Dairy chit chat II

The part time boy · 15-05-2017 10:42PM

Muleman wrote: »

Hi lads first post here hope it's allowed or please redirect me to a more apt forum. Looking at getting in to cows from a beef and sheep set up. Have 113acre milking platform and 60 acres silage heifer block. Any one man operations here that could advise on cow nos manageable by 1 person and relief if available. Talking to local dairy men relief hard got in our area.

Former one man band with relief.

It's really hard to say . A lot depends on set up . Parlour drafing cow flow road ways etc.

I was heading to 100 but stopped at 70 before I exited .

I know a lad with milking 190 with only small bit of help. Help does not milk cows but feeds calves

I know another lad was milking 150 but went back to 120 as he said anything over that was unmanageable.

yewtree · 15-05-2017 11:04PM

Muleman wrote: »

Hi lads first post here hope it's allowed or please redirect me to a more apt forum. Looking at getting in to cows from a beef and sheep set up. Have 113acre milking platform and 60 acres silage heifer block. Any one man operations here that could advise on cow nos manageable by 1 person and relief if available. Talking to local dairy men relief hard got in our area.

Best of luck with it, very hard to answer depends on how much machiery work you do how efficent your facilities are.
Everyone needs relief though, not sustainable to milk everyday.

Dwag · 15-05-2017 11:26PM

Keepgrowing wrote: »

http://i.stuff.co.nz/business/farming/advice/92338064/John-Roche-Pasture-is-an-excellent-feed-unless-you-mismanage-it?cid=app-android

Sigh...

Mooooo · 16-05-2017 12:48AM

Keepgrowing wrote: »

http://i.stuff.co.nz/business/farming/advice/92338064/John-Roche-Pasture-is-an-excellent-feed-unless-you-mismanage-it?cid=app-android

Think we were on about that article last week was it Buford who posted it then?

yosemitesam1 · 16-05-2017 06:01AM

Mooooo wrote: »

Think we were on about that article last week was it Buford who posted it then?

Ye that's the same one, very biased view

blackdog1 · 16-05-2017 08:02AM

What are guys fats like atm? Since I ran out of whole crop they've taken a dive from 3.9 to 3.6... Cows getting 3kg and milking well. Lactose 4.95 can't figure it.
Dairygold don't due a urea test so don't have that info.

visatorro · 16-05-2017 08:05AM

Fat 3-51 prot 3-47. Urea 18. Scc 191, 22 litres three kg 14% hi maize nut in parlour.

Mooooo · 16-05-2017 08:09AM

Fat here has ranged from 3.6 to 3.8 with the last few weeks protein around 3.6. They seem to be fine up to 4 kg now with the rain were on 3 kg. Even in last 2 days growth is taking off so keeping grass right could b the issue in the next week or two esp if no opportunity to cut a few paddocks

Mooooo · 16-05-2017 09:32AM

Anyone here that had stock outwibtered have issues with an animals vision? have a heifer here and she can see me fine I think but trying to get her in or even out of a pen is strange she'd run into a gate or wire instead of an open gap, got boluses and are on grass since the end of Feb now

pedigree 6 · 16-05-2017 10:20AM

Mooooo wrote: »

Anyone here that had stock outwibtered have issues with an animals vision? have a heifer here and she can see me fine I think but trying to get her in or even out of a pen is strange she'd run into a gate or wire instead of an open gap, got boluses and are on grass since the end of Feb now

Vision I'm probably wrong on this but can it be related to a selenium deficiency.
I know we had a foal born blind and selenium was recommended but it was born blind so made no difference.

Signpost · 16-05-2017 10:29AM

blackdog1 wrote: »

What are guys fats like atm? Since I ran out of whole crop they've taken a dive from 3.9 to 3.6... Cows getting 3kg and milking well. Lactose 4.95 can't figure it.
Dairygold don't due a urea test so don't have that info.

