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

Mooooo · 17-10-2016 10:23AM

Had 2 cows calve in the storm sat night and another last night, out in the field with the main group of dries, the 5 ladies near calving I brought closer to yard are still looking up at me chewing the cud enjoying the maternity leave no sign of calving the wagons

Water John · 17-10-2016 07:33PM

Seeing the distribution of those who have applied for the milk reduction scheme.
Big numbers are in Cork, Kerry and Limerick. What's the explanation as to why the map is so skewed to one side of the country?

whelan2 · 17-10-2016 08:01PM

Water John wrote: »

Seeing the distribution of those who have applied for the milk reduction scheme.
Big numbers are in Cork, Kerry and Limerick. What's the explanation as to why the map is so skewed to one side of the country?

Are there not alot more suppliers down that part of the country?

Signpost · 17-10-2016 08:42PM

Read that a lot of suppliers on that side of the country were encouraged by certain groups to take it to be able to negotiate a stronger milk price next year with Kerry. All rumor obviously most people I know supplying them did apply for the 50% reduction so could be some truth hidden somewhere in it.

alps · 17-10-2016 10:30PM

People applied for it because, for spring calving grass based herds, it was a no brainer....no need to read much more into it than that....

Water John · 17-10-2016 10:33PM

Most herds are as you describe, Alps. Doesn't explain the severe skew on the map. They might be drying off a little earlier and calving earlier so the first tranche would suit the south better.

mahoney_j · 17-10-2016 10:36PM

Water John wrote: »

Most herds are as you describe, Alps. Doesn't explain the severe skew on the map. They might be drying off a little earlier and calving earlier so the first tranche would suit the south better.

It is as alps described ,your adding 2 and 2 and getting 5 .theres no conspiracy theory

Mooooo · 17-10-2016 10:40PM

Plus weather was crap at time of application so lads were unlikely to milk on as well as if weather was good. Didn't apply here as wouldn't be under and wouldn't have been able to apply for later ones when i would be

alps · 17-10-2016 10:48PM

I suspect whelans explination is accurate, and half the milk in the country is probably produced in Cork, Kerry and Limerick.
However to add to that, the percentage of spring calving herds is far higher in the south, reflected in solids deliveries to coops. This can be seen monthly on the journal. The south will also carry far higher stocking rates. This scheme gives an incredible buffer/insurance to these farms for their November and December deliveries. Now they have the choice on any particular day from here to Christmas to decide that the variables applying to the profitability of their business are no longer aligning in such a way that it pays to continue producing.

No conspiracies, no side issues...simple economics. ..

jaymla627 · 17-10-2016 10:57PM

alps wrote: »

I suspect whelans explination is accurate, and half the milk in the country is probably produced in Cork, Kerry and Limerick.
However to add to that, the percentage of spring calving herds is far higher in the south, reflected in solids deliveries to coops. This can be seen monthly on the journal. The south will also carry far higher stocking rates. This scheme gives an incredible buffer/insurance to these farms for their November and December deliveries. Now they have the choice on any particular day from here to Christmas to decide that the variables applying to the profitability of their business are no longer aligning in such a way that it pays to continue producing.

No conspiracies, no side issues...simple economics. ..

It's been reflected in September milk intakes too all co-ops are back on last year some by a fair % when you consider that theirs 8% more cows in the country then 2015 it paints it's own picture, I'd reckon theirs alot of cows out their too with pretty low bcs, coming into next spring these ladies won't be firing on all cylinders either; will be Intresting to see if the choo choo milk train grinds to a halt next year and all the 2020 targets go up in smoke

Keepgrowing · 17-10-2016 11:02PM

The nation is more than halfway to achieving 2020 target. I suspect it was actually a modest target

GrasstoMilk · 17-10-2016 11:24PM

jaymla627 wrote: »

It's been reflected in September milk intakes too all co-ops are back on last year some by a fair % when you consider that theirs 8% more cows in the country then 2015 it paints it's own picture, I'd reckon theirs alot of cows out their too with pretty low bcs, coming into next spring these ladies won't be firing on all cylinders either; will be Intresting to see if the choo choo milk train grinds to a halt next year and all the 2020 targets go up in smoke

