Dairy Farming General

delaval

There are up to 7 dairy threads going at one time. What's your opinion on having a "one stop" dairy thread. I, in no way want to exclude anyone else esoecially Bob Charles we need him to keep us real and you never know we may even convert him! Mods you may have another opinion.

whelan1

seemed to be a very busy day on farming and forestry today. not everyday has as much activity

funny man

wouldn't agree delaval, it's all relevant. all in it's own box like a good filing system.

Timmaay

Could even go as far as a subforum?

1chippy

who is going to teach us about getting cows out:o

delaval

I agree all threds have their place but I find general chit chat is mainly about beef and suckler farmers telling us how little money they are making:rolleyes::rolleyes: I meant it to be for general discussion rather than anything too heavy ie grass cover, growth rates, how calving or calves are going:)If you all don't think it's a good idea then thats cool too!!!!!!!!!

delaval

Notice a lot a dairyfarmers up late tonight calving must be well and truly underway, all hoping nothing happening in shed so we can go to the sack. I was alone all day milker had a family function so I do not need to be in yard 'till 8am

funny man

its all kicked off around here anyways.

frazzledhome

Had a group from Brittany visit this am. Lovely people really enjoyed them.

I was surprised but perversely delighted that they had no idea of how much a litre of milk in their tank cost. They knew the cost of what they imported on farm but no idea how much a kg of maize produced on farm is

Greengrass1

frazzledhome wrote: »

Had a group from Brittany visit this am. Lovely people really enjoyed them.

I was surprised but perversely delighted that they had no idea of how much a litre of milk in their tank cost. They knew the cost of what they imported on farm but no idea how much a kg of maize produced on farm is

That's put me in a good mood.
The completion aren't cared how much it cost them to produce a litre

Deepsouthwest

frazzledhome wrote: »

Had a group from Brittany visit this am. Lovely people really enjoyed them.

I was surprised but perversely delighted that they had no idea of how much a litre of milk in their tank cost. They knew the cost of what they imported on farm but no idea how much a kg of maize produced on farm is

Our processor took a bunch of us on a trip to Belgium and Luxembourg a few yrs, and similar there, farming was the family vocation and they were in it for the long haul, regardless of how much or little they made

frazzledhome

A busy few days ahead. Start ai heifers this Friday, take kids to RDS for Leinster match, spray 50 acres of new ground for grass mix of stubble and old grass.

Put in some drains and build 4 bridges there also. We also have a day burning bushes followed by preparing ground and seeding. Won't need any story going to bed after that.

trixi2011

things are starting to wind down here abit first of the herd on oad from today

Greengrass1

frazzledhome wrote: »

A busy few days ahead. Start ai heifers this Friday, take kids to RDS for Leinster match, spray 50 acres of new ground for grass mix of stubble and old grass.

Put in some drains and build 4 bridges there also. We also have a day burning bushes followed by preparing ground and seeding. Won't need any story going to bed after that.

Sounds like someone is expanding

kevthegaff

reseeding saturday 9 acres and paddock on front of house. have to fence new land rented down the road for replacements today, looking forward to letting them out after tb test. 13 left to calve by 1st May, hopefully things calm down from there!

frazzledhome

Greengrass1 wrote: »

Sounds like someone is expanding

Gg you know that expansion is a dirty word around here

C0N0R

God it's weather like this I long for the slatted shed and blocking in silage. Rain rain and more f**kin rain. The farm I'm on is heavy enough for the area and if it continues we will be making more mud than milk. Forcasted about 60mm of rain for tonight which should be fun. Cows are milking fairly well still, 14 litres fat 6.38% protein 4.54% and scc sitting at 130,000. Putting one herd on once a day tomorrow so will be interesting to see what difference that makes. Starting to get busy again getting ready for winter, fencing winter crop etc and have 80 heifers arriving on the first of May to.

jack o shea

north or south conor?

trixi2011

C0N0R wrote: »

God it's weather like this I long for the slatted shed and blocking in silage. Rain rain and more f**kin rain. The farm I'm on is heavy enough for the area and if it continues we will be making more mud than milk. Forcasted about 60mm of rain for tonight which should be fun. Cows are milking fairly well still, 14 litres fat 6.38% protein 4.54% and scc sitting at 130,000. Putting one herd on once a day tomorrow so will be interesting to see what difference that makes. Starting to get busy again getting ready for winter, fencing winter crop etc and have 80 heifers arriving on the first of May to.

