So I've no idea about farming but I'm curious. READ NOTE IN OP BEFORE POSTING>

Stheno

This is a stupid questions thread to you farmers, but I often read threads on the front page and haveq stupid questions.

What's the difference between straw and hay?

What does bulling mean? Is that live mating vs ivf?
What is silage? My understanding is its cow manure that you spread on the fields?


MOD NOTE
We are hoping for a civilised and fun discussion here. If your intention is to preach about farmers/farming this is NOT the thread for you.

The general rule of 'Don't be a dick' applies here and will be enforced if necessary.

Grueller

Stheno wrote: »

This is a stupid questions thread to you farmers, but I often read threads on thevdront page and have stupid questions.

What's the difference between straw and hay?

What does bulling mean? Is that live mating vs if?

What is silage? My understanding is its cow manure that you spread on the fields?

Straw is the "grass" left over after grain is taken from Corn. Mostly used as bedding but barley straw has some feed value. Hay is dehydrated grass which is saved during summer months to be used as winter feeding.

Bulling is a term used to describe a cow or heifer (maiden female) on heat

Silage is basically pickled grass saved again during summer to be used as a winter feedstuff.

blue5000

Stheno wrote: »

This is a stupid questions thread to you farmers, but I often read threads on the front page and haveq stupid questions.

What's the difference between straw and hay?

What does bulling mean? Is that live mating vs ivf?
What is silage? My understanding is its cow manure that you spread on the fields?

Welcome aboard, better get in here quick before you get savaged by the locals;

straw is the dry stalks from a cereal crop eg wheat/barley/oats. Hay is dry grass.

Bulling is when a heifer/cow (female) comes in season and 'seeks the bull'

Silage is basically pickled grass pH 4.0 preserved under airtight plastic.

Grueller types faster

Stheno

Grueller wrote: »

Straw is the "grass" left over after grain is taken from Corn. Mostly used as bedding but barley straw jas some feed value. Hay is dehydrated grass which is saved during summer months to be used as winter feeding.

Bulling is a test used to describe a cow or heifer (maiden female) on heat

Silage is basically pickled grass saved again during summer to be used as a winter feedstuff.

Thank you.

What's slurry? Is it basically manure? And why is it so lethal?

Never wrestle with pigs

Stheno wrote: »

Thank you.

What's slurry? Is it basically manure? And why is it so lethal?

Cow manure. When it is stored in a tank over time gas builds up. Mainly methane. When the slurry is mixed up to get reddy to spread the gas releases and you can be overcome with the gas and drop.

sullivlo

How do you feel about Teagasc. Is there still a function for them to the farmers?

Do you prefer calves or lambs?

What's the weirdest thing you've fed to a pig?

Massey or Deere?

Do you really paint cows arses so their udders go blue when they're bulling?

Do you have a rotating milk parlour?

Do you have road frontage? And follow up question: does it work as a chat up line?

What part of your life does the macra play?

I'm sure I'll think of more.

Stheno

Never wrestle with pigs wrote: »

Cow manure. When it is stored in a tank over time gas builds up. Mainly methane. When the slurry is mixed up to get reddy to spread the gas releases and you can be overcome with the gas and drop.

Thank you. What about sheep pigs and goats ?

Is their manure less likely to be collected?

Going back to slurry are cow sheds built in such a way that they have a floor or system that causes the slurry to be automatically collected and diverted to the tank? And on the question of deaths/tragedies, what management or maintenance is required that leads to it?

Do the tanks need maintenance?

sullivlo

Stheno wrote: »

Thank you. What about sheep pigs and goats ?

Is their manure less likely to be collected?

Going back to slurry are cow sheds built in such a way that they have a floor or system that causes the slurry to be automatically collected and diverted to the tank? And on the question of deaths/tragedies

Sheeps poo is like bullets so probably not useful for slurry.

The cow sheds in work were slatted and this big squeegee thing would scrape all the poo into the pit.

Nekarsulm

sullivlo wrote: »

How do you feel about Teagasc. Is there still a function for them to the farmers?

Teagasc, seem to remember hearing about them years ago.

Do you prefer calves or lambs?

Lambs.

