Dairy chit chat II

mahoney_j wrote: »

Grass situation starting to get critical now due to lack of moisture ,things looking ok here for 8/10 days tops but after that covers flatline .ill be praying that rain promised next Friday materialises otherwise it's open some bales andcstart buffering ,something I really don't want to have to do early may cows absolutely bombing out milk at 33.7 Ltrs 3.78 fat 3.51 protein on last test

What rain? Nothing in the forecast. We were supposed to get the bones of a half inch this weekend. Not a thing nor any looking likely. I'm going to start pricing up maize to buy at this stage.

jaymla627

mahoney_j wrote: »

Grass situation starting to get critical now due to lack of moisture ,things looking ok here for 8/10 days tops but after that covers flatline .ill be praying that rain promised next Friday materialises otherwise it's open some bales andcstart buffering ,something I really don't want to have to do early may cows absolutely bombing out milk at 33.7 Ltrs 3.78 fat 3.51 protein on last test

Same boat here, only positive is have all milking platform available to us for grazing this year and 30acres of paddocks that where to be baled this week are being grazed, have 70 acres of 1st cut being knocked today in preparation for buffering hopefully cows won't take to much of a hit given it should be lovely stuff, protein is gone to crap here already from 3.5 to 3.35 since I started going into heavy covers but needs must

mahoney_j

Mooooo wrote: »

Going in to ground I had closed for silage tonight before starting next round to give a chance to build cover, anything grazed in last week and a bit is slow to come back. If rain comes I could see baling happening again it may change that quick.

Yep real knife edge stuff at this time of year no silage ground on milk block here so don't have that buffer ,stocked at 3.2 and just bale surplus as and when it comes

yewtree

Only had 18 mm since late March, about 20% of what we normally get. never seen the farm this dry in earlier may. Drier part of the farn has particularly stoped growing. If we get rain by the end of week we should be OK. I regrazed two paddocks closed for bales to give me a bit of breathing space.
On the positive side Graze outs are excellent and cows very content. Doing 2.1 kg ms on 2 kg meal

Mooooo

Going in to ground I had closed for silage tonight before starting next round to give a chance to build cover, anything grazed in last week and a bit is slow to come back. If rain comes I could see baling happening again it may change that quick.

mahoney_j

Grass situation starting to get critical now due to lack of moisture ,things looking ok here for 8/10 days tops but after that covers flatline .ill be praying that rain promised next Friday materialises otherwise it's open some bales andcstart buffering ,something I really don't want to have to do early may cows absolutely bombing out milk at 33.7 Ltrs 3.78 fat 3.51 protein on last test

freedominacup wrote: »

Really? After taking all capital costs into account? Did you build a couple of ponds a few years ago to contain winter rains or what is your water source?

A 25hp pump accidentally (on purpose) fell into the nearby river...pity not all lakes are close to rivers.

My point is sustainability.
Lashing out chemical NPK is sooo 20th century.
Sodiaal now have 24/7 cams on some of their herds for the discerning Jane/Joe consumer to view whilst stuffing their faces with dairy produce.
How would outdoor/roofless cubicles look in a Jan rainstorm? Or a fert spreader passing through paddocks every 21 days?

Some things are not always about the bottom line.

freedominacup wrote: »

Why would you assume that? ðŸ˜‰ðŸ˜‰

I do tend to make wild assumptions...

Dwag wrote: »

Cheaper than urea...:)

Really? After taking all capital costs into account? Did you build a couple of ponds a few years ago to contain winter rains or what is your water source?

Dwag wrote: »

I'm assuming you meant irrigating.

Why would you assume that? ðŸ˜‰ðŸ˜‰

Waffletraktor wrote: »

He mentioned that, could break the glass on the back of a tractor if you don't stop VEEERY SLOOOOOWWWWLLLLYYYY with the longer reels as more force.

Jeez yea!
I've 550m, 110mm diameter pipe reels because some of the fields are over a km long and it's a serious dollop of water. If back windows are closed they won't break. If they're open they're sure to break.
3km/hr when unwinding...and slow stop.

Dwag wrote: »

You'd be surprised at the power of those cannons. Nozzle is 30mm with water pumped to it at circa 125psi...

I've a little Landini yard tractor (nod to Reggie) that has no cab that I often use to pull out the cannon and once a year (at the start of the campaign) I forget to turn the cannon sideways...there's always water in the system that makes its way out due to gravity...phuck me, but nothing wakes you up like a shower of cold water at 5 am. Makes the bucket challenge girlie.

He mentioned that, could break the glass on the back of a tractor if you don't stop VEEERY SLOOOOOWWWWLLLLYYYY with the longer reels as more force.

