Dairy chit chat II

freedominacup · 19-09-2017 10:20AM

Buford T. Justice V wrote: »

Moocall have a bulling sensor here for €1500 for a teaser bull with 50 tags for cows to help heat detection. Annual fee of €350 as well so not out of the way at all.

I always thought the point of having a teaser was that he was the bulling sensor. They must be banking on us having a bit of cash left over when we've overdone things with the coke and hookers.

kowtow · 19-09-2017 11:05AM

freedominacup wrote: »

I always thought the point of having a teaser was that he was the bulling sensor. They must be banking on us having a bit of cash left over when we've overdone things with the coke and hookers.

Ah freedom will you get with the 21st century.

A teaser would need a paintball. This is an e-paintball. It's filled with e-paint.

Throwing fifty extra tags on the girls to detect it is a small price to pay once you've strapped on the kit and topped up the batteries.

Although if he's going for the ears and setting the tags off you'd be glad he's only a teaser.

kowtow · 19-09-2017 11:14AM

stanflt wrote: »

Any signs of ibr- shouldn't get a hit like that

None that I would recognize. No coughing or runny noses anyway, all eating well enough.

Although they've moved around some poor paddocks this week and we did switch from evening milking to morning milking. I wonder if the bigger yielders are holding a bit of milk up with the change around. Definitely back to twice a day next year once the parlour is finished - I can't persuade myself that cows are designed for any less.

Also milking a wee bit better this morning. In any event I have some heifers to scan later in the week so I'll get the Vet to run his eye across them when he is here.

Timmaay · 19-09-2017 11:57AM

kowtow wrote: »

None that I would recognize. No coughing or runny noses anyway, all eating well enough.

Although they've moved around some poor paddocks this week and we did switch from evening milking to morning milking. I wonder if the bigger yielders are holding a bit of milk up with the change around. Definitely back to twice a day next year once the parlour is finished - I can't persuade myself that cows are designed for any less.

Also milking a wee bit better this morning. In any event I have some heifers to scan later in the week so I'll get the Vet to run his eye across them when he is here.

I'd say the switch from evening to morning make a big difference, I've noticed cows who are OAD, and if you accidentally milk them the other milking they will give very very little, daily routine is important to cows and a switch as such would certainly cause several days of an upset in my view.

Timmaay · 19-09-2017 12:02PM

freedominacup wrote: »

I always thought the point of having a teaser was that he was the bulling sensor. They must be banking on us having a bit of cash left over when we've overdone things with the coke and hookers.

The 1500e I could stomach, one thing is sure it will make the likes of the heat time almost redundant. However the 350/year is the big sting in the tail. I'd strongly consider it for here where we milk on during the winter, and last year I had no service dates for the scanner, who wasn't able to accurately predict dates for likes of a 5month incalf HO (calf deep in the cow at that stage), I lost a far bit of milk having cows dried off the likes of a month too early.

George Sunsnow · 19-09-2017 01:32PM

Timmaay wrote: »

The 1500e I could stomach, one thing is sure it will make the likes of the heat time almost redundant. However the 350/year is the big sting in the tail. I'd strongly consider it for here where we milk on during the winter, and last year I had no service dates for the scanner, who wasn't able to accurately predict dates for likes of a 5month incalf HO (calf deep in the cow at that stage), I lost a far bit of milk having cows dried off the likes of a month too early.

That's a common problem,do you not tail paint?
You'd want 2 or 3 visits from the scanner from may to August
That's surely a lot cheaper than moo call etc if running a bull

kowtow · 19-09-2017 02:17PM

Timmaay wrote: »

I'd say the switch from evening to morning make a big difference, I've noticed cows who are OAD, and if you accidentally milk them the other milking they will give very very little, daily routine is important to cows and a switch as such would certainly cause several days of an upset in my view.

True. The gap is usually open during the day and the poor old things have only just stopped turning up in the evening for milking no matter that they were milked already.

