Dairy chit chat II

Buford T. Justice XIX · 10-10-2017 07:53PM

K.G. wrote: »

Cows in for nights,opening bales and beet feeding.oh feck winter is here

Took down half my feed barriers today and dug out foundations for an extension to my sheds.

I'll have to postpone winter for a few weeks:o

freedominacup · 10-10-2017 08:01PM

Buford T. Justice V wrote: »

Took down half my feed barriers today and dug out foundations for an extension to my sheds.

I'll have to postpone winter for a few weeks:o

Shur what else would ya be doing. Waiting on slats here. I screwed up the ordering but should have them in 10 days time. Anyone with experience of loose housing dry cows have an idea how much straw 25 dry cows will use in 2400 sq ft house where they are feeding on a separate area. Concrete floor with a good fall under them. Also how often should shed be cleaned out?

kowtow · 10-10-2017 09:21PM

I don't like to start any building work until the leaves are on the ground, the yard is half under water, and the cows are milling around the yard to keep me company.

Nothing like a shuffling tide of sh**t to show you where to put the slurry channel.

Mooooo · 10-10-2017 10:00PM

K.G. wrote: »

Cows in for nights,opening bales and beet feeding.oh feck winter is here

With the wind and rain here now right call, mine are out have a feeling I know which crowd are happier

K.G. · 10-10-2017 10:20PM

kowtow wrote: »

I don't like to start any building work until the leaves are on the ground, the yard is half under water, and the cows are milling around the yard to keep me company.

Nothing like a shuffling tide of sh**t to show you where to put the slurry channel.

Bought a good big diesel mixer a couple of years ago and started it up last week. I call it my gym

kowtow · 10-10-2017 10:30PM

K.G. wrote:

Bought a good big diesel mixer a couple of years ago and started it up last week. I call it my gym

Did you spring extra for an electric start or do you have one like mine where you skin your hand starting it with the handle before you begin work and then lose your hearing because you dread stopping it and restarting it?

RedPeppers · 10-10-2017 11:09PM

Cows in here by night the last week they seem happy enough on good quality bales doing 18l @ 3.85pr on 4kg 16% nut. Would have kept them out fulltime except for the desperate weather we've had here the last couple of months

K.G. · 11-10-2017 12:08AM

kowtow wrote: »

Did you spring extra for an electric start or do you have one like mine where you skin your hand starting it with the handle before you begin work and then lose your hearing because you dread stopping it and restarting it?

Electric start!.this is pull like a dog country

topgeas · 11-10-2017 01:06PM

Scanned 80 today. 8 out of 64 cows empty. 16 heifers in calf. 6 of the cows were late March,April Calfers. Slightly disappointed but going to have a busy February.

jaymla627 · 11-10-2017 01:30PM

Dairy boom is definitely in over-drive, ordered 70 cubicles last Monday with specific instructions they'd be needed by the end of next week, rang Rep today to see when they where coming and he hadn't even put in order, told him I needed them by next Wednesday at the latest, calls back a hour later saying be Friday two weeks before they are delivered and what did i expect ordering cubicles on short notice this time of year cancelled order and another crowd will have them out to us by next Tuesday.....

yewtree · 11-10-2017 01:51PM

jaymla627 wrote: »

Dairy boom is definitely in over-drive, ordered 70 cubicles last Monday with specific instructions they'd be needed by the end of next week, rang Rep today to see when they where coming and he hadn't even put in order, told him I needed them by next Wednesday at the latest, calls back a hour later saying be Friday two weeks before they are delivered and what did i expect ordering cubicles on short notice this time of year cancelled order and another crowd will have them out to us by next Tuesday.....

Ya there seems to be a lot of money being spent anyway. I was considering putting more units in the parlour, two of the largest suppliers said they would need to konw by mid october, otherwise couldnt be sure work would be done before feburary.

K.G. · 11-10-2017 02:10PM

yewtree wrote: »

Ya there seems to be a lot of money being spent anyway. I was considering putting more units in the parlour, two of the largest suppliers said they would need to konw by mid october, otherwise couldnt be sure work would be done before feburary.

Alot of stuff was approved under tams last couple of years but.fellas held off because they had no money so its all happening now when lads have a few bob

Keepgrowing · 11-10-2017 02:12PM

K.G. wrote: »

Alot of stuff was approved under tams last couple of years but.fellas held off because they had no money so its all happening now when lads have a few bob

Ordered scrapers week of ploughing, lads arrived today to fit them. I would've ordered earlier but was awaiting grant approval

Edit; I can't wait, 13 passages being scraped by tractor a real time eater. Young lads on Christmas hols even got sick of scraping

yewtree · 11-10-2017 02:40PM

Keepgrowing wrote: »

Ordered scrapers week of ploughing, lads arrived today to fit them. I would've ordered earlier but was awaiting grant approval

Edit; I can't wait, 13 passages being scraped by tractor a real time eater. Young lads on Christmas hols even got sick of scraping

What make did you go with, are you running the system from the one control box?

Keepgrowing · 11-10-2017 03:08PM

yewtree wrote: »

What make did you go with, are you running the system from the one control box?

Alfco.
3 motors. Not in same yard
One yard has 5 passages so 1 motor there

alps · 11-10-2017 03:19PM

Keepgrowing wrote: »

Alfco.
3 motors. Not in same yard
One yard has 5 passages so 1 motor there

Did you give any thought to rope scrapers for the uncovered passages? We sometimes have to pour on hot water to the tongue mechanism on the ratchet scrapers during very frosty weather, as they park outside the building.

For sure this doesn't happen much, but it took hours of our time, during the big freeze a few years ago, and is one of the reasons why rope scrapers are more common in northern Europe..

