Dairy Chit Chat- Please read Mod note in post #1

jaymla627

freedominacup wrote: »

Once they're managed correctly while dry you'll have no problems. I wasn't sure he was still available. There's a few carryover girls that will be served with beef straws and he'd be top of the list.

Got 50 units of him last autumn at the ploughing could well be none available anymore, using British blues here aswell on the smaller ladies ment to very easily calved and short gestation

Mooooo

freedominacup wrote: »

jaymla627 wrote: »

Good to know about dbz have a good few cows incalf to him

Once they're managed correctly while dry you'll have no problems. I wasn't sure he was still available. There's a few carryover girls that will be served with beef straws and he'd be top of the list.

Afaik he is still available. Atg is another good bull i think. Only have had 7 or 8 calves off him but they landed fine. Dbz has better shape i think. Ordered a few dbz for end of breeding and rep brought out a different one bb2082 I think. I'd say he forgot to order them and when I got on to him a second time sayimg i needed the straws he delivered what he had in the pot. All the cows to do were strong cows and repeaters so I used them away but if twas earlier in the season he'd be coming back with the correct straws.

RightTurnClyde

mahoney_j wrote: »

Look this was worst year as regards price I got when selling ,they were poor weights and poor price got but I still cleared over 80 euro a head on them ,grass only since mid May .as said before I've fragmented land away from milk block so it suits ,less will be kept ongoing as Sr on milk blick increases .very handy cheque to have this time of year ,I'll get cash and good discounted prices on my last fertliser ,and salmonella and lepto vaccines as well as pratically wiping clear coop trading account .i still have 8 Bulls which will be sold as breeding Bulls and 13 Hereford ,Bb and Angus calves which will be kept till next Feb/March .again another cash flow boost ,handy thing have in bad milk price .....I still exited the mart yesterday with head down like a rocket !!!!!

Exactly, more than one way to skin a cat. Extended calf shed last year to take an additional 80 calves. Bought auto feeder and kept 80 of the bull calves. Did a deal with buyer, I'd blackleg and dehorn calves and he'd collected every Sat as weaned, €250.
Profit (€80/head) paid for the shed and labour reduced. Score

whelan2

jaymla627 wrote: »

Good to know about dbz have a good few cows incalf to him

The 2 I have calving next week are in calf to dbz, another heifer calved there now, 5 heifers calved 5 aa heifer calves

Keepgrowing

alps wrote: »

Lots of different variables on different years at play on this one. Paid very well this year to shove on cheap milk to young calves and get them weaned. Huge prices paid for these and operators well paid for their time...not sure if in this case MJ added much to the value since weaning but you must remember that on a per hectare basis these calves can leave a significant margin. Again MJ has paid himself, and if he has the time, he may as well pay himself a few bob to be doing something rather than being idle. No commute to a part time job, no inconvenient hours...no simpler way yo put together 2 or 3 grand for a holiday...

Not speaking about Mj specifically but I don't buy that. 24 calves leaving €1200 after rearing and summer grazing.
These same calves sold at 2 wks @€;60 sold gone no further involvement. I know other years are better for rearing price wise.

I don't buy the ball of cash argument either. It either makes money or not. Dairy Calves sold at 2 wks will always be your most profitable. I've tried all the tricks and that's the only conclusion I can come to. Far too much going on in spring to pay someone to rear calves for another farmer

Mooooo

Had the bord bia audit this morning. In fairness the auditor tore threw it fast enough but still 2.5 hours gone and I'd say that's as fast as it could be done. Could.have more stuff on computer will have it done for Xmas hopefully but don't think it would be any faster as he had to input all the stuff manually anyway

steer

Mooooo wrote: »

Had the bord bia audit this morning. In fairness the auditor tore threw it fast enough but still 2.5 hours gone and I'd say that's as fast as it could be done. Could.have more stuff on computer will have it done for Xmas hopefully but don't think it would be any faster as he had to input all the stuff manually anyway

Herdwatch let him work away himself

alps

See the details of the voluntary reduction scheme are becoming clear.