Last text was P 3.51% F 4.03% L 5.07. Doing 30 Litres per cow on 1kg of 16% dairy nut & 1kg of maize meal a day

Mooooo · 16-05-2017 10:29AM

pedigree 6 wrote: »

Vision I'm probably wrong on this but can it be related to a selenium deficiency.
I know we had a foal born blind and selenium was recommended but it was born blind so made no difference.

I must check the boluses see if they covered it, she's after calving out in the field and have to bring the group she's in in to get her in, will see how she'll do in the parlour with thecows she may just be daft when isolated maybe

pedigree 6 · 16-05-2017 10:40AM

Mooooo wrote: »

I must check the boluses see if they covered it, she's after calving out in the field and have to bring the group she's in in to get her in, will see how she'll do in the parlour with thecows she may just be daft when isolated maybe

I just looked it up. Who ever gave my father that advice got it arseways. Selenium toxicity (too much) can cause blindness and it can be brought on by applying sulphur to land and also some plants are high in selenium e.g Bracken.
Teagasc have good advice about it and the areas affected by it in Ireland.
On phone so can't really link but Google selenium toxicity in cattle Ireland.

Dwag · 16-05-2017 11:02AM

blackdog1 wrote: »

What are guys fats like atm? Since I ran out of whole crop they've taken a dive from 3.9 to 3.6... Cows getting 3kg and milking well. Lactose 4.95 can't figure it.
Dairygold don't due a urea test so don't have that info.

Try some beet pulp or even soya hulls.

It's your fibre source is wrong.

blackdog1 · 16-05-2017 11:16AM

Dwag wrote:

It's your fibre source is wrong.

Dwag wrote:

Try some beet pulp or even soya hulls.

What would you recommend on a grass diet dawg? Getting a load next week.

Injuryprone · 16-05-2017 11:17AM

Mooooo wrote: »

Anyone here that had stock outwibtered have issues with an animals vision? have a heifer here and she can see me fine I think but trying to get her in or even out of a pen is strange she'd run into a gate or wire instead of an open gap, got boluses and are on grass since the end of Feb now

Are you sure she's not just adverse to change in her environment? If she's following the group to the yard, I can't see it being a problem her eyesight.

visatorro · 16-05-2017 11:17AM

Dwag wrote: »

Try some beet pulp or even soya hulls.

It's your fibre source is wrong.

Don't give out to me but how does the likes of greenfield get good figures from grass alone. I'd imagine the fibre in the covers they graze would be minimal.

yewtree · 16-05-2017 11:53AM

Is there much point worrying about low fats provided cows are healthy and in good condition it usually sorts itself. There is a video on twitter by Tommy hefferan the vet explaining the causes. Didn't have any definite solutions.
When we had pure hol herd here would get some fats below 3.5%. As the herd became more crossbred it became less of an issues should average out about 4.2% fat for may.
Currently doing 4.15% fat on 1.5 kg meal, 27 litres. 50% soya hulls in the mix. Growth is taking off here might pull the meal completely, when your feeding low levels not sure it makes much difference

mahoney_j · 16-05-2017 01:33PM

visatorro wrote: »

Don't give out to me but how does the likes of greenfield get good figures from grass alone. I'd imagine the fibre in the covers they graze would be minimal.

Jex cows simple as ,they won't hit anywhere near the high levels of milk or kg ms that a hol will do

blackdog1 · 16-05-2017 01:51PM

yewtree wrote:

Is there much point worrying about low fats provided cows are healthy and in good condition it usually sorts itself. There is a video on twitter by Tommy hefferan the vet explaining the causes. Didn't have any definite solutions. When we had pure hol herd here would get some fats below 3.5%. As the herd became more crossbred it became less of an issues should average out about 4.2% fat for may. Currently doing 4.15% fat on 1.5 kg meal, 27 litres. 50% soya hulls in the mix. Growth is taking off here might pull the meal completely, when your feeding low levels not sure it makes much difference

I'm finding they are losing a small bit of condition and ate getting loose so a bit of fibre is worth a lot I think.

