Farming Chit Chat II

hugo29

reilig wrote: »

We've had 6 month winters all our lives and had to prepare for it accordingly. Housed at the end of October and let out at the end of April. It's the housing in July that caught us for fodder and these last 2 weeks have seen us scavenging for fodder. The 6x3x3 bale of hayledge from france that we picked up in the co-op yesterday afternoon was gone at 7pm yesterday evening. Doing a 120 mile round trip with the jeep and trailer to pick up 3 bales of hayledge from a relation tomorrow.

We're not short of grass. Meadows have been closed at normal times. Only problem is that we can't walk across the land.

yes in some cases not always the norm, we would have had cattle grazing the dry section of the land up until 01st december and the early calvers back out in april, that has only changed in last couple years,
part time farming with heavy stock rates is a non runner in this weather, its was ok for teagasc to challenge us all to stock heavy but in the current conditions its next to impossible,
agree grass is there but how do you let stock near it, its at a stage now where they have to go the weekend,
meadows would be closed but I have changed my farm plan and brought all the grazing ground into one block and set up paddocks and will now take some of the out farm as meadow, the rushes needed to be sprayed, you could walk on it now with a knapsack never mind spray with tractor, its just so frustrating but anyway i suppose we carry on , life could be worse we are still alive to moan,

bbam

hugo29 wrote: »

yes in some cases not always the norm, we would have had cattle grazing the dry section of the land up until 01st december and the early calvers back out in april, that has only changed in last couple years,
part time farming with heavy stock rates is a non runner in this weather, its was ok for teagasc to challenge us all to stock heavy but in the current conditions its next to impossible,
agree grass is there but how do you let stock near it, its at a stage now where they have to go the weekend,
meadows would be closed but I have changed my farm plan and brought all the grazing ground into one block and set up paddocks and will now take some of the out farm as meadow, the rushes needed to be sprayed, you could walk on it now with a knapsack never mind spray with tractor, its just so frustrating but anyway i suppose we carry on , life could be worse we are still alive to moan,

I think at the best of times heavy stocking rates doesn't mix well with off farm work. Heavily stocked farms need to be fine tuned, capatilising on every good break in the weather. It's damn frustrating being in the office and seeing a good day outside, then the weekends are a wash out.
For us, the lower stocking allows a buffer that compensates for this.

Kovu

reilig wrote: »

We've had 6 month winters all our lives and had to prepare for it accordingly. Housed at the end of October and let out at the end of April.

Same here reilig, never had cattle out much before April, so roughly 1/3 of land is closed off for silage here once slurry goes out.

We're not short of grass. Meadows have been closed at normal times. Only problem is that we can't walk across the land.

Snap.

hugo29 wrote: »

yes in some cases not always the norm, we would have had cattle grazing the dry section of the land up until 01st december and the early calvers back out in april, that has only changed in last couple years,
part time farming with heavy stock rates is a non runner in this weather, its was ok for teagasc to challenge us all to stock heavy but in the current conditions its next to impossible,

It will be interesting to see how the suckler talk nights will change this year, will they continue to urge calf output at a higher quality off a stock bull or change to smaller & better quality farming with just ai? In the end we are all only guessing with the weather, we can never plan for a good spring/summer.

take some of the out farm as meadow
we closed up two meadows last summer as we had 19 bales left over from year previous, now that's a regret. Seeing neighbouring farmers paying out of the nose for square bales of haylage is just a torment

the rushes needed to be sprayed, you could walk on it now with a knapsack never mind spray with tractor, its just so frustrating but anyway i suppose we carry on , life could be worse we are still alive to moan,
This I have to comment on, a neighbour of mine, who is near 80, was out four days this week, dawn to dusk, with a STRIMMER in the meadows. I think we can all learn a bit from that, either we get more stubborn as we grow older, or, we will love the land too much to retire.

(sorry for the long post!)

reilig

hugo29 wrote: »

yes in some cases not always the norm, we would have had cattle grazing the dry section of the land up until 01st december and the early calvers back out in april, that has only changed in last couple years,
part time farming with heavy stock rates is a non runner in this weather, its was ok for teagasc to challenge us all to stock heavy but in the current conditions its next to impossible,
agree grass is there but how do you let stock near it, its at a stage now where they have to go the weekend,
meadows would be closed but I have changed my farm plan and brought all the grazing ground into one block and set up paddocks and will now take some of the out farm as meadow, the rushes needed to be sprayed, you could walk on it now with a knapsack never mind spray with tractor, its just so frustrating but anyway i suppose we carry on , life could be worse we are still alive to moan,

In the 2 hour queue at the co-op for the bale of hayledge yesterday we were talking about that young lad, Donal Walsh. Everyone strugles with life, but even in the midst of his struggle he did so much. A bad day is a day that you're too ill to get up out of bed or a day that you lose a loved one.

While our cattle might be hungry, we, as humans, won't starve. The weather will change sometime. Lessons will be learned, some forgotten, money will be owed to banks, fodder to neighbours or maybe to ourselves from neighbours.

As bad as things are, if we can get out of bed tomorrow morning again and struggle on, it'll still be a good day - even if it's raining or the wind is cutting you in two.

