When you said comment below about how to do this? Yes please? I have mangalitsa pigs and berkshires which I'd love to help me make good cover crop locations. Not sure where to go from that but I'm sure you have a video or something I could refer to?
ruclips.net/p/PLIUrf_WskudRXIa3Wbt2YM15LQbpBN2rY This playlist will get you started. It focuses more on reducing pig feed costs but it does other things as well.
Yes you can use pigs to trample in the seed. In fact, in the follow up video on this channel “Pigs Love Demolishing One Cover Crop and Planting Another” I do that very thing. I’ll try to plan a video on the different ways to plant without machinery, but generally the smaller the seed, the easier it is to plant without machinery. Clovers, ryegrass, and brassicas are all small seeded and can be broadcast on bare ground with decent germination. Tilled or disced soil is usually gets better germination rates, but pigs can do a lot of that work for you. Larger seeded crops like soybeans, winter peas, cowpeas, buckwheat, cereal grains, and the like can be planted with pigs trampling or rooting them into the ground. It is imperative not to use treated seed because the pigs will eat a lot of the larger seeded crops. Also, I double the amount of seed to use if using pigs because the do eat some of the seed. Finally, I have found that once a pasture or field has been tilled, disced, or tilled with pigs once, it is much easier to plant the cover crops in it in later plantings. The sod layer in most pastures is pretty tough and can keep new seeds from getting the moisture and soil contact they need to germinate very well.
Hi Rob. I am in a very dry area and we get 14 inches of rain annually. I have been been told that Sudan grass will hurt cattle due puristic acid. I have tried and could not get it high enough to graze. What is your cover crop. I need some help. Thanks
Is that in the Midwest? You are right. Prussic acid poisoning can be a huge issue with cattle if it is stressed by drought, frost, or grazed too young. If you can build up organic matter in your soil enough to hold moisture for your crop, you could graze it, but that’s pretty hard to do. Cowpeas are a good nitrogen fixing, deeper rooted legume that might help some. Another one that you might try is Sunn Hemp. It’s a legume that grows well on poor soil and it’s relatively drought tolerant. It’s not legal to grow in all states because the department of agriculture is afraid that it will go to see and become an invasive species. But it really doesn’t go to seed in the US except for southern Texas and Florida.
@@DowdleFamilyFarms Hi, just curious, do you irrigate at all or just rainfall. Im in south africa so hot summers but we have good rain in my area. Im totally new to this and my concern is winter grazing as we have dry winters. Should I plant cover crop mid summer in order to establish grazing for the winter and let the cattle and pigs graze it off? I have so much to learn about cover crops....
@@Blackhawk182182 We do not irrigate. Most cool season crops that I know of do not have issues with prussic acid. I have a video on sorghum sudangrass and prussic acid is addressed in the video. It should be published Friday. It’s a learning curve on cover crops, but most of it is easy to learn. Keep it up, you can do it. I was in South Africa and Mozambique in July and August of 2004 and it was really dry then!
One of the most important thing that you will need is good fencing. We use high tensile electric fencing and it works really well for our pigs, once we train them to the electric fence. Depending upon the climate in your area, you will need shade and a dry place that they can get out of rain and wind. The rest is just food and water. It is quite simple. Give them room and move them to a new space over week or two so that manure piles and wallows don’t get too strong smelling. I’m working on a series of videos to help people get started with pastured pigs.
@@DowdleFamilyFarms I have been thinking of getting some Kunekunes to breed. I appreciate all the content you make I am trying cover crops this year for my cattle and goats.
It depends on the time of year. We have a video on cool season cover crops worth checking out. It details each cool season crop we use. We have a few different recent videos that talk about our warm season cover crop mix. That’s the real soul builder, though we graze it with cattle and then finish it off with pigs later. Improving Soil Health on a Small Farm: A Case Study in Regenerative Agriculture ruclips.net/video/VZSDAelfZ2s/видео.html
@@JSomerled I’m in Caledonia, MS (Lowndes County). There are a few extension agents that know cover crops here but not to the extent that I use them. But I may not have found them. The basic summer mix is sorghum Sudan grass, cowpeas, sunflowers, and buckwheat. I add a little dwarf essex rape, okra, pearl millet, forage soybean, and whatever else I can find. Buckwheat makes phosphorus much more available to plants. Cowpeas or soybeans offer nitrogen and increase protein, but the workhorse is the sorghum Sudan grass.
I’ve considered ringing their noses before. On pastures it would be nice but then in our wooded lots we want them to root and dig up briars and brambles.
Good vid looks amazing
Thank you! It has worked well.
When you said comment below about how to do this? Yes please? I have mangalitsa pigs and berkshires which I'd love to help me make good cover crop locations. Not sure where to go from that but I'm sure you have a video or something I could refer to?
ruclips.net/p/PLIUrf_WskudRXIa3Wbt2YM15LQbpBN2rY
This playlist will get you started. It focuses more on reducing pig feed costs but it does other things as well.
