Dairy chit chat II

alps · 19-12-2016 11:43AM

kowtow wrote: »

By my reckoning it's almost a year to the day since we started our new cubicle shed, and - finally - the cows got to move in last night.

It took a good bit longer than I thought, but in my defence the boy & I did it with no outside labour at all, unless you count concrete lorry drivers.

I had almost forgotten that none of the cows are cubicle trained, but at least most of them are standing up on four legs in a space and half of them have already started laying down, so I have high hopes. There are a good few bits still to do but having a working shed, and most of all a feed passage, will make a big difference.

Congrats Kowtow....proud moment, especially when completed withe young man...life time memory...

And it looks real Christmassy

Timmaay · 19-12-2016 12:02PM

alps wrote: »

Congrats Kowtow....proud moment, especially when completed withe young man...life time memory...

And it looks real Christmassy

+1, I love the traditional wooden sheds, lovely simple designs that anyone with a hammer and saw can build, I'd happily build something similar here given the chance. Will make some great picture perfect images for marketing when you start selling your cheese!

kevthegaff · 19-12-2016 12:25PM

Fair tasty workmanship kt! Is that piping for the rump rail?

kowtow · 19-12-2016 12:40PM

kevthegaff wrote: »

Fair tasty workmanship kt! Is that piping for the rump rail?

The corripipe? Yup - it's a brisket bar of a sort, not easy to secure in place and I'm not sure if it might want to go a couple of inches further forward.

Water John · 19-12-2016 02:11PM

Lovely working dog, there?

Keepgrowing · 19-12-2016 02:17PM

kowtow wrote: »

By my reckoning it's almost a year to the day since we started our new cubicle shed, and - finally - the cows got to move in last night.

It took a good bit longer than I thought, but in my defence the boy & I did it with no outside labour at all, unless you count concrete lorry drivers.

I had almost forgotten that none of the cows are cubicle trained, but at least most of them are standing up on four legs in a space and half of them have already started laying down, so I have high hopes. There are a good few bits still to do but having a working shed, and most of all a feed passage, will make a big difference.

Super tasty looking job. Well ware.

kowtow · 19-12-2016 05:36PM

beginning to think we might have to put a scraper in the new passage after all, even the ones that use the cubicles lie down on that big wide passage for recreation.

A track down the middle might put them off.

If I do I need to install it on Wednesday because I have commitments over Christmas, so I hope dairypower keep to their word and send someone to me tomorrow morning. Apparently if I put in a 3 passage control box I can link it to my existing scraper in the passage above and control it all from one place (existing scraper is currently operated by a manual switch, the control box having disappeared with the roof of the previous shed)

Sillycave · 19-12-2016 05:55PM

Had a lad from Agritech here the other day talking about minerals.
He mentioned a product they do called rumax which as he states helps to increase the uptake of other minerals.
Any whenever used it and what did they think?
Or what minerals are you using?

Signpost · 19-12-2016 06:39PM

Prob want to do a blood test Sillycave & see what your lacking. Done one on all cows a while back and was a bit of an issue with selenium, iodine and copper so I decided to use All Trace bolus. Noticed the difference in the cows within 2-3 weeks. Pain in the hole of a job doing it alright but for for 7.35 a cow this year I think its a gift. Guranteed every cow has it it rather than powder over the silage and if there getting too much they just pass it out in the urine so no big issue. The reason I went for the All Trace was for the added vit D & vit E as I think most cows will be lacking in these regardless.

degetme · 19-12-2016 06:46PM

Signpost wrote: »

Prob want to do a blood test Sillycave & see what your lacking. Done one on all cows a while back and was a bit of an issue with selenium, iodine and copper so I decided to use All Trace bolus. Noticed the difference in the cows within 2-3 weeks. Pain in the hole of a job doing it alright but for for 7.35 a cow this year I think its a gift. Guranteed every cow has it it rather than powder over the silage and if there getting too much they just pass it out in the urine so no big issue. The reason I went for the All Trace was for the added vit D & vit E as I think most cows will be lacking in these regardless.

