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David's going Dairying.

davidk1394

I’ve created a new thread so you can follow my journey into dairy farming. I’ve made the decision to start milking cows by February 2021. The first of the calves arrived today. I’ll post along the way

Here’s a link to my old thread: https://touch.boards.ie/thread/2057681402/1/#post101948565

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Genghis Cant

Best of luck David. This has the makings of a brilliant thread . Keep us all updated on your journey!

Timmaay

kevthegaff wrote: »

I have a masters in soft ware engineering so maybe I went the wrong track! No things worked out, reading that post I still enjoyed meself chain and drink in. I think its getting harderbin dairying with numbers increasing, I'm aching atm hurling a little after a hectic spring. I'm considering with 3 kids of a few different options in the future. Oad is one

How are you for labour? Very lucky here that I've had 2 decent chaps part time this spring, that alongside the good weather has made this the easiest spring I've had so far. I'm prb gonna spend the best part of 20k on labour this year, or say 3c/l, worth every penny though, esp when I look at how unsustainable what I use to be at doing consistent 80 hr weeks and absolutely not enjoying it.

visatorro

Reggie. wrote: »

If ya got out of bed at a reasonable hour it would help

Look there's no point getting to excited you'll burn out. Anytime after twelve is a good start.

Sheep breeder

Best of luck with your venture, milked cows in my youth for my sins and at one time was milking two herds a day and some days three herds, feeding, grass, management of cows etc all come second to the parlour. Which is where the time goes and very important to have it user friendly for man and beast.
One the best saying that was parted from one old fella I milked for was the parlour was like a bed, if not comfortable you won’t sleep well and you won’t work well that day.

Albert Johnson

visatorro wrote: »

Look there's no point getting to excited you'll burn out. Anytime after twelve is a good start.

Welcome to my psychology haha. The above is somewhat of an exaggeration but perhaps I'm not the only one who finds mornings a challenge. I'd stay out all night but don't ask me to get up in the mornings, the auld lad is the complete opposite and would be out at dawn regardless of the work to be done.

Good luck with the new venture David, there's been no dairying here in my lifetime and little locally so I'm of almost zero help to you on that front. I do admire the courage and conviction of anyone who makes a major life decision of any kind and I hope that your efforts will be justly rewarded.

Ard_MC

Best of luck David. Your views will be missed in the sheep forum.

Reggie.

visatorro wrote: »

Look there's no point getting to excited you'll burn out. Anytime after twelve is a good start.

Willfarman

Best of luck David

davidk1394

Some of the calves are settling in nicely. I only have 10 dairy heifer calves bought. I missed out on a few because I didn’t have enough shed space with sheep lambing. The pens used for the sheep can be easily changed to hold calves which is very handy

davidk1394

Bullocks wrote: »

Best of luck David. Will you keep a few ewes aswell still or get out completely?

At this moment and time I think I’m going to get out completely. My heart isn’t in sheep anymore. Both myself and my parents could look at another lambing

farisfat

davidk1394 wrote: »

At this moment and time I think I’m going to get out completely. My heart isn’t in sheep anymore. Both myself and my parents could look at another lambing

Best of luck with your venture.
Lambing sheep will look easy if things start to go wrong with cows and calves.

jaymla627

farisfat wrote: »

Best of luck with your venture.
Lambing sheep will look easy if things start to go wrong with cows and calves.

Don’t be scaring the chap, sure it’s great craic spending literally hours every day during peak calving training and bottling colostrum into calves, levels of patience are required that no one should need haha, and if your spending a hour our twobefore this with unruly heifers in the parlour it dosent be long fraying the nerves after a few weeks

mahoney_j

davidk1394 wrote: »

If it’s a parlor it’ll be a 16 unit, plenty big for me. A friend of mine put in a new De Laval parlor last year and I enjoy milking in it. It’s all De Laval around here because one of my neighbors installs them and services them. Another friend of mine in the locality is currently putting in a GEA parlor. I’m want to see how it goes for them. It looks like a lovely parlor, well designed and built.

I am still undecided on going for a parlor or robots. After the last 2/3 years I have pros and cons for both. I am going to visit 2 more dairy farms with robots. There is going to be an open day held on one of them next week in Cappaquin in Waterford.
In the coming months I’ll make my decision.