Rain all next week too, don't think the land out here can take the rain aswell as at home. One thing for sure the cows don't handle it well at all might have to look into putting everything on once a day next week due to the wether. They wont be long losing condition in this weathe.:mad:

C0N0R

jack o shea wrote: »

north or south conor?

South Island Canterbury plains

C0N0R

trixi2011 wrote: »

Rain all next week too, don't think the land out here can take the rain aswell as at home. One thing for sure the cows don't handle it well at all might have to look into putting everything on once a day next week due to the wether. They wont be long losing condition in this weathe.:mad:

You would have better draining land than me I would say to. Yea long range forecast would drive you to the pub! How do you find 24 hour breaks work in wet weather?

trixi2011

24 hr breaks working ok at the moment. Yip would be better draining down here ok but the pie shaped paddocks are a disaster the fronts of the paddocks look like they have been ploughed at this stage. My track is ****ed taking an hour and Half to get the cows in and cow flow is ****. Sure we could dry off and hit for the pub for the rest I the season

C0N0R

trixi2011 wrote: »

24 hr breaks working ok at the moment. Yip would be better draining down here ok but the pie shaped paddocks are a disaster the fronts of the paddocks look like they have been ploughed at this stage. My track is ****ed taking an hour and Half to get the cows in and cow flow is ****. Sure we could dry off and hit for the pub for the rest I the season

Two gateways in each paddock is a bit of a saving grace here, pie shaped paddocks are an awful prick that way. Cow flow is smashing at the moment, grain is bound to be helping that though. I've rugby tonight and looking at the rain forecasted mite be giving that a miss!

frazzledhome

Pie shaped looks like its gone pear shaped😄😄

Question for ya Trix, are the pie shaped for the centre pivot? A farm not far from me has parlour dead centre and a short circular road. It really works well in the summer but gaps go into lava in the wet. With the shape he really only has one to two entrances into paddock with the result that sometimes the 20% nearest the gap gets some hardship.

sheebadog

Lads I'm really peed off after milking this AM.
First calver that is producing 42kg got stood on and one quarter is now badly swollen and totally blind.
Any suggestions??

frazzledhome

sheebadog wrote: »

Lads I'm really peed off after milking this AM.
First calver that is producing 42kg got stood on and one quarter is now badly swollen and totally blind.
Any suggestions??

Bad start to the day.

If its not cut I'd suggest mast tube and something for swelling. Would arnica work I wonder. I have a product here called Udder comfort really good for swelling but that's not much good to you as you need this am.

That's all I can suggest

kevthegaff

Wrecked today, could do with a holiday ran down as hell!

frazzledhome

kevthegaff wrote: »

Wrecked today, could do with a holiday ran down as hell!

Come up to my place for a few days, "Change is as good as a rest"

RightTurnClyde

Last cow calved, calf there to meet me this morning. Rang relief guy. Monday evening I'm out of here for 2 days. Catch up on a bit of r & r ( ahem) with the wife. Back then to start the AIing on Thursday. Happy days!

farmersfriend

kevthegaff wrote: »

Wrecked today, could do with a holiday ran down as hell!

I know the feeling. Tired here too. Haven't been anywhere in weeks except the yard!

Greengrass1

Cows bulling well here at the min 2 or 3 a day. 80% bulling so far.
Sweat feck all grass growing with all the N I have out and phos and I can't measure because I haven't paid my agrinet fee
And reseeding not done yet.
Going to run very tight on grass at end of the week.

I need rain

mf240

Greengrass1 wrote: »

I need rain

Ah for fcuk sake.

whelan2

farmersfriend wrote: »

I know the feeling. Tired here too. Haven't been anywhere in weeks except the yard!

we have a countdown on here till we are going on holidays cant wait

Viewtodiefor

Greengrass1 wrote: »

Cows bulling well here at the min 2 or 3 a day. 80% bulling so far.
Sweat feck all grass growing with all the N I have out and phos and I can't measure because I haven't paid my agrinet fee
And reseeding not done yet.
Going to run very tight on grass at end of the week.

