manual v ediy milk recording

mattthetrasher

i bought 2nd hand meters about 3 weeks ago just finished our first recording with them man! are they easy, guy comes does meters ,me clusters on off pre post spray out, a doddle.:D did 5 years with ediy meters they should be banned for cruelty to man

st1979

Fully agree used the DIY milk recording system and used to go mental doing it. First used them in my old 6 unit plant (found they slowed up milking a lot (milking was already slow enough) then used them in my new 20 unit which made a fast milking parlour really slow. plus u got to factor in the pulling off pipes to put on the meter and the fixing up after u take it all apart. For me it probably added on 3-4 hrs in that day. I have built in meters but no sampler so need to buy the ambic samplers and then i will go back recording.

keep going

impossible to do right on your own could never get it perfect.this year got my wife to do it for me while i milked and we got it100%.of course she takes all the credit,like to see her do on her own:P

whelan1

keep going wrote: »

impossible to do right on your own could never get it perfect.this year got my wife to do it for me while i milked and we got it100%.of course she takes all the credit,like to see her do on her own:P

i used to go around doing the milk recording years ago , it was a great job ,you would see alot of different systems ... we still have a lady coming around to do the milk recording and would never change to diy...

linebacker52

Surprised to see negative comments on diy. Been using diy for three years now and wouldn't go back to manual.

5live

3rd year on DIY and it adds about an hour to evening milking and a half hour to morning milking on a 14 unit with jars. But only 4 times a year and about 500 euro cheaper than the old system. Its not as stressful now as i have a fair routine but the cleaning out after is horrendous altogether:mad:

Martin 83

How long does it take 4 results to come back with the manual recording these days?

whelan1

Martin 83 wrote: »

How long does it take 4 results to come back with the manual recording these days?

depends when they are collected , anything from 2 days to 2 weeks but if you are in a hurry ring them and let them know

Martin 83

2 Days is the same as i get my diy results. The manual results used to take 3-4 weeks.
The most important thing is that cows are recorded. I cant understand how any farmer can milk cows without recording them.

whelan1

Martin 83 wrote: »

2 Days is the same as i get my diy results. The manual results used to take 3-4 weeks.
The most important thing is that cows are recorded. I cant understand how any farmer can milk cows without recording them.

yes it is totally beyond me too

keep going

Just finished last recording of the year and it looks like that will be it for a while.dont get enough value out of it for the cost and hassle and as long as cell count stays in order we wont do it next year.given the expansion in the herd we havent been in a position to cull according to yield. Thinking of buying maybe 3 or 4 meters and use them regularly just to keep an eye on things, it would pick up a low yielder in the autumn

mahoney_j

keep going wrote: »

Just finished last recording of the year and it looks like that will be it for a while.dont get enough value out of it for the cost and hassle and as long as cell count stays in order we wont do it next year.given the expansion in the herd we havent been in a position to cull according to yield. Thinking of buying maybe 3 or 4 meters and use them regularly just to keep an eye on things, it would pick up a low yielder in the autumn

Didn't record this year as I wanted to genotype all my heifer calves,maidens and this years first calvers .will def go back at it next year as info got from it is extremely useful

Timmaay

keep going wrote: »

Just finished last recording of the year and it looks like that will be it for a while.dont get enough value out of it for the cost and hassle and as long as cell count stays in order we wont do it next year.given the expansion in the herd we havent been in a position to cull according to yield. Thinking of buying maybe 3 or 4 meters and use them regularly just to keep an eye on things, it would pick up a low yielder in the autumn

Dropped back to every 2nd month here, and think I'll go to just every quarter next year. Got basic milk indicators which give me yields anyways. Doing it every month works out at 2k a yr, dropping back to every quarter 650e, supplying 500kl that works out 1/4c/l, if I can save a few more of them 1/4c/l that could make the difference between a profit and a loss next year!

alps

st1979 wrote: »

Fully agree used the DIY milk recording system and used to go mental doing it. First used them in my old 6 unit plant (found they slowed up milking a lot (milking was already slow enough) then used them in my new 20 unit which made a fast milking parlour really slow. plus u got to factor in the pulling off pipes to put on the meter and the fixing up after u take it all apart. For me it probably added on 3-4 hrs in that day. I have built in meters but no sampler so need to buy the ambic samplers and then i will go back recording.

