Dairy chit chat II

yewtree · 16-12-2017 10:29PM

Do the PM every year despite the issues, find it useful to point out weaknesses on the farm.
been in a few groups always find the groups doing nothing with pm or accounts were the weakest. They never seem to have much direction.

mahoney_j · 16-12-2017 10:34PM

Snowfire wrote: »

Couple of lads in our group obviously feel the same and clearly don’t try to put any half effort into doing theirs, and that’s fine , but still have access to the lads figures that are trying to do it right.

When I do it I do it right but it’s just missing too much info for real relevance ,what’s point in showin cop in low 20s if u don’t pay and account for own wage ,don’t include capital repayments etc .just cause u don’t do or have faith in pm don’t make u an unprofitable farmer .i know lads that don’t do them and they would eat up and spit out some of the new lads comming through with there fancy figures and preachings from the gospel .not talking these guys down but point I’m making is farming is about doing and getting the basics right ,soil,grass stock management etc every farm is different and u do what u can to make it profitable and a success ,been on more farm walks ,visits open days etc since I took over here and always too something ,from them

mahoney_j · 16-12-2017 10:36PM

yewtree wrote: »

Do the PM every year despite the issues, find it useful to point out weaknesses on the farm.
been in a few groups always find the groups doing nothing with pm or accounts were the weakest. They never seem to have much direction.

We obviously go to different groups ,totally disagree .to say groups that don’t willy wave with pm etc are weak or crap is pure insulting

yewtree · 16-12-2017 10:44PM

mahoney_j wrote: »

We obviously go to different groups ,totally disagree .to say groups that don’t willy wave with pm etc are weak or crap is pure insulting

Its my expierence of groups I have been involved in, its not a comment on your group.
I think having a financial element to access on farm practices is important.
the pm can still tell you a lot, if filled up properly.

mahoney_j · 16-12-2017 10:51PM

yewtree wrote: »

Its my expierence of groups I have been involved in, its not a comment on your group.
I think having a financial element to access on farm practices is important.
the pm can still tell you a lot, if filled up properly.

Fair enough but what farmer wants to divulge a proper (full cost)analysis of his/her farm financials??.i wouldn’t cause it’s my business and every farm is same with heavy capital spends ,drawings ,kids ,supporting parents etc .a profit monitor filled up properly dosnt tell a true picture

Snowfire · 16-12-2017 10:51PM

yewtree wrote: »

Its my expierence of groups I have been involved in, its not a comment on your group.
I think having a financial element to access on farm practices is important.
the pm can still tell you a lot, if filled up properly.

I’d agree, farms at roughly same stocking rate, same type cow etc shouldn’t have a huge variation in variable costs, and if they do then savings can be made. Only way to find out where is to do the sums.

straight · 16-12-2017 11:23PM

I just got the results from the first bulk tank disease test. Have high readings for schmallenberg, IBR, P13, RSV. I know it's just my first test but I guess I'll have to start vaccinating for IBR?

minktrapper · 16-12-2017 11:24PM

K.G. wrote: »

minktrapper wrote: »

I was told by a friend of mine that was on a farm walk in England. The farm had over 300 cows. The dairy gave him an extra 2p a gallon ( or something close to it) to see his cost of production. They got a completely separate set of accounts for this purpose. One thing is for certain. All census data/surveys are being used for the manipulation of everyone. Information makes the world go round not money. They might not look at the cost of production in the short term but in the long term the information can be used to lever farmers. Much like the amount of information is available on cattle numbers. Cattle ages etc.. They need the product to stay in business but at the cheapest price they can get it. With all the extra cows on farms today are dairy farmers any better off than when they were milking 30 cows 30 years ago?

There is no business that is operati ng at the same level of productivity as it was 30 years ago i cant remember where i saw it but i read somewhere that productivity should double every ten years which is close enough to 100cows which is comparable

Wouldn't agree with you there. Some are more aren't. Depends on the business.

jaymla627 · 16-12-2017 11:40PM

K.G. wrote: »

Me !f##k no ill be hopefully reduced to being the "auld fella" but i wouldnt be suprised if it that was your standard unit

Widely accepted a million litres produced per labour unit is absolute gold standard efficiency worldwide where robots arent in-play, Ireland your probably taking 650-750 litres thousand litres a labour unit, so by the above reckoning all these massive units will be employing 5-6 fully paid up labour units it's pretty wishful thinking given the famine for lads to milk at the minute.
I'd rather be a one man band doing a million litres then having the ballache of trying to manage staff, served my time managing places and the calls at half four in the morning to get up and milk on your day off cause another employee called in sick/quit would really boil your piss, rememebr almost single-handley milking and calving down 700 odd cows for a month because the two other farmhands had broke a wrist and one fractured a leg respectively and I was left to carry the can with a relief miller in the evenings it would open your eyes is all I can say

minktrapper · 17-12-2017 12:38AM

straight wrote: »

I just got the results from the first bulk tank disease test. Have high readings for schmallenberg, IBR, P13, RSV. I know it's just my first test but I guess I'll have to start vaccinating for IBR?

