Dairy chit chat II

Gawddawggonnit wrote: »

Early start.

What make of header is that picking up 2 rows?

Coolfresian wrote: »

Anyone getting high averages of butterfat lately? 4.75 here last test. Never had that before, doing 27 litres a day. Protein is at 3.5.

Delighted with solids here ,broke 35 liters on average on yesterday’s collection .4.04 fat ,3.54 p .at grass full time cows getting 6.1 kg average of 14% nut in parlour and a buffer of 1 kg straw and 2 kg dm of Trafford gold before evening milking .afc 665 and 190 per cow

Coolfresian wrote: »

Anyone getting high averages of butterfat lately? 4.75 here last test. Never had that before, doing 27 litres a day. Protein is at 3.5.

Did the scc rocket also by any chance? It can throw the solids results apparently.

Mooooo wrote:

Seems to have settled at 3.8 here, 6kg and fulltime grass for last week. Protein 3.53

Was talking talking to a farmer who is really on top of his game nutrition wise and he said if bf is very high and protein is low its because the cow is milking off her back and isn't getting enough energy.

Mf310 wrote: »

Any tips on getting cows into a parlour without you having to go out for them ... cow flow should be very good as its a new build and cows walk straight in to parlour from a slatted tank and straight out but even still every row i have to get out and try get them up and then gp into pit and push them up just pure stubornness

Meal?
There's several types of backing gate. Crowd that put in the parlour would look at it.
I know people with great dogs that encourage cows in for lads as well!

freedominacup wrote: »

What is the cost per acre to establish those crops? How many cuts from the ryegrass crimson mix? At what yield? I assume the other mix is one cut only?

Ryegrass and crimson clover costs €33/ha (ryegrass is hss). Target 4-5t/haDM at 17-18% protein.

Peas, wheat, vetch etc costs ~ €25/ha.
Target 2-3tdm/ha at 19-22% protein.

Both are over wintered cover crops before spring crops.

Reggie. wrote: »

Spot a dirty deere there. Thought he had better taste

Dirty?
I beg your pardon...I only bought that on Tuesday, and ‘twas spotless then!

You should see the Deere I was driving...seconded to drawing yesterday from feeder work...covered in white dust inside and out.

Reggie. wrote: »

No raking? Rake do too much damage to clover?

One rake is out of action so used the conditioner mowers also. 40ha is about the limit for a rake in one day. Not ideal but was a smash and grab job.

Finished up last night at 3:30am before the rain (that still hasn’t come).
Had to thank the ‘team’ when we finished last night for sticking with it...they’d feckin die if they had to do a season in Ireland.

Chopper driver wasn’t pleased at all.
Pic shows two ten foots.

Gawddawggonnit wrote: »

Ryegrass and crimson clover costs €33/ha (ryegrass is hss). Target 4-5t/haDM at 17-18% protein.

Peas, wheat, vetch etc costs ~ €25/ha.
Target 2-3tdm/ha at 19-22% protein.

Both are over wintered cover crops before spring crops.

Seed cost or establishment cost? Sorry about all the questions. How much does it reduce the N requirement for following crop by?

Mf310 wrote: »

Any tips on getting cows into a parlour without you having to go out for them ... cow flow should be very good as its a new build and cows walk straight in to parlour from a slatted tank and straight out but even still every row i have to get out and try get them up and then gp into pit and push them up just pure stubornness

If your yard is rectangular you could put up two sliding door rails at each side with a bar across the width on runners. Then have chains dropping from the bar around a foot apart, have a light rope to pull the bar towards the parlour operated from a reel in the pit. What most people do is put a very light shock in the chains to move the cows when they get used to the shock they will eventually move without the need of a shock.

Buford T. Justice V wrote: »

Are the different cover crops used for different spring crops or for following different harvested crops? Or is it dependent on soil types?

I’m constantly experimenting Chief.
Principal reason for cc is for following spring crops. The mix is to condition the soil and return nutrients. Seeing as we ensile the cc the resulting fym is spread on the ground to further enrich the soil...it works. No artificial fert used.

There’s Dept of Ag trials here for different cc mixes. There’s a new crimson clover that’s looking really interesting. With a mix of 4kg/ha of triticale it was the outstanding plot this spring. The clover is unnamed yet but if it’s commercially available I’ll be using a lot of it this year.

Gawddawggonnit wrote: »

Seed cost.
Establishment cost is never the same for two consecutive years. If there’s plenty of soil moisture then direct drill. If not, which is more the norm, scratch the ground, fill fert spinner with seed, and roll in afterwards. Last year was tricky with prolonged drought and difficult for cc to establish...seriously wet winter and spring was also a challenge.

No N used on following spring crops. Except 50kg/ha of 18-46 as a maize starter, no artificial fert used at all.

Is it a runner in Irish conditions? Would there be a crop worth harvesting following early Aug sowing date by mid April?

freedominacup wrote: »

Is it a runner in Irish conditions? Would there be a crop worth harvesting following early Aug sowing date by mid April?

Why not?
I’d stay away from clovers because there mightn’t be enough spring heat to drive it on.
Why not a mix of wbeans, wpeas, vetch and woats?
Win for tillage farmer and dairy farmer...

Someone believes the hype...

Buford T. Justice V wrote: »

Already here for farms in derogation. No great problem with it tbh other than rates were too low to build indexes for P. Some movement on that finally with the last derogation but still a way to go, I think.

Yes it’s in place in the Eu...but loads of ‘blackguarding’ going on. Look to Holland.
As it stands these are directives, but with all the scutting going on within individual countries, those directives could become regulations. Time will tell where it pans out, but it’s difficult for me having to keep to the letter of the directive, and other countries acting like the Wild West.

Old ground....