How do you cover for mag

Signpost · 19-12-2016 07:26PM

Would start walking heifers through the parlour about 2 weeks before calving once a day to train them to walk in, bring in the cows due to calve in around 14 / 20 days in with them and give them maybe 1 / 1.5kg of ration in there to check them springing etc. The cal mag in the ration seems to suffice as no prob calving down, haven't had a cow with fever in donkeys years and no issue with milk staggers etc. Not in a limestone area but never see any of the tell tale signs of lacking calcium.
One thing which is different around here which might help is nearly all cows will be inside full time for around 2 / 3 weeks after calving (maybe 6 weeks for the first calver to see grass) and there getting well supplemented with ration in this time so maybe that's helping my cause, not sure?

Would you think I'm dodging a bullet not hitting them with a calcium & magnesium shot before calving?

Buford T. Justice XIX · 19-12-2016 07:57PM

I haven't given out about my bank for a while:)

But it couldn't last:(

We half decided to change my car in the last week or so so when I got a chance I went around different dealers to see what was there in our price range and maybe do a deal before Christmas. So I went into the last dealer around town and saw two cars that would fit nicely into our range and expressed an interest hoping they would drop the price a fair bit, which they did in fairness.

Next job was a bit of a rush to get a loan so I went into AIB and the local credit union as they seemed to have the best deals. I furnished all my details to both and waited for a call back which came last Friday. The dealer wanted the car gone today so I told the bank (who came in under the CU loan rates using SBCI funds) to email the details into the branch and I would sign them there and get the money today.

I rang in the evening and all was OK, passed for transfer today so I rang the dealer back and said I would collect today.

To be safe, I rang this morning to make sure the money would be in and was assured it would be. I checked my current account to make sure before I left but no sign of it.

So I rang again and couldn't talk to the person handling the loan but left a message with their colleague who said they would ring back in 10 minutes. I drove to town and out to the dealers and still no money there. I had enough to pay for the car but was a bit wary about leaving myself short for the spring so I rang again, still no call back.

I paid and drove home and just as I pulled in the driveway, the phone rang.

'There is a problem with the application' sez the manager, 'Can you come into town and resign the application?':rolleyes:

'No', I said, 'I'm only after driving out from town and waited for 4 hours for a call back which you didn't make, despite saying numerous times that you would!':mad:

Now I have to go back into town again tomorrow to sign the application again which was OK this morning to release the money but not OK this evening?

Is this sh!te by AIB common or is it just me being fcuked around?

Because I'm getting fairly pi$$ed off with this crap:mad::mad::mad:

Signpost · 19-12-2016 08:05PM

% wise was there much of a diff between AIB & CU?

Buford T. Justice XIX · 19-12-2016 08:12PM

Signpost wrote: »

% wise was there much of a diff between AIB & CU?

It worked out at €7 a month cheaper. They calculate differently with the CU at 6.3% and AIB at 4.35% iirc.

Water John · 19-12-2016 08:13PM

I'd say the big difference is having a pain in the arse, which Buford now has. Sorry to hear, it's bollix.

Mooooo · 19-12-2016 08:24PM

There all the same boi worse if anything. You'd assume a car loan like that should be well within being handled in branch but no doubt off to Dublin with it. Meeting my new business manager 2moro, no 4 in 3 years now, didn't even meet the last one at least this fella looked to come out. I'll be setting up a new account with another bank in the new year anyway to try to keep them some bit honest, whether twill make any odds or not who knows..

visatorro · 19-12-2016 08:25PM

I'm finding banks very hard to deal with at present. Was looking into a loan and I got ran from branch to some number in head office, who then told me to go back to the branch. Tried in vain to get appointment at branch. Banking online is wonderful but without the back up of the branch. Also with recent security breaches you'd wonder about alot of the whole online transaction thing

boggerman1 · 19-12-2016 08:36PM

Buford T. Justice V wrote: »

I haven't given out about my bank for a while:)

But it couldn't last:(

We half decided to change my car in the last week or so so when I got a chance I went around different dealers to see what was there in our price range and maybe do a deal before Christmas. So I went into the last dealer around town and saw two cars that would fit nicely into our range and expressed an interest hoping they would drop the price a fair bit, which they did in fairness.

Next job was a bit of a rush to get a loan so I went into AIB and the local credit union as they seemed to have the best deals. I furnished all my details to both and waited for a call back which came last Friday. The dealer wanted the car gone today so I told the bank (who came in under the CU loan rates using SBCI funds) to email the details into the branch and I would sign them there and get the money today.