Gawddawggonnit · 11-10-2017 04:16PM

C-section on a big strapping lump of a cow this morning. The calf was deformed in the shape of a ball...a beach ball.

Then in the afternoon a fresh calver (14days) reacted to the sudden introduction of grass in the diet...vet out again and he reckons it's touch and go as kidneys could be goosed.

Also a tractor with error codes and in limp mode...€2.7k fix.

Just now had the electrician out to a chicken house...air conditioner computer goosed...€7.5k fix.

I'm off to bed. I shouldn't have got up at all this morning.

visatorro · 11-10-2017 04:26PM

jaymla627 wrote: »

Dairy boom is definitely in over-drive, ordered 70 cubicles last Monday with specific instructions they'd be needed by the end of next week, rang Rep today to see when they where coming and he hadn't even put in order, told him I needed them by next Wednesday at the latest, calls back a hour later saying be Friday two weeks before they are delivered and what did i expect ordering cubicles on short notice this time of year cancelled order and another crowd will have them out to us by next Tuesday.....

I collected gates yesterday in a place, Yer man said he was crazy busy. Was in office about ten mins and Secretary was apologising to three lads on the phone. Cubicles were gonna be weeks late.

Keepgrowing · 11-10-2017 04:33PM

alps wrote: »

Did you give any thought to rope scrapers for the uncovered passages? We sometimes have to pour on hot water to the tongue mechanism on the ratchet scrapers during very frosty weather, as they park outside the building.

For sure this doesn't happen much, but it took hours of our time, during the big freeze a few years ago, and is one of the reasons why rope scrapers are more common in northern Europe..

We did but decided against them for better or worse.
Lifespan is unknown
Expensive to replace section
Passages are short enough for ratchet
Am a student of chain scrapers bastard yokes when they roll up on a Sunday
Those frosts are very seldom thankfully
Most N eoro are wire rope and they need constant tensioning

jaymla627 · 11-10-2017 04:34PM

visatorro wrote: »

I collected gates yesterday in a place, Yer man said he was crazy busy. Was in office about ten mins and Secretary was apologising to three lads on the phone. Cubicles were gonna be weeks late.

Order of gibneys their at dinnertime and they will have the load out in the morning can't beat that for service, wouldn't mind if the rep had said last week they where up the wall and delivery wasn't possible but it wasn't the case, the sheer ignorance of the man this morning was hard to get over though,

K.G. · 11-10-2017 05:49PM

Keepgrowing wrote: »

We did but decided against them for better or worse.
Lifespan is unknown
Expensive to replace section
Passages are short enough for ratchet
Am a student of chain scrapers bastard yokes when they roll up on a Sunday
Those frosts are very seldom thankfully
Most N eoro are wire rope and they need constant tensioning

What do you maen by expensive to replace a section in ropes

Keepgrowing · 11-10-2017 05:55PM

K.G. wrote: »

What do you maen by expensive to replace a section in ropes

If it wears or breaks it's an expensive repair.

Mooooo · 11-10-2017 06:30PM

Anyone get mats recently? Have to replace mats in two rows. The cubicle are the mushroom type with 2 legs in the concrete so will have to get singles. Also what's best to cut mats?

Buford T. Justice XIX · 11-10-2017 07:32PM

Mooooo wrote: »

Anyone get mats recently? Have to replace mats in two rows. The cubicle are the mushroom type with 2 legs in the concrete so will have to get singles. Also what's best to cut mats?

From 40 euro to 80 euro, depending on company and thickness of mat. Loads of companies doing them atm.

kowtow · 11-10-2017 07:40PM

Mooooo wrote: »

Anyone get mats recently? Have to replace mats in two rows. The cubicle are the mushroom type with 2 legs in the concrete so will have to get singles. Also what's best to cut mats?

I got a shot of them in Riverstick last year, can't remember the exact price but €50 or thereabouts including fixings I think.

Cut 'em with a stanley knife and plenty of spare sharp blades.

The cows love them, very few if any lie down anywhere else.

awaywithyou · 11-10-2017 11:51PM

Keepgrowing wrote: »

If it wears or breaks it's an expensive repair.

Did ya buy the 100 acres sold in Laois today??

Keepgrowing · 12-10-2017 12:05PM

awaywithyou wrote: »

Did ya buy the 100 acres sold in Laois today??

We're in negotiations with highest bidder, expect to have it sold by early next week

Gawddawggonnit · 13-10-2017 08:04AM

Keepgrowing wrote: »

We're in negotiations with highest bidder, expect to have it sold by early next week

Are you buying or selling?

Either way, best of luck.

Gawddawggonnit · 13-10-2017 08:11AM

Bought a bunch of 29 maiden heifers and a Hereford bull yesterday.

Heifers are from ai and recorded dams. Good value at €340/hd. Average age 15mts and in great order.

Bull was €1500 delivered. 2.5yrs old registered and very quiet. There's only two Hereford bulls for sale in the country, well only one now. Probably couldn't give away the calves for free but howsever...

White Clover · 13-10-2017 09:13AM

Gawddawggonnit wrote: »

Bought a bunch of 29 maiden heifers and a Hereford bull yesterday.

Heifers are from ai and recorded dams. Good value at €340/hd. Average age 15mts and in great order.

Bull was €1500 delivered. 2.5yrs old registered and very quiet. There's only two Hereford bulls for sale in the country, well only one now. Probably couldn't give away the calves for free but howsever...

Fair play to you. Best of luck with em. There's lads around here dreaming.......looking for 400 or 450 for friesian Bull weanlings!

If you drop the calves to me at 3 months old, I'll buy you a few pints!

Dairy chit chat II

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