Dairy chit chat II

Keepgrowing

Mooooo wrote: »

why is it always the cow that's incalf for Feb and nothing wrong otherwise that keeps getting the habit of knocking the wire, pain in the hole esp when crossing the road. The same prick would roar all night if she didn't get her ration then

She needs to be placed in a box with a child's toy;)

Keepgrowing

Due to some posts here I bought IFJ to read offending article be A Brennan.

I re read and still can't find what's so offensive. It doesn't in any way advocate a second unit rather cautions against it.

It states that home farm needs to be running at 100% before it should be considered. It says that it should be set up as simple as possible. It says not to do it just cos one may feel it's fashionable. It stated that extreme due diligence is required.

Where's the problem?

kowtow

Keepgrowing wrote:

Where's the problem?

The problem is his figures are too simple. Or too complex.

The premise of his advice is good, the figures seem to be chosen to support a conclusion.

But it becomes a buy vs rent article. In truth that may be the main preoccupation for those considering second units.

yewtree

kowtow wrote: »

The problem is his figures are too simple. Or too complex.

The premise of his advice is good, the figures seem to be chosen to support a conclusion.

But it becomes a buy vs rent article. In truth that may be the main preoccupation for those considering second units.

It would be hard to achieve much more in a 2 page article. The article gives you an idea of whats involved utimately its the ability of the operator that will decide whether it works or not.

kowtow

yewtree wrote:

It would be hard to achieve much more in a 2 page article. The article gives you an idea of whats involved utimately its the ability of the operator that will decide whether it works or not.

+1

It might be that the journal should publish an accounting series for farmers in the same format as the two page ag science bit they do.

As you say he is raising the right issues which are ROI vs management friction, but once you raise them you did never cover them in two pages.

Edit: I am often, particularly when driving up the M8, tempted to develop a decent decision support model for Irish dairying. It is not impossible by any means, but it is not trivial either, even assuming that the person developing it has a rigorous understanding of the accounting concepts. I usually get over the temptation by the time I get home to the yard and am faced with something more practical to do.

The advantages of such a model would be to highlight, I think, some of the nuanced sweet spots in profitability and resilience - for example, whether - in some circumstances - a good laying hen, winter milk, and maybe a robot might be the right place to head for many family farms.

*my tongue is partially in my cheek as I think of this example.

mf240

Surely if you were the type of fella that was capable of setting up and running a second unit. You would be able to research it yourself. The journal is just a newspaper.

kowtow

mf240 wrote: »

The journal is just a newspaper.

I'm not sure that is the way it sees itself?

Is it not part of a long tradition of agricultural publications in various parts of the world that see themselves as part newspaper, part social service, part correspondence course - an extension of the Extension services (like Teagasc) in a sense?

There is a difference between reporting the plight of the Irish farmer, representing the views of the Irish farmer, and seeking to improve the lot of the Irish farmer.

Although it's curious that every institution that has ever sought to improve the lot of the farmer seems to fall back on improving the farmer himself, rather than addressing the commercial circumstances in which the farmer operates.

rangler1

kowtow wrote: »

I'm not sure that is the way it sees itself?

Is it not part of a long tradition of agricultural publications in various parts of the world that see themselves as part newspaper, part social service, part correspondence course - an extension of the Extension services (like Teagasc) in a sense?

There is a difference between reporting the plight of the Irish farmer, representing the views of the Irish farmer, and seeking to improve the lot of the Irish farmer.

Although it's curious that every institution that has ever sought to improve the lot of the farmer seems to fall back on improving the farmer himself, rather than addressing the commercial circumstances in which the farmer operates.

No matter what's written, it'll be subjected to different interpretation, especially if someones looking for something or someone one to blame for their own stupidity.

Buford T. Justice XIX

kowtow wrote: »

I'm not sure that is the way it sees itself?

Is it not part of a long tradition of agricultural publications in various parts of the world that see themselves as part newspaper, part social service, part correspondence course - an extension of the Extension services (like Teagasc) in a sense?

There is a difference between reporting the plight of the Irish farmer, representing the views of the Irish farmer, and seeking to improve the lot of the Irish farmer.

Although it's curious that every institution that has ever sought to improve the lot of the farmer seems to fall back on improving the farmer himself, rather than addressing the commercial circumstances in which the farmer operates.

