cows are fatter you run fewer head but require less energy to put weight back on
• If the ideal carcass weight is 300 kg and that reduces to 160 kg it becomes the "tip over point" and then that animal will need a diet of 10 MJ to recover. It will need to be able to eat 1% of its body weight each day
• Don't bare the ground out
• The more grazed down the slower the pasture is to recover
• 50 mm of cover is the minimum
• Fireweed and Giant Parramatta grass thrive in low pasture
• In this part of the world November to February is the most difficult time
• The last time there was no rain in February was in 1965
• Rye Grass going to seed is poor quality feed and best left alone.
• Kikuyu is good feed.
• Too much fussing with Summer crops, get Kikuyu
• Ideal drought feed is 15% hay plus supplements
• Start preparing for the next drought 3 months after the last flood.

Some notes on different cattle feeds

These are just some rough comparisons of price per Mega Joule which highlight that although feeding hay maybe simple and easy it is not the best solution. Beef cattle don't need much protein as it deprives them of energy because they use energy to process and excrete. Poor quality hay may fill their rumens but provide little benefit.

Mouldy feed is dangerous to both people and cattle and if it has heated it will drop in feed value dramatically.

The reference sites at the end of this blog provide much more detail on feed requirements and a comparison of options

• Cow Hay small rectangular bale@ $6.50 = 6.8 cents/MJ
• Below maintenance, not satisfactory intake
• Lucerne Hay round bale @ $120 = 4.7 cents/MJ
• "Just another feed"
• Wheaten Hay round bale @ $260 = 3.7 cents/MJ
•  may be too low in protein
• Silage round bale @ $100 = 5.83 cents/MJ
• A "lucky dip" for quality
• Best made and fed on the property
• If you make it then use it as it deteriorates
• 4 wraps is standard, if being kept for 12 months + use 6 wraps
• Carting silage is expensive. The wrapping damages easily and the contents will deteriorate rapidly when this happens
• Once opened should be consumed within 3-4 days as it will heat up and go mouldy
 
• Molasses 2.7cents/MJ
• Maintenance feed, best through Winter
• There must be dry feed with it
• Various formulae exist using it with water and Urea where it is a taste carrier for the Urea
• Slows down weight loss in lactating cows and maintains dry cows
• Urea must be used with caution excessive use will bring down a cow
• Blackstrap molasses better than Mill Run
• Dry Distillers Grain 2.7 cents/MJ
• May contain antibiotics
• Must be served with roughage
• High Sulphur, no more than 2.7KG/cow
• Darkens meat colour
• Rolled Barley 2.8 cents/MJ
• Cottonseed has become expensive and in short supply
• Various other premixes exist of mixed grains or pellets. The formulations are good but expensive

More detailed information at Feeding Cattle DPI Victoria and DPI NSW

Some new projects and more on feeding cattle

Last Tuesday I forgot to mention John is trying an experiment. No shampoo or soap just water in the shower. As of today no strange smells have developed and none of the dogs have tried rolling on him.

He has commented that his towel may need replacement more often.

But to be fair because of the tick problem across the river we shower and change cloths as soon as we get back. Sometimes for John that can be twice each day and in addition there is the shower at the end of the day. Add that to an hour several times each week in the chlorinated water of the swimming pool and the cold water rinse off afterwards means he is reasonably clean.

Why? Just curiosity. Some links below.

Mark's Daily Apple

Permies Forum

Paul Wheaton Podcast

After the drought feeding seminar we performed an assessment on our three cattle. Sometimes when they stand at different angles some ribs show. Probably ok but just in case we have decided to sprout some grains and slowly modify their diets to include these for a while to make sure they are receiving enough energy food until the green grass returns.

Today as we collected chook food grains from a local bulk supplier we also bought a small amount of Oats in addition to the other grains which included Barley. The trial will be on two different grains Oats and Barley to see which if any they prefer. A kilogram of each will soak overnight and then be drained and sprouted. As soon as the little white nodule of the sprout emerges we will try feeding it out with a little molasses as a sweetener.

Some Drought Feeding Notes

• Cattle graze for 14/15 hours each day
• Protein is secondary to energy content of their food
• Manage the grass cover of your paddocks by not letting the coverage get below 50 mm in height so that it will recover quickly. If the paddock is bared it will take longer to recover after rain and also promote weeds.
• If necessary use a sacrificial paddock rather than flock the entire property.
• Green pick is next to useless. This is the famous green pick referred to that pops up after burning off or a bared paddock after the first shower of rain.
• Lock up paddocks for about 2 weeks after rain to allow regrowth. 2 weeks assumes reasonable nitrogen levels and grass coverage i.e. improved country is very important for recovery.
• Poorer country must be rested and given time to recover

Feeding Grain to Cattle

When we first moved south to our current property there was a drought and hand feeding the few cattle we brought with us became a priority. As well as roughage we wanted to feed something that would provide protein and vitamins and minerals. Feeding un-cracked grain was out of the question and cracked grain was so wasteful. Grain itself is not a normal part of the bovine diet. Somewhere in our reading we had come across the value of sprouted grain. The most value was received when the sprout has just emerged. Not only in terms of vitamins but it also means the cattle aren’t at risk of bloating.

The grain is put in a bucket and covered with water for 24 hours. It is then poured into a large colander for draining for the next 24 hours and in warmer weather this might be less. The little tiny emerging sprout is the signal that it is ready for feeding out, The cattle loved it. We were careful to only feed out small quantities in the first week and then gradually increased the volume. They thrived. They thrived during that period.

Large Colanders with bottle for size