Have built in meters and was using the ambic samplers but the fat samples for the high yielding cows was way too low....
The problem would only manifest on the high yielding and a cow that should be 3.6+ could come in as 2.8. No problem with protein..
Was going to change to manual recording meters when the ediy units came out and using those since..

One of the most hated jobs on the farm though just behind drying cows and covering silage....

Timmaay

alps wrote: »

Have built in meters and was using the ambic samplers but the fat samples for the high yielding cows was way too low....
The problem would only manifest on the high yielding and a cow that should be 3.6+ could come in as 2.8. No problem with protein..
Was going to change to manual recording meters when the ediy units came out and using those since..

One of the most hated jobs on the farm though just behind drying cows and covering silage....

I've noticed plenty of high yielding cows with fats down around the 2.6 also in the spring, I didn't really have time to try find a solution, just assumed they must be all in a bad negative energy balance, but you specifically think it's an issue with the sampling technique? Coming to think about it the bunk tank fat readings aren't the worst at the time, I'd assumed before the JEx etc were balancing it out.

Timmaay

alps wrote: »

One of the most hated jobs on the farm though just behind drying cows and covering silage....

Training in fussy heifers? The ultimate hated job was dehorning large animals (obviously with the vet), thankfully eliminated that problem now.

alps

Timmaay wrote: »

I've noticed plenty of high yielding cows with fats down around the 2.6 also in the spring, I didn't really have time to try find a solution, just assumed they must be all in a bad negative energy balance, but you specifically think it's an issue with the sampling technique? Coming to think about it the bunk tank fat readings aren't the worst at the time, I'd assumed before the JEx etc were balancing it out.

It would be interesting if any others had the same issue. Just wondering if you could hook up a manual meter and an ambic to test one of these high yielders?

Future Farmer

We've had the same recorder all my life & would never go DIY.

I am told turnaround time averages about 2 days quicker with DIY.

Disease testing through milk is going to become more & more important in coming years, and that pregnancy testing is handy too.

Deepsouthwest

alps wrote: »

It would be interesting if any others had the same issue. Just wondering if you could hook up a manual meter and an ambic to test one of these high yielders?

Built in meters here too and also using the ambic samplers, but strangely enough I find the fat results are always higher than my milk collections, and a nice bit higher at that. Protein always tests the same as the bulk sample though

Future Farmer

Deepsouthwest wrote: »

Built in meters here too and also using the ambic samplers, but strangely enough I find the fat results are always higher than my milk collections, and a nice bit higher at that. Protein always tests the same as the bulk sample though

It's all about agitation of milk in jar pre-sample, MR using right dipper reflecting your milking times AM-PM - to get proportions right, and even at that the sample from the milk truck is more scientific.

Cow Porter

Deepsouthwest wrote: »

Built in meters here too and also using the ambic samplers, but strangely enough I find the fat results are always higher than my milk collections, and a nice bit higher at that. Protein always tests the same as the bulk sample though

Are the meters icar approved? I see many using the indicators for milk recording and milk recording organisations allowing it to get in extra money.

How them ambic samplers are allowed aswell is beyond me. Cannot guarantee an accurate sample.

Deepsouthwest

Cow Porter wrote: »

Are the meters icar approved? I see many using the indicators for milk recording and milk recording organisations allowing it to get in extra money.

How them ambic samplers are allowed aswell is beyond me. Cannot guarantee an accurate sample.

They're accurate for scc and protein which are probably the two main reasons I record

Deepsouthwest

Future Farmer wrote: »

It's all about agitation of milk in jar pre-sample, MR using right dipper reflecting your milking times AM-PM - to get proportions right, and even at that the sample from the milk truck is more scientific.

I don't have jars. And yes the lorry is def the most accurate, and the most important as that's what dictates the money!