Consult with your milk advisor/vet first. One reading isn't sufficient. I started vaccinating years ago. Milk tank had dropped 3-4" at every collection. Cows with snotty noses and coughing. Vaccinate every 4-6 mts. Very debilitating disease for cows.

straight · 17-12-2017 09:45AM

minktrapper wrote: »

Consult with your milk advisor/vet first. One reading isn't sufficient. I started vaccinating years ago. Milk tank had dropped 3-4" at every collection. Cows with snotty noses and coughing. Vaccinate every 4-6 mts. Very debilitating disease for cows.

Ya, I don't have any symptoms. Test was 20/11 so maybe the weather would have had an effect. I don't know. I'm nearly more concerned about the schmallenberg results with spring calving starting in January.

Keepgrowing · 17-12-2017 12:06PM

Water John wrote: »

Personally think they should be banned on, animal welfare grounds. Now, I'm in for it.

A few pics I took to reinforce you view. As you can see these heifers and cows are at risk on welfare grounds

wrangler · 17-12-2017 12:10PM

Keepgrowing wrote: »

A few pics I took to reinforce you view. As you can see these heifers and cows are at risk on welfare grounds

Not too many dairy cows in the country looking as well fed as those....are they holsteins.

K.G. · 17-12-2017 12:17PM

But are they happy emotionally.

Keepgrowing · 17-12-2017 03:32PM

wrangler wrote: »

Not too many dairy cows in the country looking as well fed as those....are they holsteins.

Mostly kiwi cross. We've a policy of feeding the shyte out of stock. Those heifers would've been well done from birth and now on a bit of restricted diet pre calving. They weighed just over 500 kg at housing. We'd like them at 90% of mature weight calving at 24 mths.

mf240 · 17-12-2017 03:33PM

They look very well. And clean.

kowtow · 17-12-2017 05:24PM

K.G. wrote: »

But are they happy emotionally.

Standing around preening, cursing the rain, trying to lose a little bit of weight and all up the duff by a bloke they didn't meet for five minutes?

Pretty normal for teenagers, I would say.

kowtow · 17-12-2017 05:43PM

On a side note what's the best way to deal with conacre / short term silage ground for Nitrates?

We didn't include the ground in BPS in May, but we do spread slurry from home up there. Do we fill in an export form or is there a separate form for rented ground?

Mf310 · 18-12-2017 08:40AM

Looking at a second hand parlour atm would you need sequential baling with a 2ft 2 16 unit? Would heifers be turning around alot if you didnt have it

Timmaay · 18-12-2017 08:49AM

Mf310 wrote: »

Looking at a second hand parlour atm would you need sequential baling with a 2ft 2 16 unit? Would heifers be turning around alot if you didnt have it

If that's the one and only reason you'd be getting sequential bailing then you'd be a hell of alot cheaper just to have a relief milker in with ya the 2wks that you have a big number of heifers calved down every year to help push them in.

kevthegaff · 18-12-2017 09:22AM

Mf310 wrote:

Looking at a second hand parlour atm would you need sequential baling with a 2ft 2 16 unit? Would heifers be turning around alot if you didnt have it

We have at home seq bailing , good job once heifers are trained

Mooooo · 18-12-2017 09:58AM

Cousin uses a locking barrier at the trough with 2"2 works for him anyway, dunno how it is to train heifers

K.G. · 18-12-2017 11:10AM

I just stickin an extra two or cows into the line and squeeze them

Gawddawggonnit · 18-12-2017 07:50PM

Ok folks, I’ve agreed to give a 20 minutes talk about Irish dairy to the suppliers from this county of our Coop.

The title will be “A view of dairying in Ireland”...A Dutchman will be doing likewise and a 15min q&a at the end.

Any ideas?

freedominacup · 18-12-2017 07:53PM

Gawddawggonnit wrote: »

Ok folks, I’ve agreed to give a 20 minutes talk about Irish dairy to the suppliers from this county of our Coop.

The title will be “A view of dairying in Ireland”...A Dutchman will be doing likewise and a 15min q&a at the end.

Any ideas?

I'm getting the popcorn. This will be good. ðŸ˜€ðŸ˜€

Gawddawggonnit · 18-12-2017 07:58PM

freedominacup wrote: »

I'm getting the popcorn. This will be good. ðŸ˜€ðŸ˜€

Asking the right man, aren’t they...

Floki · 18-12-2017 08:01PM

Gawddawggonnit wrote: »

Ok folks, I’ve agreed to give a 20 minutes talk about Irish dairy to the suppliers from this county of our Coop.

The title will be “A view of dairying in Ireland”...A Dutchman will be doing likewise and a 15min q&a at the end.

Any ideas?

How should I put this ...emm?

Ask someone else???

whelan2 · 18-12-2017 08:02PM

Give them some Bailey's

Floki · 18-12-2017 08:05PM

whelan2 wrote: »

Give them some Bailey's

Or show them what a blade of grass is and a picture of a roadway?

Buford T. Justice XIX · 18-12-2017 08:17PM

Gawddawggonnit wrote: »

Ok folks, I’ve agreed to give a 20 minutes talk about Irish dairy to the suppliers from this county of our Coop.

The title will be “A view of dairying in Ireland”...A Dutchman will be doing likewise and a 15min q&a at the end.

Any ideas?

Just one.

Live streaming:p

Dairy chit chat II

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