On Gea no doubt well built and stuff sells itself but Gea Ireland has a very Chequerd history ,just ask any customer of charleville refrigeration

Bullocks

davidk1394 wrote: »

At this moment and time I think I’m going to get out completely. My heart isn’t in sheep anymore. Both myself and my parents could look at another lambing

Ah sure I'd say everyone says that when they're at the end of lambing haha

Dakota Dan

Reggie. wrote: »

If ya got out of bed at a reasonable hour it would help

Dakota Dan

jaymla627 wrote: »

Don’t be scaring the chap, sure it’s great craic spending literally hours every day during peak calving training and bottling colostrum into calves, levels of patience are required that no one should need haha, and if your spending a hour our twobefore this with unruly heifers in the parlour it dosent be long fraying the nerves after a few weeks

To hell with that crack, stomach tube the first 2-3 feeds skip 1 feed and they'll take to the teat no bother.

jaymla627

Dakota Dan wrote: »

To hell with that crack, stomach tube the first 2-3 feeds skip 1 feed and they'll take to the teat no bother.

Last resort using stomach tube here, 10 times healthier calves when the first feed is bottled fed plus a lot better immunity to fight disease, you hear of horror stories where crypto and rota wipe out calves in places and I guarantee you its down to running with the tube to every calf instead of spending the time to bottle it

cosatron

jaymla627 wrote: »

Dakota Dan wrote: »

To hell with that crack, stomach tube the first 2-3 feeds skip 1 feed and they'll take to the teat no bother.

Last resort using stomach tube here, 10 times healthier calves when the first feed is bottled fed plus a lot better immunity to fight disease, you hear of horror stories where crypto and rota wipe out calves in places and I guarantee you its down to running with the tube to every calf instead of spending the time to bottle it

We do the exact same thing. It's worth it in the long run.

Panch18

We have never tubed a calf, always try to get them to suck the cows first

Most would go eventually and if not then milk cow into a 3 teat feeder and get calf going on that

That’s not to say that we don’t have a few that would break your heart every year

kevthegaff

Timmaay wrote: »

How are you for labour? Very lucky here that I've had 2 decent chaps part time this spring, that alongside the good weather has made this the easiest spring I've had so far. I'm prb gonna spend the best part of 20k on labour this year, or say 3c/l, worth every penny though, esp when I look at how unsustainable what I use to be at doing consistent 80 hr weeks and absolutely not enjoying it.

On my own, had a guy during the winter re roofing a shed and milking empties but it was a disaster(his attitude stunk as well as costly errors) pity as I hoped it would work out. It's bad when you let a lad go at the end of February. ..

mahoney_j

kevthegaff wrote: »

On my own, had a guy during the winter re roofing a shed and milking empties but it was a disaster(his attitude stunk as well as costly errors) pity as I hoped it would work out. It's bad when you let a lad go at the end of February. ..

So so hard find Labour now ,still have gheorghe here ,be fooked without him

whelan2

I have a lad same age as myself. 100% reliable. Get him 2 or 3 mornings a week. Made a massive difference. He finished yesterday as young lad is home now, but hopefully will get him again next winter. Takes a lot of pressure off me

kevthegaff

So so hard find Labour now ,still have gheorghe here ,be fooked without him

Ya he's not the fastest but he's done a serious amount of milikings! It's handier to keep staff if your nearer to a town also. On the lookout for a lad/lass two days a week

davidk1394

farisfat wrote: »

Best of luck with your venture.
Lambing sheep will look easy if things start to go wrong with cows and calves.

I think calving is a lot easier versus lambing down the numbers we were, especially during ****ty weather.

Danzy

davidk1394 wrote: »

I’ve created a new thread so you can follow my journey into dairy farming. I’ve made the decision to start milking cows by February 2021. The first of the calves arrived today. I’ll post along the way

Here’s a link to my old thread: https://touch.boards.ie/thread/2057681402/1/#post101948565

Best of luck

wrangler

Best of luck David
Two large beef farmers converting near here, would be feeding a lot of cattle between them.
One of them looked to lease my farm last year, at that time they had 1400 cattle in.
The other farmer would have more

orm0nd

davidk1394 wrote: »

Some of the calves are settling in nicely. I only have 10 dairy heifer calves bought. I missed out on a few because I didn’t have enough shed space with sheep lambing. The pens used for the sheep can be easily changed to hold calves which is very handy

I know many here don't regard me as a typical dairy or sheep farmer because of views I have expressed in the past, but when space gets tight here the below happens and works quite well.

Good luck BTW, and dont try to do much too quickly.

mf240

Best of luck David. You'll fly it.

mf240

orm0nd wrote: »

I know many here don't regard me as a typical dairy or sheep farmer because of views I have expressed in the past, but when space gets tight here the below happens and works quite well.

Good luck BTW, and dont try to do much too quickly.

Even the calf is wondering what the Fcuk

Dakota Dan

jaymla627 wrote: »

Last resort using stomach tube here, 10 times healthier calves when the first feed is bottled fed plus a lot better immunity to fight disease, you hear of horror stories where crypto and rota wipe out calves in places and I guarantee you its down to running with the tube to every calf instead of spending the time to bottle it

Never had a problem here with unhealthy calves after being tubed colostrum. If anything calves are healthier after enough colostrum on time.