I need rain

Tis coming Monday I hope u drown in it :-)

freedominacup

whelan2 wrote: »

we have a countdown on here till we are going on holidays cant wait

9 weeks to go.

whelan2

freedominacup wrote: »

9 weeks to go.

Same here

case 956

freedominacup wrote: »

9 weeks to go.

last week july heading off for two weeks cant fricken wait, heifers bulling mad on far end of farm today very tempted ta put gun in them this evening but then again I keep telling myself to take this weekend easy, decisions decisions:rolleyes:

milkprofit

Delv is there any chance of keeping threads in line with subject eg calf prices -prices only not economic of rearing
Milk price comments about price or actual prices not about expansion or quota have separate thread for them

Lot of time lost reading things of no interest in mixed up threads

C0N0R

Greengrass1 wrote: »

Cows bulling well here at the min 2 or 3 a day. 80% bulling so far.
Sweat feck all grass growing with all the N I have out and phos and I can't measure because I haven't paid my agrinet fee
And reseeding not done yet.
Going to run very tight on grass at end of the week.

I need rain

How much do you want? I'll send you some for free! It's mad I was talking to the auld lad and he was saying he is still very wet, massive difference for a small country

Greengrass1

C0N0R wrote: »

How much do you want? I'll send you some for free! It's mad I was talking to the auld lad and he was saying he is still very wet, massive difference for a small country

Ah well contractor will be here sat to reseed. It can wait till then

sheebadog

Dead calf last night.
Deformed. Schmallenberg virus.
4 dead calves from that virus now.

frazzledhome

sheebadog wrote: »

Dead calf last night.
Deformed. Schmallenberg virus.
4 dead calves from that virus now.

How is cow that was trod on?

sheebadog

frazzledhome wrote: »

How is cow that was trod on?

Phucked.

mahoney_j

sheebadog wrote: »

Phucked.

Something like that would never happen to a Cnut of a yoke!!.always a good one .

C0N0R

At least the rain has it advantages, 250 out of 330 cows milked and backing gate not touched

Apologies for sideways photos.

Had bucket loads of rain here but ground is holding up surprisingly well at the moment and utilisation of grass is still good, was surprised this morning, thought they would have the place tramped into sh*te. A lot of standing water though.

frazzledhome

C0N0R wrote: »

At least the rain has it advantages, 250 out of 330 cows milked and backing gate not touched

Apologies for sideways photos.

Had bucket loads of rain here but ground is holding up surprisingly well at the moment and utilisation of grass is still good, was surprised this morning, thought they would have the place tramped into sh*te. A lot of standing water though.

Are ye far from dry off?

Lads keep telling us here that it doesn't rain in NZðŸ„

Greengrass1

frazzledhome wrote: »

Are ye far from dry off?

Lads keep telling us here that it doesn't rain in NZðŸ„

Be God it does. Rained soils for 2 months when I was there.
Worst winter in 20yrs or something they said

C0N0R

frazzledhome wrote: »

Are ye far from dry off?

Lads keep telling us here that it doesn't rain in NZðŸ„

About five weeks, I'll be gone by that stage thankfully! Dried 30 low bcs early callers about three weeks ago to.

It can rain rather persistently here, but got up this morning and it was a clear night stars out and the sun in shinning through so hopefully that's the rain finished for a few days. Very impressed with how well ground has held up.

trixi2011

C0N0R wrote: »

About five weeks, I'll be gone by that stage thankfully! Dried 30 low bcs early callers about three weeks ago to.

It can rain rather persistently here, but got up this morning and it was a clear night stars out and the sun in shinning through so hopefully that's the rain finished for a few days. Very impressed with how well ground has held up.

Yes after the amount of rain we had in the last few days its very surprising how well the ground has held up, very little damage done but wasted a bit of grass tho.

trixi2011

Greengrass1 wrote: »

Be God it does. Rained soils for 2 months when I was there.
Worst winter in 20yrs or something they said

Were you here for the calving in 2012?

Greengrass1

Starting breeding today.
Week earlier than I planned but I've held off the father for long enough..
Won't start heifers till next week