JohnBoy

if you're going to run a business right up to the limits then you have to react when those limits move, and you have to react early. hoping it will be better next week is not a good business model.


if your business cannot cope with having to make cutbacks at times of pressure then your business cannot cope with operating so close to the limit.




there's nothing at all wrong with a high stocking rate as long as you're willing to reduce it when needs be.

whelan1

going to jinx myself here, fantastic morning here, walked farm there is grass, covers up to 1500:eek: silage ground coming on nicely and the triticale/lupins that i sowed are coming up and the sun is shining

just do it

quadboy wrote: »

She was standing a few times this morning so into the crush with her

But don't AI her too soon! I've gotten better results since I've started delaying a bit. I'd prefer AI at 18hrs to 6hrs.

Kovu

whelan1 wrote: »

going to jinx myself here, fantastic morning here, walked farm there is grass, covers up to 1500:eek: silage ground coming on nicely and the triticale/lupins that i sowed are coming up and the sun is shining

Same here in S LM, plantes onions, spuds, kale and peas and all coming along great. Lads who are feeding kale....it's feckin' lovely to eat too.

whelan1

just do it wrote: »

But don't AI her too soon! I've gotten better results since I've started delaying a bit. I'd prefer AI at 18hrs to 6hrs.

i only ai in the morning here.... saves alot of hassle

just do it

whelan1 wrote: »

i only ai in the morning here.... saves alot of hassle

Yup, I'd have no problems leaving one 24hrs rather than rushing in. Any change to your conception rates since moving to OAD?

just do it

Sold 3 out of 4 at mart today. Not great money but around what I predicted. I might put up a pic of the one I've taken home to see what people might predict she's worth - could do with a bit of craic on here

quadboy

just do it wrote: »

But don't AI her too soon! I've gotten better results since I've started delaying a bit. I'd prefer AI at 18hrs to 6hrs.

Ah shur feck it shes done now

just do it

quadboy wrote: »

Ah shur feck it shes done now

How long after first standing heat?

quadboy

Well when i went out around 8 her card was completely scratched so i waited around for awhile and saw her standing for the bullock. AI then around half 12, when they asked when noticed i said morning

just do it

quadboy wrote: »

Well when i went out around 8 her card was completely scratched so i waited around for awhile and saw her standing for the bullock. AI then around half 12, when they asked when noticed i said morning

She was probably bulling since ~5am so should be ok

quadboy

So if shes standing this evening or tomorrow she'll have to be done again

Kovu

quadboy wrote: »

So if shes standing this evening or tomorrow she'll have to be done again

Standing bulling is when 'she' know's she's most fertile.

quadboy

My quad sprayer is arriving shortly, doubt ill be using it anytime soon

whelan1

just do it wrote: »

Yup, I'd have no problems leaving one 24hrs rather than rushing in. Any change to your conception rates since moving to OAD?

nope....

hugo29

Kovu Murr wrote: »

Same here in S LM, plantes onions, spuds, kale and peas and all coming along great. Lads who are feeding kale....it's feckin' lovely to eat too.

So kovu murr would kale be a delicacy in south Leitrim

hugo29

whelan1 wrote: »

going to jinx myself here, fantastic morning here, walked farm there is grass, covers up to 1500:eek: silage ground coming on nicely and the triticale/lupins that i sowed are coming up and the sun is shining

About to say lovely day here too and sky just opened with a huge shower

Kovu

hugo29 wrote: »

So kovu murr would kale be a delicacy in south Leitrim

?

I've walked my ass off these last few weeks, through meadows and pasture! Just because I'm lighter than my father doesn't mean I can't gauge a meadow or pasture. I know if I put 10kg of dairy nuts on my back, I will know the better way the way to walk a field.

:mad:

Sorry, just a bit techy.

hugo29

Kovu Murr wrote: »

?

I've walked my ass off these last few weeks, through meadows and pasture! Just because I'm lighter than my father doesn't mean I can't gauge a meadow or pasture. I know if I put 10kg of dairy nuts on my back, I will know the better way the way to walk a field.

:mad:

Sorry, just a bit techy.

Right I been around long enough to know when it's time to take shelter, call me when the storm is over

quadboy

Is this common here, people walking through farmers land with animals in there, i wouldnt even want people walking through my empty fields even though some neighbours dohttp://news.sky.com/story/1090760/cows-trample-man-to-death-and-injure-another

Conmaicne Mara

quadboy wrote: »

My quad sprayer is arriving shortly, doubt ill be using it anytime soon

What did you go for in the end?

14th of May and big hail shower here a while ago.

quadboy

Conmaicne Mara wrote: »

What did you go for in the end?

14th of May and big hail shower here a while ago.

The 55L boominator and the cousin is making a weed licker for me

quadboy

God sake trying to direct couriers to the house i think we need zip codes or something, if i ever have to call an ambulance or something ill be awful at giving them directions

quadboy

Was a bit worried there when i opened box to discover i didnt get any straps...until i looked inside the tank, too lazy to go putting it together now

dzer2

quadboy wrote: »

Was a bit worried there when i opened box to discover i didnt get any straps...until i looked inside the tank, too lazy to go putting it together now

Jesus I would have it together in a jiffy and be out trying it out. I am like a child when ever I get a new machine or make something myself I would be up all night using it. Lovely day here could do with a new sprayer have a field of rushes that need some attention.:D:D:D

quadboy

dzer2 wrote: »

Jesus I would have it together in a jiffy and be out trying it out. I am like a child when ever I get a new machine or make something myself I would be up all night using it. Lovely day here could do with a new sprayer have a field of rushes that need some attention.:D:D:D

Ah first thing in the morning ill be out in the shed putting it together, there been a constant wind here for nearly two weeks id say