You might reckon but I've seen none yet.
Heifers will be dried here by 10th November and any low bcs cows (we all have them)
All culls gone
Will give 8 weeks dry here to everything. Used to be 6 weeks but cows milking an awful lot better with the 2 extra weeks

Timmaay · 17-10-2016 11:33PM

Mooooo wrote: »

Plus weather was crap at time of application so lads were unlikely to milk on as well as if weather was good. Didn't apply here as wouldn't be under and wouldn't have been able to apply for later ones when i would be

That idea worked out very well for me...

mahoney_j · 18-10-2016 09:39AM

GrasstoMilk wrote: »

You might reckon but I've seen none yet.
Heifers will be dried here by 10th November and any low bcs cows (we all have them)
All culls gone
Will give 8 weeks dry here to everything. Used to be 6 weeks but cows milking an awful lot better with the 2 extra weeks

He has a point ,there is a lot of herds out there with cows in poor condition due to too much faith been put in grass and not enough concentrate been put in .this was a very tricky year for grass and its quality due to lack of sun combined with the spring we had
6 weeks dry should be no issue for most herds as long as cows are managed correctly throughout there lactation

Mooooo · 18-10-2016 09:45AM

Tight on space here but I dried off some of the cows in better nick for just 6 weeks the last few years and yields were back 500 to 1k litres the following lactation. Now they went back in calf and held condition but yield was hit. As a have a fair few empties I'll dry off all the spring herd by mid Dec this year

whelan2 · 18-10-2016 09:49AM

Had alot of spring calving heifers this year, a few of them were totally crap milk wise, mainly kyz. Will dry off some of them tomorrow. Other heifers out of other bulls performed very well

Timmaay · 18-10-2016 10:22AM

whelan2 wrote: »

Had alot of spring calving heifers this year, a few of them were totally crap milk wise, mainly kyz. Will dry off some of them tomorrow. Other heifers out of other bulls performed very well

Dried off a ksk heifer the other day. Back to 7l, and getting 3.5kg in the parlour ha! 3500l all she gave for the year ugh! She's gone in with the incalf heifers for now. The pbm and lhz heifers are still flying it though!

whelan2 · 18-10-2016 10:31AM

Timmaay wrote: »

Dried off a ksk heifer the other day. Back to 7l, and getting 3.5kg in the parlour ha! 3500l all she gave for the year ugh! She's gone in with the incalf heifers for now. The pbm and lhz heifers are still flying it though!

ye, they'd want to up their game next year

Timmaay · 18-10-2016 10:43AM

What's the glanbia lactose limit again? 4.56 here now. It's the one thing that could sting me with my plan to use late spring calvers to fill my liquid contract over the winter.

Mooooo · 18-10-2016 10:46AM

4.5 in winter milk in dairygold

Mooooo · 18-10-2016 10:48AM

Timmaay wrote: »

What's the glanbia lactose limit again? 4.56 here now. It's the one thing that could sting me with my plan to use late spring calvers to fill my liquid contract over the winter.

At least your maize should be able to be used soon, will u send off a sample?

blackdog1 · 18-10-2016 11:04AM

Grass isnt great for feed value atm. Had a cow that calved and she didn't spring that great. Brought rest of them in and put them on bales. Cows are milking very well on 12 kg of whole crop and 2kg of 14% p meal. 22 litres at 3.65p and 4.4f. Bit disappointed with protein but I recon this is because my protein in the meal is too low. I'll be putting it up to 18-21% next load. Cows are in great nick though

Mooooo · 18-10-2016 11:17AM

blackdog1 wrote: »

Grass isnt great for feed value atm. Had a cow that calved and she didn't spring that great. Brought rest of them in and put them on bales. Cows are milking very well on 12 kg of whole crop and 2kg of 14% p meal. 22 litres at 3.65p and 4.4f. Bit disappointed with protein but I recon this is because my protein in the meal is too low. I'll be putting it up to 18-21% next load. Cows are in great nick though

Did u test the wholecrop? If so what did it come back at? Have you many calved

whelan2 · 18-10-2016 11:20AM

Timmaay wrote: »

What's the glanbia lactose limit again? 4.56 here now. It's the one thing that could sting me with my plan to use late spring calvers to fill my liquid contract over the winter.