I rang in the evening and all was OK, passed for transfer today so I rang the dealer back and said I would collect today.

To be safe, I rang this morning to make sure the money would be in and was assured it would be. I checked my current account to make sure before I left but no sign of it.

So I rang again and couldn't talk to the person handling the loan but left a message with their colleague who said they would ring back in 10 minutes. I drove to town and out to the dealers and still no money there. I had enough to pay for the car but was a bit wary about leaving myself short for the spring so I rang again, still no call back.

I paid and drove home and just as I pulled in the driveway, the phone rang.

'There is a problem with the application' sez the manager, 'Can you come into town and resign the application?':rolleyes:

'No', I said, 'I'm only after driving out from town and waited for 4 hours for a call back which you didn't make, despite saying numerous times that you would!':mad:

Now I have to go back into town again tomorrow to sign the application again which was OK this morning to release the money but not OK this evening?

Is this sh!te by AIB common or is it just me being fcuked around?

Because I'm getting fairly pi$$ed off with this crap:mad::mad::mad:

Have just gone tru kinda the same thing with boi.was looking to get a stocking loan renewed circa €10k.have had it for the past few yrs and use it for keeping current ac right to pay the tax man.dont want to be under pressure for spring time until milk cheques start.anyway up to now hadnt hassle getting it,even when i changed over to company last yr.this yr the central bank changed some rule apartently so it has taken nearly a month and numerous phone calls to get it sorted this evening.the local branch might as well close down as the staff is cut to only 3 and its now just a glorified corner shop

whelan2 · 19-12-2016 08:48PM

visatorro wrote: »

I'm finding banks very hard to deal with at present. Was looking into a loan and I got ran from branch to some number in head office, who then told me to go back to the branch. Tried in vain to get appointment at branch. Banking online is wonderful but without the back up of the branch. Also with recent security breaches you'd wonder about alot of the whole online transaction thing

Can you change to a different branch, I am on the third branch of ulster bank in louth so far.

visatorro · 19-12-2016 09:04PM

whelan2 wrote: »

Can you change to a different branch, I am on the third branch of ulster bank in louth so far.

Just lost interest then! It's hassle enough going in near them.

Sillycave · 19-12-2016 09:25PM

Signpost wrote: »

Prob want to do a blood test Sillycave & see what your lacking. Done one on all cows a while back and was a bit of an issue with selenium, iodine and copper so I decided to use All Trace bolus. Noticed the difference in the cows within 2-3 weeks. Pain in the hole of a job doing it alright but for for 7.35 a cow this year I think its a gift. Guranteed every cow has it it rather than powder over the silage and if there getting too much they just pass it out in the urine so no big issue. The reason I went for the All Trace was for the added vit D & vit E as I think most cows will be lacking in these regardless.

We done really fed much minerals until near calving just throw in a few mineral licks in front of the cows and let them tip away.
Thankfully never had any issues at calving apart from the odd big calf, prob more luck than anything maybe
Will maybe blood test a couple and see

Sillycave · 19-12-2016 09:29PM

kowtow wrote: »

By my reckoning it's almost a year to the day since we started our new cubicle shed, and - finally - the cows got to move in last night.

It took a good bit longer than I thought, but in my defence the boy & I did it with no outside labour at all, unless you count concrete lorry drivers.

I had almost forgotten that none of the cows are cubicle trained, but at least most of them are standing up on four legs in a space and half of them have already started laying down, so I have high hopes. There are a good few bits still to do but having a working shed, and most of all a feed passage, will make a big difference.

Well wear, fine looking job, would you be worry about the timber rotting excessively quick from slurry?

kowtow · 19-12-2016 09:37PM

Sillycave wrote:

Well wear, fine looking job, would you be worry about the timber rotting excessively quick from slurry?

I hope it won't.. was all slow grown German timber so I'd say it'll stand well. We'll treat it every few years and if need be we can strip and replace the cladding (which is local and is already showing signs of damp in a few places)

Might be worth getting some sheet folded to clad the cubicle legs, job for next year if needed.

Have to persuade them all to lie down first!

Buford T. Justice XIX · 19-12-2016 09:49PM

kowtow wrote: »

I hope it won't.. was all slow grown German timber so I'd say it'll stand well. We'll treat it every few years and if need be we can strip and replace the cladding (which is local and is already showing signs of damp in a few places)

Might be worth getting some sheet folded to clad the cubicle legs, job for next year if needed.

