Will you milk this winter with no bonus?

frazzledhome

Curious as to what people's views or plans are. We are at a historic low milk price and restrictions on production have gone. Now that you can supply all the milk you want, will you continue through winter.

We have winter milk contract so will but not 1 litre more than we'll collect bonus on

whelan2

will just milk enough for contract

Timmaay

Should match it up close enough. My neighbour has a winter bonus (no liquid anymore tho), he's in spring milk, and even with the bonus says it's only worth his while milking on if the price is good, too much effort turning on the machine, washing it out etc for afew litres otherwise. OAD milking probably makes some sense, I only have 10 autumn calvers, the most of them calving in early Sept (carryovers), would I get away with OAD during Dec and Jan and put them back TAD in feb?

whelan2

Timmaay wrote: »

Should match it up close enough. My neighbour has a winter bonus (no liquid anymore tho), he's in spring milk, and even with the bonus says it's only worth his while milking on if the price is good, too much effort turning on the machine, washing it out etc for afew litres otherwise. OAD milking probably makes some sense, I only have 10 autumn calvers, the most of them calving in early Sept (carryovers), would I get away with OAD during Dec and Jan and put them back TAD in feb?

Would scc be an issue? Have 35 autumn calvers here, down on last year, have a big enough liquid quota. Starting calving week after next

Dawggone

Xmas is the busiest time of the year for me.
Just myself and OH to mind the few cows and chickens...

kowtow

Hell I'm still gobsmacked when the milk goes in the jar.

Will keep at it while I have the upper hand.

September 2014 calvers still doing 15 kg + on OAD , due to calve now in Spring so will maybe knock off in November & finish the other side of the parlour, before I get one arm 3x size of the other like a barmaid.

Greengrass1

Dunno what the craic is hete yet. Won't be any heifers milked on. Will dry them all off mid Nov. Alot calving in first 6 wks so that too cuts down numbers to be milked on.
Have more than our bonus to calve too dad is adamant we will get paid the bonus for them. I'm not sure.
Have 12 heifers to serve undecided what were doing with them yet tbh. Need extra cows but not in winter milkers.
Thinking maybe put 4 biggest incalf for winter and serve rest in may but all way ahead of target so could end up being over fat

kevthegaff

Im in a predicament at the mo, have to scan all cows/heifers. Might bring a few auld girls to fatory next week, how late would ye bring incalf to factory? It all depends on scsn results whether expanding or staying put. Wont scan till late sept. Prob gona milk to mid dec if achieving 30 a litre, no liquid milk or winter.

Brown Podzol

Say April calvers milked to end of Jan. 12kg dm silage dry, 12 kg silage dm+6 kg meal milking. High solids milk 30c and meal 30c/kg. 7 litres will cover costs for milking over dry. All fixed costs have been incurred anyway.Anything over this is profit? Only ever spring milk here, so am I missing something?.

mf240

Im drying off a few this evening. One of them has been milking for 800 days. Shes calving in oct.

Im not the smartest chap at times.

whelan2

mf240 wrote: »

Im drying off a few this evening. One of them has been milking for 800 days. Shes calving in oct.

Im not the smartest chap at times.

What's your overall calving interval?

mahoney_j

frazzledhome wrote: »

Curious as to what people's views or plans are. We are at a historic low milk price and restrictions on production have gone. Now that you can supply all the milk you want, will you continue through winter.

We have winter milk contract so will but not 1 litre more than we'll collect bonus on

Not a chance without a good winter/liquid/baileys contract milking through the winter is a no no.im waiting for the cash flow excuses though ....

Timmaay

mf240 wrote: »

Im drying off a few this evening. One of them has been milking for 800 days. Shes calving in oct.

Im not the smartest chap at times.

Dried off a lady afew weeks ago who had been milking 550days, the milk recording had her down at 12000l and over 900kgMS, cows like that are the reason I've been slow to exit winter milk, would be a shame to cull her ha.

Buford T. Justice XIX

No winter bonus in Kerry, just base price. Have 12 culls calving over the next few months and I am still locked up. I was going to off load them over the summer after calving but i might be stuck with them over the winter now:(

If the next test in 2 weeks is clear then i can plan on selling them when/if i get clear, otherwise I will milk through. Herself will be delighted:o

Milked out

Same as other winter milkers here will only milk what I'll get bonus for and meet criteria to stay in winter milk scheme to keep options open. All bar three will be calving between oct 8 and Nov 25 so will see at 1st Dec where we're at. Normally use spring calvers to top up winter quota and help keep solids up, late calvers normally dried off end of jan so will keep an eye on yields and anything doing less than 10L will be dried off. Slight issue this autumn is that while trying to reduce ration fed it can be difficult to keep spring girls motoring till housing esp if weather turns. Will dry off all heifers that are incalf in Nov early Dec regardless of calving date, set em up for next lactation and hopefully better milk prices

keep going

well just to buck the trend im going to milk on but this is only because of pushing numbers and try to tidy calving pattern-will be hard pushed to pay mysel14%will be dried on 1november,down to half by 1 dec and down two rows of the parlour for jan.some will culled or carry on milking for the year

jaymla627

keep going wrote: »

well just to buck the trend im going to milk on but this is only because of pushing numbers and try to tidy calving pattern-will be hard pushed to pay mysel14%will be dried on 1november,down to half by 1 dec and down two rows of the parlour for jan.some will culled or carry on milking for the year

Same craic here, usually don't dry of till Xmas eve anyways, problems here with neospora to so usually end up in the parlour by the middle of Jan anyways when a couple throw calves so see no pont in shutting down the parlour....lads might say it's a loss making excerise but would rather have the couple of grand coming in over the Jan/Feb months even if your breaking even at best....

frazzledhome

jaymla627 wrote: »

Same craic here, usually don't dry of till Xmas eve anyways, problems here with neospora to so usually end up in the parlour by the middle of Jan anyways when a couple throw calves so see no pont in shutting down the parlour....lads might say it's a loss making excerise but would rather have the couple of grand coming in over the Jan/Feb months even if your breaking even at best....