What's the weirdest thing you've fed to a pig?

If they get bored, they tend to eat each others tails, and can kill each other.

Massey or Deere?

Deere

Do you really paint cows arses so their udders go blue when they're bulling?

No, you put a emulsion paint on their backbone, at the top of their tail. When another cow jumps on them (as they will when they are ovulating) the pain gets rubbed off. Used to show when AI may be used.

Do you have a rotating milk parlour?

Probably less than 100 in the whole country.

Do you have road frontage? And follow up question: does it work as a chat up line?

Yes, and "sometimes"

What part of your life does the macra play?

Plays hell with your liver.

I'm sure I'll think of more.

Keep them coming....

sullivlo

Nekarsulm wrote: »

Keep them coming....

Do you have a better success rate with bulls or AI?

Do you really let the boar out to get the sows worked up for AI?

And my favourite fact: boy pigs willies are shaped like corkscrews.

Nekarsulm

Bull should always have a better success rate.

Yes, and a sows orgasm lasts twenty minutes!

Only European pigs willies. American and Asian go the other way.

Base price

Some very good questions.
*I like all stock but prefer cattle to the white vermin
*I think the most unusual thing that I ever fed to my pigs was Le Puy lentils. I got a few 20 kg sacks that was gone by their best before date (human consumption) from a friend who owned a shop. I cooked them up over several weeks during the Winter as a night time snack for my free range pigs.
*Massey all the way.
* Dairy farmers "tail paint" their cows with special paint as a aid to identify when the cows come into heat (estrous) so that the paint will be rubbed off the tail when another cow mounts her during a standing heat. There may not be a bull present/running with the cow herd to do the bizz iykwim;)
* I don't have a dairy herd/milk cows but if I did I would prefer a herringbone parlour.
* I do have road frontage but would need to suss out if he has more or less than me
* Had many a good night at Macra doo's in my youth.

kowtow

sullivlo wrote:

What's the weirdest thing you've fed to a pig?

1. Pretty much the entire closing down stock of Arnica from a health food shop to cure a bad case of arthritis.

2. Whole round cheeses of up to 20kg. Pigs are killer cheese rollers and very fast on the hill.

Gaspode

Why are there so few AD plants in a country that seems to produce a lot of animal manure & food waste?
What is haylage, is it the bastard child of silage & hay?

charolais0153

Gaspode wrote: »

Why are there so few AD plants in a country that seems to produce a lot of animal manure & food waste?
What is haylage, is it the bastard child of silage & hay?[/quohaylage is very dry silage and like a dust free version of hay and wrapped. It isn't very efficient to have ad plants for slurry ,idk about food waste

Sam Kade

sullivlo wrote: »

What's the weirdest thing you've fed to a pig?

Years ago in rural pubs they always kept a porter pig out the back, the pig was fattened on slops from the day before hence the name porter pig.

degsie

How do you know if a cow has been 'bulled'?

_Brian

Our pigs savaged a Christmas pudding there in the summer, I was a bit jealous. Now that's a varied diet.

kowtow

degsie wrote:

How do you know if a cow has been 'bulled'?

Its not whether she has been served by a bull which is the big issue so much as whether she is on heat... either because we are looking to serve her with AI or because she has been served (either by a bull or artificially) and has come back into season meaning that the pregnancy didn't take and hold.

The tendency of cows to stand still for another cow (usually, although sometimes a teaser bull or the bull himself) to mount them at exactly the right moment for breeding is what disturbs the paint on their tails and gives the alert.

There are more up to date ways such as electronic sensors on collars and pedometers all of which sense changes in behaviour when a cow is bulling, but either way observation is almost a full time job during the breeding seasons.

Bigus

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u3qy4Zv4snI

Timmaay

Stheno wrote: »

This is a stupid questions thread to you farmers, but I often read threads on the front page and haveq stupid questions.

What's the difference between straw and hay?

Tim ya cotton picking straw chewing farmer


What does bulling mean? Is that live mating vs ivf?
Tim do you shove your hand up a cows bollox?, ewwe


What is silage? My understanding is its cow manure that you spread on the fields?

f*&king smell around my house, have yas been spreading silage on the ground again!