Is there a way to plant without machinery? Do you use the pigs to temple in the seed? Thank you just getting started
Yes you can use pigs to trample in the seed. In fact, in the follow up video on this channel “Pigs Love Demolishing One Cover Crop and Planting Another” I do that very thing. I’ll try to plan a video on the different ways to plant without machinery, but generally the smaller the seed, the easier it is to plant without machinery. Clovers, ryegrass, and brassicas are all small seeded and can be broadcast on bare ground with decent germination. Tilled or disced soil is usually gets better germination rates, but pigs can do a lot of that work for you. Larger seeded crops like soybeans, winter peas, cowpeas, buckwheat, cereal grains, and the like can be planted with pigs trampling or rooting them into the ground. It is imperative not to use treated seed because the pigs will eat a lot of the larger seeded crops. Also, I double the amount of seed to use if using pigs because the do eat some of the seed. Finally, I have found that once a pasture or field has been tilled, disced, or tilled with pigs once, it is much easier to plant the cover crops in it in later plantings. The sod layer in most pastures is pretty tough and can keep new seeds from getting the moisture and soil contact they need to germinate very well.
Do buy it
Don’t buy it
Hi Rob. I am in a very dry area and we get 14 inches of rain annually. I have been been told that Sudan grass will hurt cattle due puristic acid. I have tried and could not get it high enough to graze. What is your cover crop. I need some help. Thanks
Is that in the Midwest? You are right. Prussic acid poisoning can be a huge issue with cattle if it is stressed by drought, frost, or grazed too young. If you can build up organic matter in your soil enough to hold moisture for your crop, you could graze it, but that’s pretty hard to do. Cowpeas are a good nitrogen fixing, deeper rooted legume that might help some. Another one that you might try is Sunn Hemp. It’s a legume that grows well on poor soil and it’s relatively drought tolerant. It’s not legal to grow in all states because the department of agriculture is afraid that it will go to see and become an invasive species. But it really doesn’t go to seed in the US except for southern Texas and Florida.
@@DowdleFamilyFarms Hi, just curious, do you irrigate at all or just rainfall. Im in south africa so hot summers but we have good rain in my area. Im totally new to this and my concern is winter grazing as we have dry winters. Should I plant cover crop mid summer in order to establish grazing for the winter and let the cattle and pigs graze it off? I have so much to learn about cover crops....
@@Blackhawk182182 We do not irrigate. Most cool season crops that I know of do not have issues with prussic acid. I have a video on sorghum sudangrass and prussic acid is addressed in the video. It should be published Friday. It’s a learning curve on cover crops, but most of it is easy to learn. Keep it up, you can do it. I was in South Africa and Mozambique in July and August of 2004 and it was really dry then!
What to get started raising pigs and improving the soil on my 40 acres.
One of the most important thing that you will need is good fencing. We use high tensile electric fencing and it works really well for our pigs, once we train them to the electric fence. Depending upon the climate in your area, you will need shade and a dry place that they can get out of rain and wind. The rest is just food and water. It is quite simple. Give them room and move them to a new space over week or two so that manure piles and wallows don’t get too strong smelling. I’m working on a series of videos to help people get started with pastured pigs.
Try it without the hogs
So the pigs are eating that tall Sudan grass?
Yes they are. They may not eat it all as quickly but if they stay there long enough they will.
How do you keep pigs from digging out of pastures?
We use electric fencing. It usually works really well. Do you raise pigs?
@@DowdleFamilyFarms I have been thinking of getting some Kunekunes to breed. I appreciate all the content you make I am trying cover crops this year for my cattle and goats.
Would like to get a list for seed used for cover crop.
It depends on the time of year. We have a video on cool season cover crops worth checking out. It details each cool season crop we use.
We have a few different recent videos that talk about our warm season cover crop mix. That’s the real soul builder, though we graze it with cattle and then finish it off with pigs later.
Improving Soil Health on a Small Farm: A Case Study in Regenerative Agriculture
ruclips.net/video/VZSDAelfZ2s/видео.html
@@DowdleFamilyFarms thanks.. pretty good video.I’m starting a plan for 40 acres..
@@JSomerled where are you located?
@@DowdleFamilyFarms Mississippi… I’m wondering if there is an ag college extension that might have experience
@@JSomerled I’m in Caledonia, MS (Lowndes County). There are a few extension agents that know cover crops here but not to the extent that I use them. But I may not have found them. The basic summer mix is sorghum Sudan grass, cowpeas, sunflowers, and buckwheat. I add a little dwarf essex rape, okra, pearl millet, forage soybean, and whatever else I can find. Buckwheat makes phosphorus much more available to plants. Cowpeas or soybeans offer nitrogen and increase protein, but the workhorse is the sorghum Sudan grass.
Probably ring the noses
I’ve considered ringing their noses before. On pastures it would be nice but then in our wooded lots we want them to root and dig up briars and brambles.