A link to the objectives of the Agricultural Trust which owns the Journal.

http://www.farmersjournal.ie/information/company-information/150940

Mooooo

Slurry going out here with pipe, they started at 2 will have the bones of 50 acres covered by this evening

Mooooo

Nice surprise this evening in the paddock, foetus from and autumn calved, fri evening an all so lab will likely be no good on Monday balls anyway. Testing next week so will blood cow then, or would it want to be done straight away in the morning to have a better chance of finding anything?

pedigree 6

It's hard to know whether I should be ashamed or proud.:rolleyes:

I have a 16 month old hol/fr heifer that calved today with a hol/fr heifer calf.
Both are fine and good and calved on her own.:)

whelan2

pedigree 6 wrote: »

It's hard to know whether I should be ashamed or proud.:rolleyes:

I have a 16 month old hol/fr heifer that calved today with a hol/fr heifer calf.
Both are fine and good and calved on her own.:)

Slapper

pedigree 6

whelan2 wrote: »

Slapper

Fine big bag on her and milking her this evening.

Water John

Bet she'll be quiet as a mouse.

pedigree 6

Water John wrote: »

Bet she'll be quiet as a mouse.

Bred for fertility and docility.;)

Cluster on this evening and no kicking.
That's it jinxed for tomorrow.

And the daddy of the calf was a 7 month old bull at the time (named McGregor).

For anyone with Feb born calves and bulls and heifers mixed. Separate them in August not September.
Lesson learned.

Water John

Mcgregor's one and only sprog.

pedigree 6

Water John wrote: »

Mcgregor's one and only sprog.

So far.

More to follow.....:p

Water John

Thought it would only happen with the sucklers, that young.
You'll have to get the vet to sign, if the animal is under 18 months.They won't register the calf otherwise. Been there.

cosatron

Water John wrote: »

Thought it would only happen with the sucklers, that young.
You'll have to get the vet to sign, if the animal is under 18 months.They won't register the calf otherwise. Been there.

or don't tag the calf for 2 months:D

Mod note: While I realise the comment was made in jest, just to remind people that it is a legal requirement thatcalves must be registered before 28 days old.

Buford T. Justice

Water John

Some great ideas are best left unsaid.

kowtow

pedigree 6 wrote: »

So far.

More to follow.....:p

Nice to see someone else with teenager trouble. One thing is for certain, the boy below might have only been 6 or 7 months but by God he got them in calf a lot easier than me & the AI man are doing this year.

I'm sorry I let him go.

freedominacup

kowtow wrote: »

Nice to see someone else with teenager trouble. One thing is for certain, the boy below might have only been 6 or 7 months but by God he got them in calf a lot easier than me & the AI man are doing this year.

I'm sorry I let him go.

It wasn't work to him😉

cosatron

cosatron wrote: »

or don't tag the calf for 2 months:D

Mod note: While I realise the comment was made in jest, just to remind people that it is a legal requirement thatcalves must be registered before 28 days old.

Buford T. Justice

sorry buford my bad.

atlantic mist

havent seen a stock bull with horns in a while, prob no harm you got rid of him before they grew anymore

whelan2

Fr bull I have with my heifers is gone very wicked. Will be going for burgers very soon

kowtow

atlantic mist wrote: »

havent seen a stock bull with horns in a while, prob no harm you got rid of him before they grew anymore

Yeh..

I think that photo was taken a couple of days before I sold him with a bunch of other weanlings. He was always very quiet for me but he didn't like the buyer, who was a little heavy handed, and instead of walking quietly into the trailer he cleared the gate on his left in the photo more or less from a standing position. Didn't leave a mark on the gate or himself.

I eventually sent the first load and brought his mother up to the yard to calm him down a bit.

pedigree 6

The aforementioned slapper.:D

Still, not bad for a year and 4 months old.

atlantic mist

irish equine center ceasing bvd testing on 30 june, anyone know who is left doing it or has the testing finished?

whelan2

atlantic mist wrote: »

irish equine center ceasing bvd testing on 30 june, anyone know who is left doing it or has the testing finished?

Enfer. Doubt the testing has finished as some dicks are still holding on to positive animals