A place to vent a bit of frustration

redzerologhlen

Right lads, had our 3rd btap discussion group for the year yesterday and the first the topic for it was to vent a bit of frustration caused by the last 10 months of s**te weather and everything else. Safe to say there was no shortage of talk at it anyway and we went nearly an hour over time, 90% of the people in the group seem to be thinking about reducing stocking rate for next year. Anyway I thought it was nice to know we were all in the same boat pretty much and it put me in good form for the day. I have noticed that the forum seems to have become a more hostile place in recent times which is probably due to the year we are having so far so if you have anything to get off you chest you may as well let it off here and you might feel a bit better for it. Like everyone I suppose I have been panicking a bit here over the last few weeks in regards fodder but I can see places greening over the last week or so and i think I should be ok if I stay giving cows meal for another 2 weeks, There is light at the end of the tunnel

Conmaicne Mara

I have been wondering if people will keep extra fodder on farm for the future. For example two years supply instead of one year supply, to insulate oneself a little from years like 2013?

I am looking to increase numbers, just need to figure out a viable way of doing so first.

mf240

Conmaicne Mara wrote: »

I am looking to increase numbers, just need to figure out a viable way of doing so first.

Look to increase profit first this does not alway mean increasing numbers.

Conmaicne Mara

mf240 wrote: »

Look to increase profit first this does not alway mean increasing numbers.

I agree, but I plan to run a hill plus lowland flock which means an increase in numbers as I've already got the hill flock which I can't change due to "hefting" as the English would say. I am in STAP to help improve the hill flock through health issues, weight recording, etc.

yupyupyup

Ah stop lads the weather is just so disheartening, my farm is on the river Suck, a lot of my callow land got flooded last week, the only plus side is there wasn't any grass on it to destroy, unlike last summer. Anyhow we're gonna have a good summer right??!

loveta

Defo intend to try and make as much silage as possible this year and cull ANY/ALL passengers was at a meeting last summer "if you could call it that" and one of the speakers said having a "extra" pit of silage was like money in the bank that the tax man dont know about either to feed or to sell its worth thousands "his words are fairly ringing true in my ears this spring"

yellow50HX

redzerologhlen wrote: »

Right lads, had our 3rd btap discussion group for the year yesterday and the first the topic for it was to vent a bit of frustration caused by the last 10 months of s**te weather and everything else. Safe to say there was no shortage of talk at it anyway and we went nearly an hour over time, 90% of the people in the group seem to be thinking about reducing stocking rate for next year. Anyway I thought it was nice to know we were all in the same boat pretty much and it put me in good form for the day. I have noticed that the forum seems to have become a more hostile place in recent times which is probably due to the year we are having so far so if you have anything to get off you chest you may as well let it off here and you might feel a bit better for it. Like everyone I suppose I have been panicking a bit here over the last few weeks in regards fodder but I can see places greening over the last week or so and i think I should be ok if I stay giving cows meal for another 2 weeks, There is light at the end of the tunnel

When I was back on the GAA pitch, well sub bench. I used to blow off my frustration by taking the Hurley and ball and flake it off a wall till I was knackered

Muckit

Great idea for a thread Redz. We're all trying to do our best, to better our lot, and it seems the weather has had other plans the last few years. Your wondering is it two steps forward and one step back .

RE the forum getting hostile the last few weeks.... from my point of view I think that a rift developed between the lads that had managed to conserve enough fodder and could afford to sell a few bales/pit etc and those that hadn't made enough and had to buy in. The only thing I could equate it to were the rifts that started to come between public and private sector workers with the death of the celtic tiger and the whole recession.

Despite all our differences of opinion on the fodder crisis I think the one thing that we might all be able to agree on and might unite us all, is that we are farming in very challenging times.

Muckit

yupyupyup wrote: »

my farm is on the river Suck

Well are you a Galway or a Roscommon man?

redzerologhlen

yellow50HX wrote: »

When I was back on the GAA pitch, well sub bench. I used to blow off my frustration by taking the Hurley and ball and flake it off a wall till I was knackered

I often vented mine on the pitch too but I wasn't wasting my energy on the wall

yupyupyup

The good side, Ros!!

bob charles

Muckit wrote: »

a rift developed between the lads that had managed to conserve enough fodder and could afford to sell a few bales/pit etc and those that hadn't made enough and had to buy in.

ah sure it was you who started that:D:D, bulging pockets etc

redzerologhlen

Muckit wrote: »

Great idea for a thread Redz. We're all trying to do our best, to better our lot, and it seems the weather has had other plans the last few years. Your wondering is it two steps forward and one step back .