This is right up the street of the seasonal dairy farmer.

First application period deadline sept 20th for reduction in the Oct Nov Dec period. The 150 million is across the whole of the EU with no individual country limits.

It's really difficult to see major benefit to all year round suppliers unless they are over stocked and then it only gets them an through 3 months. This really plays into the Irish system where it may be very beneficial to dry off early. No reduction in numbers, no reduction on next year's output...brilliant..

Have to wait till March April for the money, but thats the tightest time for us cash flow wise in any case..

Dum..De. .Dum. ..

yewtree

alps wrote: »

See the details of the voluntary reduction scheme are becoming clear.

This is right up the street of the seasonal dairy farmer.

First application period deadline sept 20th for reduction in the Oct Nov Dec period. The 150 million is across the whole of the EU with no individual country limits.

It's really difficult to see major benefit to all year round suppliers unless they are over stocked and then it only gets them an through 3 months. This really plays into the Irish system where it may be very beneficial to dry off early. No reduction in numbers, no reduction on next year's output...brilliant..

Have to wait till March April for the money, but thats the tightest time for us cash flow wise in any case..

Dum..De. .Dum. ..

is there a clause that you wont get paid above a 50% reduction of 2015 supply? for instance if you ceased production for the 3 months you would only get paid on a 50% reduction in milk supply.
I could be completely wrong on this.

alps

yewtree wrote: »

is there a clause that you wont get paid above a 50% reduction of 2015 supply supply? for instance if you ceased production for the 3 months you would only get paid on a 50% reduction in milk supply.
I could be completely wrong on this.

Devil on the detail....you could be correct, but I would suspect that it is a percentage of your yearly supply and not of your daily supply..

If it is daily supply....you'll ruin my winter..

Keepgrowing

alps wrote: »

See the details of the voluntary reduction scheme are becoming clear.

This is right up the street of the seasonal dairy farmer.

First application period deadline sept 20th for reduction in the Oct Nov Dec period. The 150 million is across the whole of the EU with no individual country limits.

It's really difficult to see major benefit to all year round suppliers unless they are over stocked and then it only gets them an through 3 months. This really plays into the Irish system where it may be very beneficial to dry off early. No reduction in numbers, no reduction on next year's output...brilliant..

Have to wait till March April for the money, but thats the tightest time for us cash flow wise in any case..

Dum..De. .Dum. ..

Bring it on I say. If it stops the slow learners supping non bonused/contracted milk to coops I'm all in favour of it.

Sometimes it amuses me when people complain about the bastard coop and then supply expensively produced milk at no premium during the winter

mahoney_j

Keepgrowing wrote: »

Bring it on I say. If it stops the slow learners supping non bonused/contracted milk to coops I'm all in favour of it.

Sometimes it amuses me when people complain about the bastard coop and then supply expensively produced milk at no premium during the winter

Bang on ,the lads milking through winter with no luquid /winter contract and using the cash flow answer always amuses me ,remember doing the figures on one of our group members 2 years ago at that and after costs he was loosing money on it as silage not up to scratch and feeding 5 kg meal daily .no labour cost included .in fairness he dosnt do it any longer .would never consider milking through winter with no contracted milk

Mooooo

Got a pup there last week, only 9/ 10 weeks old. Came for free from a lad down the road. Crowd here are saying to get her trained, is it worth it for cows? She has a grand personality on her and hadn't intended getting her trained would just see how she'd go myself. Do cattle dogs, when used to bring on cows, affect scc, etc or anything else. Most of the time have to.drop.or move a wire anyway as cows go out so not bothered. I'm thinking the rattle.of nuts is better for young stock as well than being herded so to speak, altho the heifers this year are much less inclined to follow as only get ration as calves. I'd say the crowd here are just trying to get out of getting called on yo bring in stock for testing ha

rangler1

Mooooo wrote: »

