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

Timmaay

24/6/16

Recently we saw three posters close their accounts over disagreements in the dairy threads. While there is a lot of frustration and discontent with current milk prices and the processing industry, the recent tendency for dairy threads to become tit-for-tat arguments isn’t tolerable for those not involved.

All farming sectors go through difficult periods and during such times there may need to be changes in how threads are moderated.

Dairy threads are going to be more closely monitored and subject to stricter moderation for a while.

To that end we won’t tolerate baiting of posters, constantly reviving old arguments, posters with agendas or crusading for a cause.

Whether it’s discussion of the business or politics of the dairy or other sectors, we expect civility and tolerance toward each other and other opinions as diversity of opinion is needed as a source of different ways of looking at a situation.

"The aim of argument, or of discussion, should not be victory, but progress." - Joseph Joubert

Also please be aware that what you may post as light-hearted banter can be read totally differently by someone adversely affected by the subject matter and evoke a reaction you hadn’t intended.

The ‘Off-Season’ forum, and its anonymous posting, is available for anyone to chat about their situation.

The Mod Team.

10 away from the 10000 posts! Frazz I think it's fair to say this thread has been a success!

Indeed it was! First thread can be found here- http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2056872221

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Dawggone

mahoney_j wrote: »

Big +1 a calm farmer leads to calm cows ,very little trouble with giddy heifers here.i can walk through all my heifers and maidens and they wouldn't bat an eyelid at u and nearly come over for a. Chat

We try to keep heifers calving down to >30 per batch. Never run them through parlor before calving, rarely any bother (had 2 that lid down to avoid being milked but that was a sire problem).

Had brfr years ago...they were tough...some had names like suicide, satan, ninja, shearer (always scores) etc

Keepgrowing

Dawggone wrote: »

We try to keep heifers calving down to >30 per batch. Never run them through parlor before calving, rarely any bother (had 2 that lid down to avoid being milked but that was a sire problem).

Had brfr years ago...they were tough...some had names like suicide, satan, ninja, shearer (always scores) etc

We calve all in one group but really works out as large number in Feb with repeats in early March. Just ran into parlour and take our time. 2 people milking with hoors getting milked morning only. No major bother tbh. They walk through parlour with the dry cows every Friday to go through foot bath. We fill collecting yard and go to lunch and the dry cows seem to lead them through parlour and foot bath

simx

Calved down 25 heifers and 20 cows this spring got on very well with heifers and weren't ran through parlour beforehand, some no hassle from day one then other grand first couple days and then were pricks then had to through a bar on them but soon stopped then others pricks for first couple of days, lad near me calved 28 last year all heifers and got wicked hardship, had two 2nd calvers that I got rid of, kick the head off ya, one needed two bars on her and other needed one but could of done with two, they were also slow milkers so out the gap good luck

Icelandicseige

simx wrote: »

Calved down 25 heifers and 20 cows this spring got on very well with heifers and weren't ran through parlour beforehand, some no hassle from day one then other grand first couple days and then were pricks then had to through a bar on them but soon stopped then others pricks for first couple of days, lad near me calved 28 last year all heifers and got wicked hardship, had two 2nd calvers that I got rid of, kick the head off ya, one needed two bars on her and other needed one but could of done with two, they were also slow milkers so out the gap good luck

Ever notice how accurate the mad hoors are when kicking back. Usually if they kick they hit!!

jaymla627

Icelandicseige wrote: »

Ever notice how accurate the mad hoors are when kicking back. Usually if they kick they hit!!

A few ladies here that used to look back before letting fire, if they get it back as hard as they give it they usually get the mesage, bought in a heap of stock here 4 years ago and definetley ended up with the lunny tunes out of alot of places.....
Its still at a stage here where the 4-5 th calvers can give more trouble temperment wise then a good % of the 1st calvers who are pure pets in the parlour...

atlantic mist

we calve between 50-60 heifers every year

we run all through parlor every 2/3 days from the time of housing in Nov, put a batch of dry cows with them and youd be surprised how much they will follow the example of the older cows, wed rub the dugs to get them used to us handling them as they get closer to calving.

when training in parlor for 1st few milkers we make sure none of our irish dancing cows are in sight, out of the 56 last year only two got a bar for a week, bull selection is important

GrasstoMilk

Kick bars are a big no no here.
We have them but use them on heifers when drying off to stop them figgiting
2 men In parlour and tails are held up on any that try to kick.
No shouting and no sticks.

freedominacup

GrasstoMilk wrote: »

Kick bars are a big no no here.
We have them but use them on heifers when drying off to stop them figgiting
2 men In parlour and tails are held up on any that try to kick.
No shouting and no sticks.

I found the last remenants of the last kick bar we had here during the week. We used to use it for lifting single slats in an old cubicle house.

simx

GrasstoMilk wrote: »

Kick bars are a big no no here.
We have them but use them on heifers when drying off to stop them figgiting
2 men In parlour and tails are held up on any that try to kick.
No shouting and no sticks.

Find them good here have crocodile clips but don't like them, only myself here so need something to help

kevthegaff

Kicking bar used here, that and hold cluster for a bit while holding tail , after minute start rubbing her and leave her alone then. Normally works here. Had 50 heifers here last year with no help, it's all about patience. Also tricks like squeezing up 15 into 12 stalls, cow at end. A few yrs back had a lunatic and forgot to take of kicking bar 2 milking in a row, had it tight too. She didn't kick afterwards

[Deleted User]

Keepgrowing wrote: »

They walk through parlour with the dry cows every Friday to go through foot bath. We fill collecting yard and go to lunch and the dry cows seem to lead them through parlour and foot bath

Would there be much of this routine weekly/daily work, thats done/ time consuming to do irregular work like bales or dosing etc?