Waffletraktor wrote: »

One of the lads here worked at veg on the norfolk brecks(sand land) for years.
Has a picture of how someone set up a rain gun in a spud field but skipped a few beds over from the reel. It flipped and washed out a few beds as all the water was sprayed into the ground.

You'd be surprised at the power of those cannons. Nozzle is 30mm with water pumped to it at circa 125psi...

I've a little Landini yard tractor (nod to Reggie) that has no cab that I often use to pull out the cannon and once a year (at the start of the campaign) I forget to turn the cannon sideways...there's always water in the system that makes its way out due to gravity...phuck me, but nothing wakes you up like a shower of cold water at 5 am. Makes the bucket challenge girlie.

Dwag wrote: »

Lol. Bang on its the feckin devils work!

Easy street atm as we're only doing grass, lucerne and the likes, so no bother.
When the pressure is on the hassle can be endless. Especially when going 'round the clock.

One of the lads here worked at veg on the norfolk brecks(sand land) for years.
Has a picture of how someone set up a rain gun in a spud field but skipped a few beds over from the reel. It flipped and washed out a few beds as all the water was sprayed into the ground.

Waffletraktor wrote: »

Is it not called irrigation/irritation as when it goes wrong it's usually bad.

Lol. Bang on its the feckin devils work!

Easy street atm as we're only doing grass, lucerne and the likes, so no bother.
When the pressure is on the hassle can be endless. Especially when going 'round the clock.

Dwag wrote: »

Firstly, nothing beats the health benefits of an animal walking to pasture and grazing with the sun on its back.

Secondly, if I'm to be honest to myself and to the industry, milk production should be based as much as possible on grazing.

Thirdly, and most important, it's sustainable. Soil is healthy and vibrant...and I'm limited to 49unitsN/acre.

I'm assuming you meant irrigating.

Is it not called irrigation/irritation as when it goes wrong it's usually bad.

freedominacup wrote: »

Not being smart but why do you bother with grazing id that is all you are growing? What other crop is performing as poorly? And you're irritating.

Firstly, nothing beats the health benefits of an animal walking to pasture and grazing with the sun on its back.

Secondly, if I'm to be honest to myself and to the industry, milk production should be based as much as possible on grazing.

Thirdly, and most important, it's sustainable. Soil is healthy and vibrant...and I'm limited to 49unitsN/acre.

I'm assuming you meant irrigating.

Muckit

Yeah he gets in my nerves too!!

charolais0153 wrote: »

Ya but how much water. Do u know how much water costs;)

Cheaper than urea...:)

Dwag wrote: »

Grew 7.9tdm/ha of grass here last year...on 135unitsN/ha. No P or K. Bad farmer?

On track to beat that shortly on 121uN/ha. Good farmer?

Not being smart but why do you bother with grazing id that is all you are growing? What other crop is performing as poorly? And you're irritating.

charolais0153

Dwag wrote: »

Grew 7.9tdm/ha of grass here last year...on 135unitsN/ha. No P or K. Bad farmer?

On track to beat that shortly on 121uN/ha. Good farmer?

Ya but how much water. Do u know how much water costs;)

Grew 7.9tdm/ha of grass here last year...on 135unitsN/ha. No P or K. Bad farmer?

On track to beat that shortly on 121uN/ha. Good farmer?

visatorro

Interesting read I thought

I can't feckin post anything!!

Article on agriland and managing grassland /soil

blackdog1 wrote: »

Half a kilo to a kilo of soya should sort them out fairly quick.

1 kilo coarse maize would be better and cheaper or 5kg forage maize if you have it.

2nd calver did 23l colostrum this morning from a diet of hay and 5kg forage maize. First milking.

blackdog1

Buford T. Justice V wrote:

Condition is good, 3-3.25, and silage is OK for dry cows. I'm thinking of starting the remaining on 1-2kgs of a 16% beef nut to try to improve the situation but should I be giving some soya instead?

Half a kilo to a kilo of soya should sort them out fairly quick.

Buford T. Justice XIX

Quick question, guys and gals. The last few cows calving are giving less and less colostrum as time goes by. They are still in on silage, same as all the others but those calving now are good cows but down to 2L of colostrum by the last two.

Condition is good, 3-3.25, and silage is OK for dry cows. I'm thinking of starting the remaining on 1-2kgs of a 16% beef nut to try to improve the situation but should I be giving some soya instead?

alps

Water John wrote: »

The total difference for an 80 cow herd could be €20/25K per year.

Ah John......are you using the same calculator as Jack.?