Got a pup there last week, only 9/ 10 weeks old. Came for free from a lad down the road. Crowd here are saying to get her trained, is it worth it for cows? She has a grand personality on her and hadn't intended getting her trained would just see how she'd go myself. Do cattle dogs, when used to bring on cows, affect scc, etc or anything else. Most of the time have to.drop.or move a wire anyway as cows go out so not bothered. I'm thinking the rattle.of nuts is better for young stock as well than being herded so to speak, altho the heifers this year are much less inclined to follow as only get ration as calves. I'd say the crowd here are just trying to get out of getting called on yo bring in stock for testing ha

Wait until she's at least twelve mths old before you decide, but work on her yourself with the sit stay etc as soon as you think she's trainable, she'll be training herself before she's 12 mths if she's keen and you'll need to have her trained to sit,stop and come back.
If they're really wild i tie a 20ft rope from their collar and it slows them up and i can step on the rope if they don't stop
If she's keen you'll enjoy bringing her with you on the farm and seeing her learning

Buford T. Justice XIX

Mooooo wrote: »

Got a pup there last week, only 9/ 10 weeks old. Came for free from a lad down the road. Crowd here are saying to get her trained, is it worth it for cows? She has a grand personality on her and hadn't intended getting her trained would just see how she'd go myself. Do cattle dogs, when used to bring on cows, affect scc, etc or anything else. Most of the time have to.drop.or move a wire anyway as cows go out so not bothered. I'm thinking the rattle.of nuts is better for young stock as well than being herded so to speak, altho the heifers this year are much less inclined to follow as only get ration as calves. I'd say the crowd here are just trying to get out of getting called on yo bring in stock for testing ha

I don't think any of my dogs caused a jump in SCC but I've been lucky with dogs, they've either been very good or not interested at all. I still call out the last dogs name if I'm trying to move cattle, the older ones still remember her and start walking in as soon as they hear her name.

I have a 5 month old pup atm with very good breeding. She's interested but still timid around cattle. And she's a bit of company while I'm fencing too:)

Mooooo

Buford T. Justice V wrote: »

Mooooo wrote: »

Got a pup there last week, only 9/ 10 weeks old. Came for free from a lad down the road. Crowd here are saying to get her trained, is it worth it for cows? She has a grand personality on her and hadn't intended getting her trained would just see how she'd go myself. Do cattle dogs, when used to bring on cows, affect scc, etc or anything else. Most of the time have to.drop.or move a wire anyway as cows go out so not bothered. I'm thinking the rattle.of nuts is better for young stock as well than being herded so to speak, altho the heifers this year are much less inclined to follow as only get ration as calves. I'd say the crowd here are just trying to get out of getting called on yo bring in stock for testing ha

I don't think any of my dogs caused a jump in SCC but I've been lucky with dogs, they've either been very good or not interested at all. I still call out the last dogs name if I'm trying to move cattle, the older ones still remember her and start walking in as soon as they hear her name.

I have a 5 month old pup atm with very good breeding. She's interested but still timid around cattle. And she's a bit of company while I'm fencing too:)

Yeah, I'll see how she goes and see in the spring most likely. We had to put our old girl down 2 months ago, 15 years old. She was grand self trained just by following us turning out out the cows all we had to do was call her back as she was a bit eager. The last 5 years she "retired" and wouldn't bother with the cows only follow you around. You'd be damn lonesome when they go. Have another fella buy he has no interest at all in cows only rabbits but he is half gsd half collie.

rangler1

Mooooo wrote: »

Yeah, I'll see how she goes and see in the spring most likely. We had to put our old girl down 2 months ago, 15 years old. She was grand self trained just by following us turning out out the cows all we had to do was call her back as she was a bit eager. The last 5 years she "retired" and wouldn't bother with the cows only follow you around. You'd be damn lonesome when they go. Have another fella buy he has no interest at all in cows only rabbits but he is half gsd half collie.