4.35

mahoney_j · 18-10-2016 11:25AM

blackdog1 wrote: »

Grass isnt great for feed value atm. Had a cow that calved and she didn't spring that great. Brought rest of them in and put them on bales. Cows are milking very well on 12 kg of whole crop and 2kg of 14% p meal. 22 litres at 3.65p and 4.4f. Bit disappointed with protein but I recon this is because my protein in the meal is too low. I'll be putting it up to 18-21% next load. Cows are in great nick though

Energy drives protein ,upping p %to 21% will drive more milk .i changed tack here a bit ,should be feeding 2/3 kg dm silage but going to have high demand next Feb march so rather than put in silage and slow down cows going through grass I'm racing to get through as much ground as possible .ill hit 75% plus closed by Nov 1!.plan from there is get to 85% closedasap then house cows at night on wraps ,cows out at day then till I hit 700 afc and shut up shop .cows currently doing 18.1 ltrs 4.78 fat 3.96 p 4.78 lactose 38!urea and 52 scc .im definetly loosing production 1.5 /2 ltrs by not putting in silage but I'm prepaired to accept that as all cows in excellent bcs .feeding 4 kg in parlour and on track for 580 kg ms

blackdog1 · 18-10-2016 12:18PM

mahoney_j wrote:

Energy drives protein ,upping p %to 21% will drive more milk .i changed tack here a bit ,should be feeding 2/3 kg dm silage but going to have high demand next Feb march so rather than put in silage and slow down cows going through grass I'm racing to get through as much ground as possible .ill hit 75% plus closed by Nov 1!.plan from there is get to 85% closedasap then house cows at night on wraps ,cows out at day then till I hit 700 afc and shut up shop .cows currently doing 18.1 ltrs 4.78 fat 3.96 p 4.78 lactose 38!urea and 52 scc .im definetly loosing production 1.5 /2 ltrs by not putting in silage but I'm prepaired to accept that as all cows in excellent bcs .feeding 4 kg in parlour and on track for 580 kg ms

I agree on energy but im talking about putting an extra kilo of high pro soya not cheap proteins. I've been feeding whole crop for a month as I had 90 tonne extra this year but I'm not complaining.

Great ms btw. A bit of feeding definitely pays if you manage it right with grass.

Also hearing alot of first cut silage is below 66 dmd this year. That's from my advisor.

Timmaay · 18-10-2016 12:44PM

Long read, but interesting enough! The utterly only reason milk is produced in the desert is because diesel costs something around 7c/l. It would be interesting to see a carbon footprint comparison of a litre of our milk against theirs! http://mobile.nytimes.com/2016/10/14/world/middleeast/saudi-arabia-oil-prices-economy.html?smid=tw-share&_r=0&referer=https://m.facebook.com/

degetme · 18-10-2016 01:25PM

blackdog1 wrote: »

I agree on energy but im talking about putting an extra kilo of high pro soya not cheap proteins. I've been feeding whole crop for a month as I had 90 tonne extra this year but I'm not complaining.

Great ms btw. A bit of feeding definitely pays if you manage it right with grass.

Also hearing alot of first cut silage is below 66 dmd this year. That's from my advisor.

got back silage pit results
first cut 70 dmd 23-5-16
second cut 72 dmd 8-7-16
same ground cut twice. very disappointed with first cut pit. I've bales that I should have tested aswell. they should be all over 75 dmd from surplus grass

blackdog1 · 18-10-2016 01:56PM

degetme wrote:

got back silage pit results first cut 70 dmd 23-5-16 second cut 72 dmd 8-7-16 same ground cut twice. very disappointed with first cut pit. I've bales that I should have tested aswell. they should be all over 75 dmd from surplus grass

Yea my first cut tested 70 too but I only took a quick sample off the top so I'll wait until the pit is open in 2 weeks. I cut on 22nd may so thought it would have been closer to 80dmd. Haven't tested my 2nd cut or whole crop yet

Timmaay · 18-10-2016 03:12PM

Took afew samples this morning of the maize, 1st cut and afew bales. Not expecting much either, however given we'll only produce about 5% of our yearly milk supply off silage I don't hugely care. Have I mentioned before ditching the autumn calvers is the best thing we ever did ha?

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

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