RE the forum getting hostile the last few weeks.... from my point of view I think that a rift developed between the lads that had managed to conserve enough fodder and could afford to sell a few bales/pit etc and those that hadn't made enough and had to buy in. The only thing I could equate it to were the rifts that started to come between public and private sector workers with the death of the celtic tiger and the whole recession.

Despite all our differences of opinion on the fodder crisis I think the one thing that we might all be able to agree on and might unite us all, is that we are farming in very challenging times.

I dont know what exactly is the cause of it but I was putting it down to lads being a bit frustrated for the bit of tension here at the moment and I noticed a few new posters too, no point in being a keyboard warrior :rolleyes:
As for the challenging times ahead Muckit. I think people need to sit down and think about what their farm is capable of feeding. The journal and teagasc are pushing a very intensive type of farming that is totally out of key with what a lot of west of Ireland farms are capable of producing. High stocking rates, long winters and spreading fertiliser on top of rushes doesnt work imo. You would probably be better off to keep a few less and cut your inputs and at least when this happens again there will be some wiggle room. Im not being judgemental of anyone who who is in that position because it happened us this winter, We have 7 more cows, I bulled them too early last year, didnt make enough silage and while I have 130 acres of summer ground for 45 cows and a few yearlings its sopping wet and has feck all grass worth talking about on it. Im going to cut back to 40 cows for next year and try to sell a few more as weanlings rather than keeping them for the winter (which did not pay this year) And no more Feburary calves. It has cost a small fortune to keep those cows going since they calved and several members of my discussion group said the same thing. Every year wont be like this one but we can all be sure there is another year like it in the pipeline.

pakalasa

I would be slow to make decisions based on last year alone. Remember it was the worst summer in living memory, followed by one of the worst springs too. What's really nagging me at the back of my mind is - Is this a sign of things to come, and should we prepare accordingly.

Mulumpy

pakalasa wrote: »

I would be slow to make decisions based on last year alone. Remember it was the worst summer in living memory, followed by one of the worst springs too. What's really nagging me at the back of my mind is - Is this a sign of things to come, and should we prepare accordingly.

We all said that about the harsh winters of 09 and 10 and you'd hardly remember it now. Farmers have very short memories. Get a good summer and it'll go a long way to recovery and we'll be back talking about increasing numbers this time next year.

mf240

pakalasa wrote: »

What's really nagging me at the back of my mind is - Is this a sign of things to come, and should we prepare accordingly.

I think thats the real worry for some but then im told summer 1946 and spring 1947 were very similar to the last 12 months so its probably just a blip.

Very few around here taking advantage of anyone. There is one lad with a couple of pits that wouldnt even sell some of it, But hes a wanker on a good year so dont think a wet one was going to change him.

rancher

mf240 wrote: »

I think thats the real worry for some but then im told summer 1946 and spring 1947 were very similar to the last 12 months so its probably just a blip.

Very few around here taking advantage of anyone. There is one lad with a couple of pits that wouldnt even sell some of it, But hes a wanker on a good year so dont think a wet one was going to change him.

Some farmers here have been very fair, normal prices, etc. we even got a substantial donation of hay this morning

AntrimGlens

A near neighbour of ours had a full pit of silage spare a fortnight ago as he didn't but in any stores in the back end of last year and only runs sheep, albeit about 4000 of them. He didn't advertise it but word got out that he was selling some and there is a steady flow of tractors and trailers to his yard all day every day. He got a couple of calls from farmers about 55 mile away from him looking to buy 300 tonne and another guy wanted 150tonne but they were told that he couldn't sell them any as he knew alot of his neighbours were short and he was keeping it for them. He stuck the price up another £5 a tonne to £45T but we're all glad to get it.
I noticed one thing about it, when you're used to feeding round bales like we have for the last 10 years or so and you give the cows precision chop silage they don't even chew it just swallow it and theres not a pick left in front of them at the barrier.