Is there any vaccine against neospora? Would many slip calves?

Buford T. Justice XIX

frazzledhome wrote: »

Is there any vaccine against neospora? Would many slip calves?

No vaccine just control dogs and foxes.

The cow will always be infected and her calves also. Any cow eating the cleanings from an infected cow will be infected also.

jaymla627

frazzledhome wrote: »

Is there any vaccine against neospora? Would many slip calves?

No vaccine, just keeping dogs away from yard silage pits, and feeding areas is the main thing, had six in 2013, and 3 in 2014 so it seems to be levelling off, absolute b***k to test for aswell could blood the whole herd today and every cow/heifer in the place could show up clear then come December/Jan you'll find a cow after slipping to it....
It's a pretty complex disease reading up on it with no vaccine in sight our even being trialed

Cow Porter

jaymla627 wrote: »

No vaccine, just keeping dogs away from yard silage pits, and feeding areas is the main thing, had six in 2013, and 3 in 2014 so it seems to be levelling off, absolute b***k to test for aswell could blood the whole herd today and every cow/heifer in the place could show up clear then come December/Jan you'll find a cow after slipping to it....
It's a pretty complex disease reading up on it with no vaccine in sight our even being trialed

at what stage are calves lost?

jaymla627

Cow Porter wrote: »

at what stage are calves lost?

Mainly around the six to seven month mark, you'll get the odd one at 8 months too

stanflt

Yes will soldier on as ever but I do have a liquid and baileys contract- fresh cows will cover that- all 29 of them!!!!! Don't dry any cows till 50 days pre calving so March April may calvers are technically winter millers here

Solids for October- jan avg 4.4 fat and 3.8 p so at least there's a good bonus on top of contract also

Cows still at 28 litre and 3.71% p with autumn calvers ready to dry off next week

4.5 kg meal and grass

mahoney_j

stanflt wrote: »

Yes will soldier on as ever but I do have a liquid and baileys contract- fresh cows will cover that- all 29 of them!!!!! Don't dry any cows till 50 days pre calving so March April may calvers are technically winter millers here

Solids for October- jan avg 4.4 fat and 3.8 p so at least there's a good bonus on top of contract also

Cows still at 28 litre and 3.71% p with autumn calvers ready to dry off next week

4.5 kg meal and grass

With winter solids like that and if u could get enough winter/liquid,baileys contract I reckon there's nice money to be made calving all your cows from late September to mid December .massive spring demand but u could produce sme very cheap meal from grass from late spring on

stanflt

mahoney_j wrote: »

With winter solids like that and if u could get enough winter/liquid,baileys contract I reckon there's nice money to be made calving all your cows from late September to mid December .massive spring demand but u could produce sme very cheap meal from grass from late spring on

I have thought about all oct nov calving but it's much easier and healthier calving to grass

mahoney_j

stanflt wrote: »

I have thought about all oct nov calving but it's much easier and healthier calving to grass

Considering the quality of your winter feed,milk and kg solids produced IF u could get enough winter contract would u make more money calving in autumn .its a given calving to grass and spring healthier agreed

Greengrass1

mahoney_j wrote: »

With winter solids like that and if u could get enough winter/liquid,baileys contract I reckon there's nice money to be made calving all your cows from late September to mid December .massive spring demand but u could produce sme very cheap meal from grass from late spring on

It's not a bad idea in theory but again you buy enough liquid quota (baileys is a closed shop and have been told there won't be any increase in winter milk contracts for the forseable future) i dunno if it would pay - have done no sums on it.
Aswell as needing a well set up yard to make life easier for yiurself in the winter ie good cubicles calf accomodation etc

One thing I do notice about our autumn calves is they don't need much meal at grass there motoring by April and ready to use grass

blackdog1

I'll be filling my winter contract plus a bit I'd say. Not overly worried though as I can see no lift in milk price until after june/July next year and when the winter calvers come in next year it will probably be to a higher price. I'll fed 7 kg per cow. 5 kg of crimp wheat (25%maize meal). Works out at 180 a tonne and 2kg high protein(dont have price yet) plus silage and whole crop.

Sacrolyte

Will fill to contract this year more or less. Certainly not a year for passengers.
As for the outlook I think the processors would love the spring Calver to milk on in the winter and use excess milk as a stick to beat the winter price/volume. This must be defended at board level.

stanflt

mahoney_j wrote: »

Considering the quality of your winter feed,milk and kg solids produced IF u could get enough winter contract would u make more money calving in autumn .its a given calving to grass and spring healthier agreed

I definitely think that I would make more money in an calving scenario if and only if I had the extra liquid quota
I reckon an October calving cow leaves 250-300 euro more profit than a March and 500 more than an April May calvers

However if Glanbia decide to do away with liquid quotas or even dilute them I would have to seriously think about getting out of winter milk


Currently setting the herd up for 75% plus 6 week calving in. The spring but it will take 5 years- will be at 60-68% next spring by front loading heifers however I'm reluctant to sell high yielding high solids late calvers as in my situation it doesn't make viable financial sense

But and what gives me a competitive edge over other high input herds is that I have a cow that will suit any system and respond to it

The beauty of ebi really- fertility solids milk fertility and fertility- did I mention fertility I don't think I can stress fertility enough and how important it has been in driving milk production sold out the gate

stanflt

Just after realising from another tread that I have some fixed milk pricing that will help during the winter also