C0N0R

Have 309 heifers to calve in January, in 3 days. Even better in February, have 618 to calve in 6 days!!

whelan2

2 heifers calved today, milked them this evening and they were grand. There's no shouting and no sticks. Anyway will have help from tomorrow evening so hopefully stress levels will drop. Only 2 heifers left to calve now. In a few weeks all will be settled down hopefully. 1 cow had twin angus bulls today, all good. Off to aldi now with my iodine covered hands

Keepgrowing

C0N0R wrote: »

Have 309 heifers to calve in January, in 3 days. Even better in February, have 618 to calve in 6 days!!

How many people helping?

Keepgrowing

Waffletraktor wrote: »

Would there be much of this routine weekly/daily work, thats done/ time consuming to do irregular work like bales or dosing etc?

Feet and grass measuring done on Mondays Calf pens cleaned Tues Calving sheds Tues and Friday
Foot bath all stock on Friday
Any dosing, drafting etc of young stock is on Wednesday
Plastic tidied and sorted on Thursday after lunch

That's kinda the routine in spring

visatorro

14 litres 3.98 fat, 3.88 prot.
Grass, what grass.
Stocked at 4
2 kg 14% meal, up to four next week. Silage in from next week.
Happy with bcs of cows.
Autumn calvers started yesterday. 25% of herd is autumn calved

simx

P 3.82 bf 4.25 16l here bcs ok couple of poorish ones getting 4kg( 4 or so) rest on 2kg 16% nuts

kevthegaff

PR 3.81 fat 4.42 gone up last collection so did SCC! Testing all cows morning, dry off here and there then. Just under 16 litres. 3kg maize meal, barley, hulls

whelan2

kevthegaff wrote: »

PR 3.81 fat 4.42 gone up last collection so did SCC! Testing all cows morning, dry off here and there then. Just under 16 litres. 3kg maize meal, barley, hulls

Are you drying off culls or spring calvers?

simx

kevthegaff wrote: »

PR 3.81 fat 4.42 gone up last collection so did SCC! Testing all cows morning, dry off here and there then. Just under 16 litres. 3kg maize meal, barley, hulls

Scc well up here also, will be drying off some only doing around 10l or so at housing circa 20 October or so

kevthegaff

whelan2 wrote:

Are you drying off culls or spring calvers?

Spring calvers, mixture of scc, lighter heifers and few I paired that haven't improved. If I get 10k per month in reduction scheme ill cut back a bit. Sent in alot last October on so it suits me this year..

mahoney_j

simx wrote: »

Scc well up here also, will be drying off some only doing around 10l or so at housing circa 20 October or so

Scc averaging 72 here for year ,had big problem
Few years back and just culled it out .hoare of problem to solve .

visatorro

mahoney_j wrote: »

Scc averaging 72 here for year ,had big problem
Few years back and just culled it out .hoare of problem to solve .

Only cure is the hook!!!!

GrasstoMilk

C0N0R wrote: »

Have 309 heifers to calve in January, in 3 days. Even better in February, have 618 to calve in 6 days!!

That's mental.
Where? if you don't mind me asking?

C0N0R

GrasstoMilk wrote: »

C0N0R wrote: »

Have 309 heifers to calve in January, in 3 days. Even better in February, have 618 to calve in 6 days!!

That's mental.
Where? if you don't mind me asking?

Saudi Arabia, will be a busy few days for the calving team, I'll be at home for the January batch!

C0N0R

Keepgrowing wrote: »

C0N0R wrote: »

Have 309 heifers to calve in January, in 3 days. Even better in February, have 618 to calve in 6 days!!

How many people helping?

Probably be 3/4 guys full time in the calving shed. It only works out at an average of just over four an hour so when you take in early and late ones it's about four. It's the parlour lads I feel sorry for but I won't be near them.

simx

mahoney_j wrote: »

Scc averaging 72 here for year ,had big problem
Few years back and just culled it out .hoare of problem to solve .

Couple of the Scc prob cows not Incalf anyway so will help, would love to be AV under 100 for year, will have a good few replacements in 2018 so can cull strong, new entrant a such so cash strapped, easy say hook all prob cows but have to buy back Incalf heifers

Dawggone

So...May through to August has been good for #grasstomilk2016...

Any predictions/observations, financial, economical or otherwise?

I'm suffering the opposite with cows inside since mid July.

Mooooo

For year end? May to August isn't good enough tbh. 75% of April's milk came from silage and ration, more in previous months. September has been difficult with ration going in to keep cows where they are instead of increase output a bit for time of year. Solids % down in last year. Breeding performance poor, milk sales will be up over 12% by volume but receipts back something awful and locked up with tb. So must find something to pay the director general along with everyone else now and figure out how to get thru it all next year.....

Dawggone

Mooooo wrote: »

For year end? May to August isn't good enough tbh. 75% of April's milk came from silage and ration, more in previous months. September has been difficult with ration going in to keep cows where they are instead of increase output a bit for time of year. Solids % down in last year. Breeding performance poor, milk sales will be up over 12% by volume but receipts back something awful and locked up with tb. So must find something to pay the director general along with everyone else now and figure out how to get thru it all next year.....

Not to worry Mooooo, milk's going to hit all time highs!!

Seriously though, do we need to take climate change a little more responsibly?

Or just build a Healy-Rea Ark?