whelan2 wrote: » Teagasc man was here today, he kept saying knock the autumn calvers on the head and go all spring. My arguement was I dont have the labour for all spring. I have no plans to go all spring for a few years yet, if ever. What do you think of the future of the autumn calving herd?
whelan2 wrote: » What about their kids /family time? You'll never get those days back when they are older
Wildsurfer wrote: » Did I not read on here somewhere that Joe Patton had figures at the moorepark open day that Winter milk was more profitable than spring production?
whelan2 wrote: Teagasc man was here today, he kept saying knock the autumn calvers on the head and go all spring. My arguement was I dont have the labour for all spring. I have no plans to go all spring for a few years yet, if ever. What do you think of the future of the autumn calving herd?
blackdog1 wrote: » Teagasc would want to question themselves sometimes. If everyone was winter would we need all these new plants? ?. Would we have a better milk price because we would be selling the same amount of product each month not just dumping it on the market over 3 months. Would labour be an issue if farmers could share a labour unit? And that labour unit would have full time employment all year round. ... It's alot of work no doubt but it has its advantages too. If disease breaks out it only effects a small number of calves etc. Spring calving us an excellent system too if you have help during the calving season.
Mooooo wrote: » From what I'm told is a good drafting system with space to keep the cows out of the tank separate in yard is better as the drafting will also be used year round. Depending on cost of dumpline if either save it and put it towards drafting or extra units.
blackdog1 wrote: » Dunno about the dumpline as I've never used one I just keep the antibiotic cows till last. I wouldn't be without acrs now that I have them and I'm in a 10 unit. Takes the stress off the shoulders when taking them off. Let's you leave the parlour if something comes up and if your slowed up pre spraying ir anything else cows aren't over milked.
yewtree wrote: » From a couple of talks i heard joe at, he said winter is profitable but it wheather its worth the extra labour and effort. It really depends wheather you have a big enough wintet contract
jaymla627 wrote: » Its getting alot of press recently the whole calf rearing issue re bobby calves/massive increase in calf mortality rates, its gas for all the blowing about all farms being certified bird bia quality approved theirs only a after thought given to calf rearing practices/death rates on dairy farms.... Sickens me to see lads spending small fortunes on parlours/land/expansion etc and then turning around and cramming calves into sheds not fit for a dog, if farms that are constantly registering mortality rates over 10% year on year out where spot checked in the middle of spring calving some fairly horrific animal neglect cases could come to light
yewtree wrote: » I think 12 is too small as you could easliy manage 16, i made the mistake of putting in a parlour too small( grand at the time) will have to look at more investment now. In one man shows think anymore the 7 rows is too much
Timmaay wrote: » 14 here, hit the full 8rows now, 9 next yr prob. Got grant approval for another 10units, but at the stage where I've a decent few dependable chaps who can milk here, moving forward I'll be getting in spring time help, at least the evening milking then, and outside of the spring aim to only milk 10times a week myself, or say get in a milker 4times a week, that will do more for taking out the hardship of Milking than reducing the number of rows from say 10 back to 7 but still stuck in the parlour 14times a week.
[Deleted User] wrote: » I emailed a local cheese maker to see if they will let me run off with some of their waste. I'm assuming I'll get a 'lol no' kinda reply. Don't suppose anyone on here would be a farmer with some bad odours they could lend a hand, anywhere near me? (I'm in Drogheda, but can get to louth/meath etc. handy enough, and have no issue travelling a bit to try this approach out. If it works it'll be well worth it in just eroding the stress of scumbags galore hanging around the whole time).
stanflt wrote: » If I was offered liquid contract in the morning I would take hand and all and calve all my cows in oct and November- have the fertility to keep it compact and I know how to feed the cow Way more profitable if your good at grass both grazing and silage making
Mooooo wrote: » Autumn cows here often matched the spring ladies up to July but the key point you make there is the liquid contract, the bonus payment has to be worth it and in dairygold it simply isn't.
kevthegaff wrote: » Lads have a bull who broke down after fits week of use, very sensitive hoofs I reckon. Any ideas what to do, lost serious condition..
kowtow wrote: » What do you reckon the difference in c/l needs to be to cover extra feed, etc. or is that oversimplifying it?
whelan2 wrote: » Got different teat spray off a sales rep last week. Scc has doubled . Back to virolac for me
visatorro wrote: » Just a lad that called in? You obviously hadn't a problem before?
Mooooo wrote: » Well I guess with liquid milk they get a set price for that amount whereas in the wintermilk scheme in dairygold it is a bonus on top of manufacturing price. So when the base was 30c you'd get the manufacturing price as normal with solids adjustment and the bonus then for the litres in the contract so say 32 cent after solids plus 5.6 so 37.6. Which would be ok but when manufacturing was down at 23cent you may only get29.6 for winter which is too low. Id reckon you would want to be getting 38 cent for winter milk minimum. And that would be supplying just the contract amount so as not to dilute the price. There are other variables obv management is the main one but length of winters access to feed and quality/cost of It, etc Haven't the proper figures to hand I think the ifa say 40c is required for liquid milk. In my case too much needs doing 're infrastructure and it coincided with landpurchase and other things so the capital investment required for efficient winter milk with fresh calved cows would be too much at the minute. Ideally we'd all have perfect housing etc but it's easier to manage dry cows or end of lactation cows than it is a mixture of fresh stale and dry when space is tight etc. May review in the future if things change but not at such a low bonus. Ive a way to go to get on top of things so simplify is my route and hopefully have a period of the year where basic things can be done and that's it., down time so to speak. Rambling now so I am