They are quotes from afew of the teens in the local running club where I coach, about the extent of their farming knowledge ha! (and don't worry I give as good as I get ha)

sullivlo

For the dairy farmers, do you make your own butter? And do you drink the milk straight from the cow (after cooling), or wait for the pasteurised and homogenised milk?

sullivlo

Ooooh. Why does the bull wear a nose ring?

Water John

To say he is spoken for.

blue5000

sullivlo wrote: »

For the dairy farmers, do you make your own butter? And do you drink the milk straight from the cow (after cooling), or wait for the pasteurised and homogenised milk?

No we suck it straight from the cow, has to be a quiet cow though.

_Brian

sullivlo wrote: »

For the dairy farmers, do you make your own butter? And do you drink the milk straight from the cow (after cooling), or wait for the pasteurised and homogenised milk?

Dont know anyone making their own butter but I suppose some might.. Some dairy farmers use their own milk but more and more they use shop bought milk, lots of kids get used to it..

Water John

Is that why you have a black eye occasionally, Blue?

Water John

There was a woman on with Pat Kenny yesterday who makes Ghee.
That BTW is a clarified butter.

purpleisafruit

Right, so I'm a townie who now lives in the countryside. Here's what I'd like to know off the top of my head:
Do many of you own guns? If so, what are you shooting with them?

The farm just down road from me, frequently the bulk tanker shows up in middle of night(2-4am). Is this common now?

Do you work off the farm also?

Why do calves go mental every morning when left out into the field? I personally find this hilarious, as does my 3 year old son.

GBX

Great thread ...

Do you's get "attached" to the cows/sheeps..

blue5000

GBX wrote: »

Great thread ...

Do you's get "attached" to the cows/sheeps..

Just the quiet ones;)

kowtow

purpleisafruit wrote: »

Why do calves go mental every morning when left out into the field? I personally find this hilarious, as does my 3 year old son.

Calves go mental near dawn - and again near dusk - for no particular reason. Actually they do this indoors as well as outdoors.. I've always assumed it had something to do with feeding time as they seem to suckle in a couple of dedicated bouts as well but others will know better than me.

Actually Cows never really lose the ability to go mental like calves, kicking up their heels and dancing around like maniacs. They do this going out in the Spring, moving to fresh grass, breaking through a fence successfully, or coming in on rainy evenings (most cows in my experience strongly prefer the warmth of a building in wet and windy weather), and especially when given a fresh big bale of straw to play football with.

Others like to demonstrate their playfulness by kicking lovingly in the parlour when you are behind them, or sometimes (if they can't reach you directly) kicking their neighbour to get her to kick you on their behalf. If for some reason another cow has taken their preferred spot in the parlour - perhaps they were delayed coming up - some will try to climb over the others to get back to their normal spot so they can resume whatever cow conversation they were having with their neighbour the evening before.

kowtow

blue5000 wrote: »

Just the quiet ones;)

A bit of lip balm should sort that out for you Blue.

Parishlad

GBX wrote: »

Great thread ...

Do you's get "attached" to the cows/sheeps..

When you say 'attached'......!!??

Water John

Milk collections at night very common. Plant running 24/7 for 10 months of the year.
Also BTW some of these drivers are pulling 12/14 hour shifts!!!

Worst time for collection is when the cows are being milked. Milk tank has to be washed. Drivers know they are not welcome at these times.

GBX

Parishlad wrote: »

When you say 'attached'......!!??

When you take a shine to one ... a proper good looking beast of an animal.

And no I don't mean attached physically.

Parishlad

GBX wrote: »

When you take a shine to one ... a proper good looking beast of an animal.

And no I don't mean attached physically.

Yep, there are obviously favourites that I would feel a bit sorry to see go....but I wouldn't lose any sleep over it. In my case it would sometimes be an animal that might have needed a bit of extra care as a calf and pulled through and turned out well or maybe a particularly quiet and friendly animal....but at the end of the day they go to the mart and that's it....next batch comes through.

Genghis Cant

GBX wrote: »

When you take a shine to one ... a proper good looking beast of an animal.

And no I don't mean attached physically.