Dwag · 16-05-2017 02:01PM

blackdog1 wrote: »

What would you recommend on a grass diet dawg? Getting a load next week.

Maize base.
Wouldn't be against some good spec barley.
Beet pulp or soya hulls. Preferably beet.
Would include a pinch of soya to bring overall pr to 12-14%. No more.
No fats.
Pinch of salt. No more than 6g/hd/day.
Mins and vits.

As the season goes on I'd tweak that ...

Dwag · 16-05-2017 02:11PM

visatorro wrote: »

Don't give out to me but how does the likes of greenfield get good figures from grass alone. I'd imagine the fibre in the covers they graze would be minimal.

....and they don't mind cows shooting the moon...:)

Dung too dry = dietary problem.
Dung too watery = dietary problem.

Both problems are easily and cheaply rectified.

blackdog1 · 16-05-2017 03:50PM

I have a 14% ration atm.
26% barley
20% maize
20%soya hulls
15% soya bean
7% wheat.

Advisor is saying add 10% more soya hulls and get rid of the wheat and some barley....I'm not so sure what do you recommend ? Beet pulp can't be got.

yewtree · 16-05-2017 04:30PM

mahoney_j wrote: »

Just upgraded mine ,both water system and troughs ,220 gallon bottom fill troughs from Spillane concrete nenagh ,have a few Murphy concrete troughs ,much prefer Spillane's

What size pipe did you use on the main line, i am just pricing water pipe big difference in prices.

yosemitesam1 · 16-05-2017 04:50PM

blackdog1 wrote: »

I have a 14% ration atm.
26% barley
20% maize
20%soya hulls
15% soya bean
7% wheat.

Advisor is saying add 10% more soya hulls and get rid of the wheat and some barley....I'm not so sure what do you recommend ? Beet pulp can't be got.

It probably won't make a huge difference if you start messing about with it or leave as is, there's no fear of acidosis you just want it to increase energy intakes and balance out the variability in grass.

freedominacup · 16-05-2017 05:46PM

blackdog1 wrote: »

I have a 14% ration atm.
26% barley
20% maize
20%soya hulls
15% soya bean
7% wheat.

Advisor is saying add 10% more soya hulls and get rid of the wheat and some barley....I'm not so sure what do you recommend ? Beet pulp can't be got.

I did. Happy enough. Reduced barley and maize in my case. Soya at 10% for .5kg/day.

freedominacup · 16-05-2017 05:51PM

yewtree wrote: »

What size pipe did you use on the main line, i am just pricing water pipe big difference in prices.

Glanbia beat any plumbing suppliers out the gap for water pipe in this area. Wouldn't say that about many products they'd be selling. I think it's down to the volume they are shifting. Inch and a half was the last lot we bought. Mainline here is that bore and I wouldn't dream of going any smaller. Tails in inch or 3/4 inch.

kowtow · 16-05-2017 07:26PM

freedominacup wrote: »

Glanbia beat any plumbing suppliers out the gap for water pipe in this area. Wouldn't say that about many products they'd be selling. I think it's down to the volume they are shifting. Inch and a half was the last lot we bought. Mainline here is that bore and I wouldn't dream of going any smaller. Tails in inch or 3/4 inch.

Inch and a half Jayzuz.

If you had Jersey's you could use it for road crossings.

Mooooo · 16-05-2017 07:52PM

Injuryprone wrote: »

Are you sure she's not just adverse to change in her environment? If she's following the group to the yard, I can't see it being a problem her eyesight.

I don't know perhaps partial, got her into a pen with a group and she walked straight into the gate on the other side, but when I was guiding them out of the field. She saw me or acting like it when I was going left and right from a distance

blackdog1 · 16-05-2017 08:05PM

freedominacup wrote:

I did. Happy enough. Reduced barley and maize in my case. Soya at 10% for .5kg/day.

Don't think I'd drop the maize at all. They need the starch. Last year I had 4 fat this time of year on the same ration...just goes to show grass is a great feed but inconsistent.

Dairy chit chat II

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