Our new dog is 15mths and she can get in the sheep, put them up ramps, races, pretty much anything you'd want,...in her own way and uses a lot of her own initiative, ie once you open the race, she's already charging them up it.....no command needed.
However OH is getting her trained now and the dog's not doing very well, think the trainer tried to sell her a proper dog last week, so i fear she'll never be on ''one man and his dog''

whelan2

Milking one of the new heifers this morning, she is kicking back with her 2 feet :eek: clamp on tail made her worse. I am thinking a rope on her leg, any other ideas?

mf240

whelan2 wrote: »

Milking one of the new heifers this morning, she is kicking back with her 2 feet :eek: clamp on tail made her worse. I am thinking a rope on her leg, any other ideas?

Happy meal.

whelan2

mf240 wrote: »

Happy meal.

ye, this was her first milking . So will try her again for a few days. Dangerous occupation this.

Timmaay

whelan2 wrote: »

ye, this was her first milking . So will try her again for a few days. Dangerous occupation this.

Won't really help yet I know, but I'll happily only milk the heifers OAD until they settle, they just get nuts and pass through the parlour so milking is a less stressful event for them. It's worth using oxytocin on the likes of that heifer you have, you'll get more milk out for the little time that she let's you keep the cluster on.

whelan2

Timmaay wrote: »

Won't really help yet I know, but I'll happily only milk the heifers OAD until they settle, they just get nuts and pass through the parlour so milking is a less stressful event for them. It's worth using oxytocin on the likes of that heifer you have, you'll get more milk out for the little time that she let's you keep the cluster on.

They are only on once a day as they still have the calf on them, other heifers were fine. They are well used to the parlour as they go through it twice a week to get tar on them. She's just a bitch

Mooooo

Timmaay wrote: »

whelan2 wrote: »

ye, this was her first milking . So will try her again for a few days. Dangerous occupation this.

Won't really help yet I know, but I'll happily only milk the heifers OAD until they settle, they just get nuts and pass through the parlour so milking is a less stressful event for them. It's worth using oxytocin on the likes of that heifer you have, you'll get more milk out for the little time that she let's you keep the cluster on.

I'd be wary using oxytocin too much to get them to drop the milk Tim, fair enough once if they haven't given anything but have had 2 cows in the past here that never milked out fully without getting it thru out the lactation. Would get em down to a cc but if they didn't get it they'd be walking out of the parlour without being milked fully.
On the heifer for the worst of them I find the rope is the only job. They may need to be tied for a number of days but hasn't failed yet here. 2 big cows either side help as well

einn32

Try an udder balm too. Aloe Vera I think is in the one we use. Massage it in while she milks. I'd only go with oxytocin if milk let down wasn't happening for a few days. Heifers that kick from day one usually stop my father used always say.

OverRide

Yup rope on leg,pulled tight to the bar
Make sure she's up the middle with a few big cows either side
A week of that should do the trick

Make sure you invoice the processor an extra euro a litre for this

Water John

I'm sure a few management guys are a bit leisurely over the weekend and could give you a hand, literally. A least a few bruised fingers to show in the office on Monday.

blackdog1

whelan2 wrote:

Milking one of the new heifers this morning, she is kicking back with her 2 feet clamp on tail made her worse. I am thinking a rope on her leg, any other ideas?

Tying can be dangerous. I'd start with a kick bar.

kowtow

mahoney_j wrote:

Offloaded 24 fr Bulls this am ,born from 01/02 to 08/03 .average weight 168 kg .average price 270 .no meal since 19/05 .left me 84 euro a piece after costs including labour of 50 per calf .much fleshier calves weighing 210 /230 kg made 335/350'but by looks of it ate a lot more meal than mine .said id off load now before big flush comes .could of fed more meal and got better weights but would I have made any more ???

Pleasantly surprised that my 5 screwy ones (including a pair of twins and a freemartin) averaged 200kg.. all late Feb & March... will guess a fair price for the neighbor now we know the weight.

whelan2

Got some one to help me this evening and the heifer was like a lamb. Hopefully this morning was a one off, put some cream on her after I milked her

pedigree 6

Fe*Ken cow sh*t in me eye this evening when milking.
It was made worse by the fact I was wearing glasses and it came down and filled up between my eye and the specs.

So I'm thinking that if a bird does it to you it's good luck so if a cow does it to you by reasoning of the sheer volume that I should win the lotto tonight.