Interesting that with OAD it is always the higher yielders that show up the issues - the low and mids take to it much easier.

wats the craic · 19-09-2017 02:23PM

whelan2 wrote: »

Any word on Strathroy price for August?

up a cent to 36. 4 i think but i will let ya know i get paid

the_blue_oval · 19-09-2017 05:01PM

Last collection here was 4.67% bf, 4% p and about 18l on 3kg meal. Were grazing ground that was reseeded in early summer so that upped the protein to 4, has been hovering around 3.9 otherwise.

What dm would ye be using for grass these days, 15%? Saturday was miserable but has been very good weather here the past 3 days..

oxjkqg · 21-09-2017 03:21PM

Any1 heard or seen or any experience of the milkrite triangular profile liners?

alps · 21-09-2017 05:14PM

oxjkqg wrote: »

Any1 heard or seen or any experience of the milkrite triangular profile liners?

Yep..using the triangular ones with the air inlet..

Very pleased with them, but they tend to crack or hope quiet early at the punch point where it connects with the clawpiece....just getting on with it and replacing them as we are really happy with milk out, year condition and scc

alps · 21-09-2017 05:40PM

the_blue_oval wrote: »

Last collection here was 4.67% bf, 4% p and about 18l on 3kg meal. Were grazing ground that was reseeded in early summer so that upped the protein to 4, has been hovering around 3.9 otherwise.

What dm would ye be using for grass these days, 15%? Saturday was miserable but has been very good weather here the past 3 days..

Under 12%dm...21%or....11.5ME

Mooooo · 21-09-2017 07:28PM

alps wrote: »

Under 12%dm...21%or....11.5ME

tested? when was fert applied?

Buford T. Justice XIX · 22-09-2017 09:00PM

I just came across this on Donedeal, a paint to spruce up your parlour. Don't know if it's any good or what price but it may interest someone.

https://www.donedeal.ie/milkingparlours-for-sale/milking-parlour-tubing-etc-restored-like-new/14881503

kowtow · 22-09-2017 09:05PM

On the nitrates question, there's a clarification in the farming independent (online) that run-off from farm roadways will have to be prevented from running in to dry drains as well as into water courses.

For me - and I am sure for others - this raises an interesting problem. I have a very old lane-way, which would have been in place since time immemorial, which is a cutaway running down the farm about 3 or 4 feet below the level of a paddock (on the left hand side) and a stone wall and a ditch above (on the right hand side). Down the left hand side of the lane runs a decent drain, what in England they call a winter well, which takes all the water from the farm yard and fields above and of course also the run off from it's own lane. Eventually it meets the river. It has the odd spring along it's length and at certain times of the year it would be running like a spring along it's full length.

Given that the laneway is my main cow track, as well as tractor access etc., am I expected to somehow isolate it from a drainage system which has been a part of it for centuries? Or am I to be forbidden to walk cows down it in future and must provide another track somewhere else which drains directly into a paddock? It would be impossible to simply lay the track across in the opposite direction because the whole structure, ditches and all, is a meter or more below the surrounding land.

GrasstoMilk · 24-09-2017 07:25AM

Have a heifer calf with no interest in mea, anything I can do to get her to eat some?
Have her in a small group of calves that are behind target as thought she was just shy and didn't want to eat with the rest. But still no interest; will stand at the trough with them though.
About 25kg behind ATM but that will only widen over the winter if she won't eat meal, unless I leave her out on grass for the winter with 1 or 2 others

Mooooo · 24-09-2017 08:52AM

GrasstoMilk wrote: »

Have a heifer calf with no interest in mea, anything I can do to get her to eat some?
Have her in a small group of calves that are behind target as thought she was just shy and didn't want to eat with the rest. But still no interest; will stand at the trough with them though.
About 25kg behind ATM but that will only widen over the winter if she won't eat meal, unless I leave her out on grass for the winter with 1 or 2 others

Try a bit of starter ration may be? Will you be using the wagon to feed during winter? Could put meal thru that

GrasstoMilk · 24-09-2017 04:25PM

Mooooo wrote: »

Try a bit of starter ration may be? Will you be using the wagon to feed during winter? Could put meal thru that

