Best Tool For The Job-Brush?

[Ben H]

I've seen your clear cuts Pat, I have a little bit of similar experience. I cleared about 12 acres two seasons ago. It ranged from being out of production from anywhere between 20-40 years. I hired a guy with a fecon mulcher. He cut and stacked everything big enough for pulp wood, sold that and mulched everything else. Only the biggest stumps were left, the smaller ones were ground. I've been using the cows to control the regrowth, have done a little bale grazing on it when I ran out of forage on that farm and was wating to move them to the next farm. Last year I also used my cows to turn them into a "brushy" area. Brush is a strategy for drought management I read about and wanted to try it. It worked pretty good, they put a hurtin' on the brush, so I know what the cows are capable of. My friend was hunting in there this fall and asked what I did. I did an estimate this morning, I figure about $7500 in fencing, that includes an MBX2500 charger and a little bit of interior as well. That's a 5 strand perimeter, I'd have to add 2 more strands for goats. Woven wire (which is what the old fence is, with railroad ties) would just be cost prohibitive in my opinion. I like to use a 5 strand perimeter along roads now, the extra 2 wires don't cost that much extra and it gives me a little more peace of mind.

It would be nice if I could get this field up to snuff and custom graze a load of stockers, I don't think I'd do that with the existing conditions.

 

[PATB]

Ben I will chat with you at the Grass farmers conference.

 

[bverellen]

This field is about 60 acres, which is large for county. The downside is I'm not sure how many years I will get out of it. It's near the Industrial Park, it's prime real estate, on a major road, has sewer/water. .

Ben; I have a 60 acre lease right next to and Industrial park also. Complete with tower cranes for a picturesque skyline. Perhaps that's why I don't post any pics, I am truly envious of what others have for a spread :wink:

Anyway, my point is that you should not be concerned with the possibility of the land getting sold. The economy is dragging and few are investing in overpriced commercial land.

Also, your situation may be different, but down here cattle operations CHARGE developers and land owners money to run cattle to aquire ag status for tax purposes. I get about 5K per year to maintain ag status on my little square of grass, and the owners pay for all fencing and bush hogging.

Edited to add, by clearing that land and fencing it, you are providing the landowner added value and service.

Just some food for thought. I would exploit that little lease if you can.

bart.

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[Ben H]

Good point Bart, it's an interesting property. East is the Inustrial Park. North, almost across the street is a farm that has been in the family since before the town was founded, 1736. Further down the street is the family of this property I'm interested in, where I lease some land, and has a few about 200 acres all the way to the river. That is directly across the street from the Industrial Park. Neither of those farms on that side of the road have interest in development. Someone asked about coyotes this close to the Industrial Park, they are no more then hundreds of yards away. Fortunately I have never had a loss. I think it has a lot to do with how much forest we have here, and there is an easier meal on the other side of the fence. The farm we got our original cows from pounded a coyote into the ground. One night checking cows I during calving season the cows had sentries just outside the herd looking outward, all the calves were in the middle. I think if I could at least get a 10 year lease then it would be worth it.

I just emailed the town assessor to see what the change of use could do for taxes.

Cya Saturday Pat.

 

[redrobin]

Hire someone to shred it. It'll be back but if you do nothing it won't produce much this year, much less in a couple years. When the leaves come out , it'll shade more grass than what won't be shaded it appears.

Most of the shorter brush will be well pruned by the cows unless it is one of the birches. The maples, ash, oak and most other tree species the cows find tasty. Dogwood and other shrubs are another problem. The larger trees need to be taken care of one way or another and the evergreens.

Pat I can't speak for Maine but in Arkansas if my cows have enough forage they won't eat brush. Not oak, maple, ash dogwood or buckbrush, hackberry, hickory, thorny locust, etc. I hear grazing management men saying they will, mine do not. In my opinion if God intended cows to eat leaves frequently they would have a giraffe's neck.

 

[burnt]

redrobin, you must have spoiled cows! Ours keep the front of the bush and fence rows trimmed in a horizontal line as high as they can reach.

They are rotationally grazed so are accustomed to pretty good grass.

 

[Northern Rancher]

I've never seen a cow yet that won't browse a bit in no matter how much grass it's just their nature to sample.