Dairy chit chat II

whelan2 wrote: »

My cows haven't been out since Easter Sunday. They aren't even bawling to get out anymore.

Disillusion across all the species.

Bonus morning here. Predicted rain not here yet. Like moo best ground is grazed and the rest is too wet.
Second grazing on the early paddocks will be only option soon.

I'm feeling luckier than most.

jaymla627 wrote: »

Anyone on wet ground under pressure for feed are going to have to make some tough decisions, realistically cow numbers need to be dropped and any passengers cleared out, the spiel about it taking up next week is wearing thin, been the same line been rolled out since February, it would take a brilliant summer and autumn to anyway undo the financial damage that's occurred on farms and replenish feed stocks

9 calves gone this morning. 6cows going to factory tomorrow.

Coolfresian wrote: »

jaymla627 wrote: »

Anyone on wet ground under pressure for feed are going to have to make some tough decisions, realistically cow numbers need to be dropped and any passengers cleared out, the spiel about it taking up next week is wearing thin, been the same line been rolled out since February, it would take a brilliant summer and autumn to anyway undo the financial damage that's occurred on farms and replenish feed stocks

A lot of farmers on dry ground are as bad off or worse for feed and growth than lads on wet ground. Planning for a short winter is a risk and dry farms similarily will need a lot more silage and some less stock going forward. What's to stop us getting another spring like this? The last spring crisis was only 5 years ago.

Pretty simple stocking rates need to be reduced unless extra support land is got long-term by lads to have a buffer in place, but all this eats up cash and isn't fashionable when your on the expansion train and following "the low cost grass based system"
In truth it's a sad reflection on the farming industry as a whole and what tether hooks a lot of people are operating on when a extended winter and bad spring pushes a lot of farms to breaking point both financially and more worryingly mentally, you have to question what's the point in all these extra cows given the stress it's putting on systems and farmers been worked into a state of exhaustion and subsequently depression

jaymla627 wrote: »

Pretty simple stocking rates need to be reduced unless extra support land is got long-term by lads to have a buffer in place, but all this eats up cash and isn't fashionable when your on the expansion train and following "the low cost grass based system"
In truth it's a sad reflection on the farming industry as a whole and what tether hooks a lot of people are operating on when a extended winter and bad spring pushes a lot of farms to breaking point both financially and more worryingly mentally, you have to question what's the point in all these extra cows given the stress it's putting on systems and farmers been worked into a state of exhaustion and subsequently depression

Exactly, all points spot on. Even more worrying the fact that in dairy anyhow last year was as good financially and growth wise as we could hope for. If there wasn't enough cash and fodder reserves made last year then when will there be?

2 fantastic days, where cows were on grass fulltime with no buffer, relaxing easy milkings with nice clean udders, no liming cubicles, no standing cows off, no going out at 11pm to let them out etc. And now it's pissing rain again so back to square one again ugh.

Say my name wrote: »

Went to spread my wettest fields with fert.

Had to abandon the operation.
Lucky to make it out alive.

Sickening day here. It can't stop raining. Got a few loads of slurry out where possible but still damage. Fertilizer abandoned. I have some grass coming though. Body is creaking. Cows out by day. At least they seemed happy after p.m.milk chewing the cud. Serious culling is occurring in places I've heard but who knows if true.


Hogan might get his wish of stopping Irish dairy expansion!

White Clover wrote: »

Is the hay coming in as a back load dawg or is there a truck going out especially for it?

Back load.

Cuckoos arrived here yesterday evening.
Nice to hear them.
Still raining...

https://www.agriculture.gov.ie/farmingsectors/yearofsustainablegrassland/


That went well...

I see that there’s some posters here (or in another thread) that reckon it would be more cost effective to buy maize meal than get forage maize grown on contract...my advice would be to buy the maize meal now because it may not be dirt cheap later.

Reggie. wrote: »

Everyone thinking the same for the future and put pressure on supplies

Not exactly.
Maize price has risen fairly sharply and dragged barley price with it. Looks like yank farmers might plant more soya than corn.
It’s going on 6yrs of dirt cheap feeds also and commodity cycles usually turn on years 7-8...

It’s only my opinion btw.

Gawddawggonnit wrote: »

I see that there’s some posters here (or in another thread) that reckon it would be more cost effective to buy maize meal than get forage maize grown on contract...my advice would be to buy the maize meal now because it may not be dirt cheap later.

Talking to a Rep from a seed company this morning, Maize seed is usually 10% of there business with all the calls he's gotten in the last few weeks and farms he's visited maize seed sales will probably be up another 20%

GrasstoMilk wrote: »

Talking to a Rep from a seed company this morning, Maize seed is usually 10% of there business with all the calls he's gotten in the last few weeks and farms he's visited maize seed sales will probably be up another 20%

Assuming you are in the suitable area (southeast ideally), have the suitable dry sunny sheltered field, and can feed it out easy enough, then it's a good way to help build back up fodder reserves, grass silage is hard to compete against getting the likes of 20ton+ of maize out of the same field.

GrasstoMilk wrote: »

Went with a bag of urea with sulphur on Monday. Getting a response already I think.

Will u keep going with the urea if temperatures warms up