Heifers away on the outfarm for the winter. Split in 2 groups and silage in a ring feeder. She was eating meal until weaning and hasbtbsince she went out. Very timid animal

whelan2 · 24-09-2017 06:56PM

Was late checking dry cows today as we had football/ running. 2calves born and another calving. All outside. All good. Sun shining too.

tanko · 25-09-2017 09:34AM

GrasstoMilk wrote: »

Have a heifer calf with no interest in mea, anything I can do to get her to eat some?
Have her in a small group of calves that are behind target as thought she was just shy and didn't want to eat with the rest. But still no interest; will stand at the trough with them though.
About 25kg behind ATM but that will only widen over the winter if she won't eat meal, unless I leave her out on grass for the winter with 1 or 2 others

You could try putting some meal in her mouth once or twice a day, hopefully she'll start eating it again.

Gawddawggonnit · 25-09-2017 10:45AM

A lady milker handed in her notice this morning...she's going doing the AI course and has a job already lined up. That was my suggestion a few months back!
Anyhow we're hiring a milker/yardperson if ye know anyone looking for a start...

Or!!! someone get over here and make a half decent offer on dairy farm. I'll give 350/400 acres to play with...

mahoney_j · 25-09-2017 11:25AM

Gawddawggonnit wrote: »

A lady milker handed in her notice this morning...she's going doing the AI course and has a job already lined up. That was my suggestion a few months back!
Anyhow we're hiring a milker/yardperson if ye know anyone looking for a start...

Or!!! someone get over here and make a half decent offer on dairy farm. I'll give 350/400 acres to play with...

If you'll give me 400 acres and ready to go yard I'll be over by end of week ......!!!

Gawddawggonnit · 25-09-2017 11:45AM

mahoney_j wrote: »

If you'll give me 400 acres and ready to go yard I'll be over by end of week ......!!!

I'll RENT you 400ac at €50/acre for 25yrs or rent forever and ever, and ever...

Let me know when the plane lands and I'll collect you.

Floki · 25-09-2017 01:21PM

mahoney_j wrote: »

If you'll give me 400 acres and ready to go yard I'll be over by end of week ......!!!

You'd miss the rain.

mahoney_j · 25-09-2017 01:34PM

Gawddawggonnit wrote: »

I'll RENT you 400ac at €50/acre for 25yrs or rent forever and ever, and ever...

Let me know when the plane lands and I'll collect you.

Aghh i thought you were going to gift it to me cause I'm nice !!!

Timmaay · 25-09-2017 01:52PM

Dwag is labour your number one issue now? Or is the price of milk not good enough? Long may us Irish get away with the nice simple compact spring calving system here, cannot say I'd one bit envy the workload you must have from ayr calving with labour shortages.

Gawddawggonnit · 25-09-2017 03:23PM

mahoney_j wrote: »

Aghh i thought you were going to gift it to me cause I'm nice !!!

Do a partnership alright.

Bring on your herd and we'll see what their made of.

Gawddawggonnit · 25-09-2017 03:36PM

Timmaay wrote: »

Dwag is labour your number one issue now? Or is the price of milk not good enough? Long may us Irish get away with the nice simple compact spring calving system here, cannot say I'd one bit envy the workload you must have from ayr calving with labour shortages.

Labour is always an issue with dairy. Easy to get steering wheel attendants but hard to get cluster cowboys...

It's a common misconception that ayr calving is difficult. Quite the opposite really. Ayr is more industrialised and can be done by numbers, they all calve outside and just gather them for following milking. We rely on nature. No calving jack (very very infrequently) and calves never tubed. Didn't even have a stomach tube until recently and haven't used it yet.

Price of milk is lovely, if it stays that way...
Even when you were on low 20's base price the lowest it went to here was 27.6cpl and iirc we averaged just under 30cpl last year...

mahoney_j · 25-09-2017 04:05PM

Gawddawggonnit wrote: »

Do a partnership alright.

Bring on your herd and we'll see what their made of.

They'd miss the rain !!

Gawddawggonnit · 25-09-2017 04:27PM

mahoney_j wrote: »

They'd miss the rain !!

Yea right.

Did anyone read the article about the 8 best ways to get on the dairy gravy train??
Jesus wept.

Dairy chit chat II

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