Henwin

Thankfully we are ok on the feeding front. silage pit just finished but we hav bout 14 bales and a bit of hay left.

Our main gripe is that we lost 5 calves. we only have 13 so it was a lot to lose.
The first one was born grand, friesan bull, put him into a pen, went out 10 mins later he was dead, bled from the naval

Next one was a real struggle, cud only find 1 leg, called vet, he said it was dead, very hard to pull out. it was an AA Bull TFD. vet tinks it was a puck, we moved her from the others on a monday and she calved on a thrusday.

same thing happened to another cow, she had twins both AA Bulls TFD, possibly another puck

The last one then was a maiden heifer, we put her in calf to a small AA TFD as well, nothing small about him, OMG, me and my dad started off, no go, i called my boyfriend,we got the head out, and he was alive, but got stuck at d hips, d jack wudnt work, got the vet and 2 neighbours, eventually he calved but was dead. d heifer was all bursted, didnt get up for 3 weeks, she is ok now but still isnt fully right, goin to dry her
Honestly if you ask your AI man for an easy calving bull wouldnt you tink that he wouldnt giv you a test sire. that TFD is taken off now.
Rant over:)
Acually a few questions ive been tinking, cud anything hav been done differently. every winter tey get pre calving licks but last winter tey didnt, shud we move from AA's im tinking small friesans and whiteheads for the 3 sucklers. All the others were big belgian blues and my elderly parents arent able for hard calvings any more.

pakalasa

Henwin,
TFD is 7.3% calving difficulty, so very hard calving for an AA. To put it in perspective, the Lim bull FL22 is only 3.4%. You're right to be pissed off at the AI man. I always tell the AI guy which bull to use. Use a well proven Lim bull then. I's say TFD is the cause of a lot of your woes.
FL22 isn't available anymore, BTW. Whic AI company are you with?

Henwin

Munster AI, in saying that we tink 2 cows got a puck,

hugo29

Good idea for thread, I def going cutting back on numbers this year to see what this year brings, it possible we are going to get a good one lord knows it could not be as bad as last year but we are fast approaching May Day, silage almost gone and that's after buying 40 bales and getting 10 from my neighbour, cows have to go out end next week to damn all grass, at this stage I am looking at end July silage, if one wants to take extra or a second cut for first time ever this pushes rotation of silage ground into end of September, it turns into a vicious circle

J DEERE

redzerologhlen wrote: »

I dont know what exactly is the cause of it but I was putting it down to lads being a bit frustrated for the bit of tension here at the moment and I noticed a few new posters too, no point in being a keyboard warrior :rolleyes:
As for the challenging times ahead Muckit. I think people need to sit down and think about what their farm is capable of feeding. The journal and teagasc are pushing a very intensive type of farming that is totally out of key with what a lot of west of Ireland farms are capable of producing. High stocking rates, long winters and spreading fertiliser on top of rushes doesnt work imo. You would probably be better off to keep a few less and cut your inputs and at least when this happens again there will be some wiggle room. Im not being judgemental of anyone who who is in that position because it happened us this winter, We have 7 more cows, I bulled them too early last year, didnt make enough silage and while I have 130 acres of summer ground for 45 cows and a few yearlings its sopping wet and has feck all grass worth talking about on it. Im going to cut back to 40 cows for next year and try to sell a few more as weanlings rather than keeping them for the winter (which did not pay this year) And no more Feburary calves. It has cost a small fortune to keep those cows going since they calved and several members of my discussion group said the same thing. Every year wont be like this one but we can all be sure there is another year like it in the pipeline.

Best weight for age and prices we ever achieved at home were years when we were lightly stocked. We spread no fertilizer and cut any surplus grass that we could and had more than enough silage. The animals always had plenty of grass and weren't competing for the best bit. Have to say it was a lot easier on man and beast. Like a lot of lads we kinda got sucked into the higher stocking rate and higher output thing. I think it's time to rethink things

yupyupyup

Guys can somone on here recommend an ad lib diet for young cows im doing out of the shed now. i assume something low in protein, what is the min rougage they need with that and finally how much would they eat ad lib a day, would 10 kg/head be enough? There about a condition score of 2 now, would 8 weeks ad lib have them at a marketable flesh level? Cheers

(i know its ironic asking how much would be enough when i said i was ad libbing them!)