Have to persuade them all to lie down first!

Well wear, kowtow. A fist of nuts at the top of the cubicles I find very good for getting them up and they soon figure that out.

kowtow · 19-12-2016 09:57PM

Buford T. Justice V wrote:

Well wear, kowtow. A fist of nuts at the top of the cubicles I find very good for getting them up and they soon figure that out.

I think all of them have been up with four legs at one point or another and at least half of them have lain down... maybe more. But still a fair few choosing to stand or half stand and others (including some who have lain down) choosing to lie in the passage when they feel like it.

Will put a camera in tonight after I scrape it by hand, that'll give me a better idea if any of them is going to be a real problem. I reckon they're just pleasing themselves, I'd expected them to be much more difficult about cubicles in the first place as they are used to straw.

Mooooo · 19-12-2016 10:21PM

kowtow wrote: »

I think all of them have been up with four legs at one point or another and at least half of them have lain down... maybe more. But still a fair few choosing to stand or half stand and others (including some who have lain down) choosing to lie in the passage when they feel like it.

Will put a camera in tonight after I scrape it by hand, that'll give me a better idea if any of them is going to be a real problem. I reckon they're just pleasing themselves, I'd expected them to be much more difficult about cubicles in the first place as they are used to straw.

If your putting a scraper in there put it going a bit more regularly and it may get them to stop lying on the passage. Altho I have 3 heifers at the same carry on. I'll put a few more dries in with them once they have soaked up and hopefully the extra traffic will get them to go up on the cubicles

kowtow · 19-12-2016 10:43PM

Mooooo wrote: »

If your putting a scraper in there put it going a bit more regularly and it may get them to stop lying on the passage. Altho I have 3 heifers at the same carry on. I'll put a few more dries in with them once they have soaked up and hopefully the extra traffic will get them to go up on the cubicles

Good idea.

I need to get one of those rigid stainless steel scrapers for the back of the mats as well, had forgotten about that.

yosemitesam1 · 20-12-2016 01:47PM

Has anyone on here ever fed kefir to calves? Thinking of feeding it this spring.

Signpost · 20-12-2016 01:52PM

Copying a post I just made in rage from the Glas thread to here, be interested to know what payments the rest of the dairy lads are without and if anyone has any experience of how to get the blatant abuse of power of the department highlighted? Constant waving the European payments stick at us but we seem powerless to complain when they are clearly abusing their power of authority and not meeting the commitments they set.

Signpost wrote: »

So to close out 2016 its looking like

1) Waiting for grant payment for a job I done in Jan / Feb, obviously all suppliers paid in full so out of pocket 60% of that
2) Waiting on Glas payment, have paid for soil samples, setting up the plan & I think something else, more money out of pocket
3) No Young Farmer payment issued yet to me, more money I was expecting
4) Paid for Herd Plus (which I do anyway but as a requirement) for KT, no payment there.

So in one of the worst milk price years its ok to have a (young) farmer waiting on 3 significant payments but if I broke the terms of any they would want payment immediately, or in the case of the Kerry lads the Revenue would give 21 days. Paid my tax on time and in full, paid all my expenses for the year and then to end up being sold lies for months my Creed on imaginary payment dates is beyond sick. Its also making me question why we bother pay the IFA to represent us as there doesn't seem to be one bit of noise with the audacity of the government stringing us along. Have the cheek with the grants to say people aren't applying when I can categorically say people are, its that they are not processing them and running with this bull**** of 'the system is being updated and its having problems'. **** off with that line, if its taken over a year to get the system right the company who are deploying it should be kicked out, not paid and a new company employed to deploy it on time and process the queue manually in the mean time. If Europe have made available the money for payments, where is this money, what are they doing with it if its not being distributed as it should be back to the farmers at the appropriate dates? Sick **** of complaining to FG TD's in the area who I unfortunately voted in, our dearest minister being one, and getting absolutely no realistic updates & TBH I'd feel bad complaining to other parties when I didn't give them my vote this time.

By far the single worst minister for Ag in the modern era of farming.

Mooooo · 20-12-2016 02:09PM

National reserve here. If we didn't respond to queries there would be consequences the other way round it's some one else's problem

Dairy chit chat II

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