Of course. A good cow that always produced the goods. Went about her business in a civilised fashion, left a strong line of descendants behind her. You'd have to be made of stone not to rue her departure.
On the other hand there's always one that you can't wait to see the back end of her going up the ramp.

Colser

Do farmers wives still have to feed all the workers during the busy times?

BrianBoru00

If someone had 8 acres of well fenced land with a water supply and a permanent 9-5 job. What would you recommend doing with (a) €5000 & (b) €20000.

Would it be in any way practical to start a dairy herd on a very small scale (i.e. around a €20000 budget ) and gradually increase it?

Great Thread - I think this will run and run

Gaspode

I think the big question for all the farmers is why the hell do ye do it, it seems like such hard hard work for very little reward, with your income at the whim of the weather, meat factory/dairy magnates, Dept Ag/EU bean counters, supermarket chains etc etc. (I admire ye greatly, i sure as hell couldnt see myself doing it!)

ganmo

Slurry is liquid ****e + urine collected in tanks under the sheds normally or in outdoor lagoons and comes from cattle and pigs.
the risks of slurry are mainly from the gases released when mixing prior to spreading
but if stored outside, the surface looks solid but it isn't.

manure comes from when the animals are housed on straw, its solid.

ganmo

Colser wrote: »

Do farmers wives still have to feed all the workers during the busy times?

farmers wives are not stay at home wives anymore so its not as common as it was

and alot of farmers have full time jobs, myself included and my dad is self employed

vicwatson

Under what circumstances do cows constantly Moooo? Cows close are obviously locked in a cowshed and they moo all night long, they dont sound well

Musketeer4

degsie wrote: »

How do you know if a cow has been 'bulled'?

A calf falls out of it a year or so later.

ganmo

vicwatson wrote: »

Under what circumstances do cows constantly Moooo? Cows close are obviously locked in a cowshed and they moo all night long, they dont sound well

it could be a number of reasons but I reckon it might be that they were recently weaned. Some cows can break through fences etc to try and get back to their calf, a few days in the shed will mean they won't break out and be a danger to everyone.

other possibilities, a sick cow separated from the rest for treatment

Bass Reeves

sullivlo wrote: »

What's the weirdest thing you've fed to a pig?

Massey or Deere?



Do you have road frontage? And follow up question: does it work as a chat up line?
.

Friend of mine got about 40-50 male ducklings. ( the reason he got them was they were from a laying breed). He had them more or less freerange in and of the sheds and yards. After about 10 weeks a few stated to disappear he suspected a fox and was on the watchout. He could not understand it as they were locked up at night and disappeared during the day and no fethers visible.

One day he was in the shed (at this stage over half had disappeared) and one of the ducks passed the pig pen( he had 2-3 pigs) and a snout came out grabbed the duck around the neck and pulled it into the pen. By thhe time he got to the pens there was nothing left not even a spec of blood. He had often heard had duck stuffed with bacon but pork stuffed with duck.

Neither massey or Deere I have a Case and Ford


I have a bit of roadfrontage but I am beyond chat up lines.

Stheno

Do cows like to groom each other? I often pass a field where there are cows and often times there will be two of them with their faces on the others neck, looks like grooming.

Or are they just having an aul chinwag?

vicwatson

ganmo wrote: »

it could be a number of reasons but I reckon it might be that they were recently weaned. Some cows can break through fences etc to try and get back to their calf, a few days in the shed will mean they won't break out and be a danger to everyone.

other possibilities, a sick cow separated from the rest for treatment

Thanks, a couple of weeks though?? not sure the farmer is taking his responsibilities seriously

Its keeping the neighbourhood awake

ganmo

vicwatson wrote: »

Thanks, a couple of weeks though?? not sure the farmer is taking his responsibilities seriously

Its keeping the neighbourhood awake

talk to him/her

Nekarsulm

vicwatson wrote: »

Thanks, a couple of weeks though?? not sure the farmer is taking his responsibilities seriously

Its keeping the neighbourhood awake

The odd cow never shuts up. My neighbour has one that roars day and night, for no apparent reason. Its a bit of a pain when the wind is blowing from the North East, cause it sounds like it's one of mine roaring.