Dairy Chitchat 4, an udder new thread.

straight · 13-03-2023 10:25AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120352184#Comment_120352184

Doesn't look like much of a win in the marts these days

alps · 13-03-2023 10:57AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120352401#Comment_120352401

Once they can leave the farm..it's win on one side anyway. Whether it's 0€ or 50€, it's only 1/1.5% of the output of the cow. It's irrelevant.

Say my name · 13-03-2023 11:50AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120352539#Comment_120352539

It may be thought privately in farmer's minds but personally thinking it shouldn't be said from the lips nor typed in print. It's thinking contagion that's leading to not a thought of the beef merit of the calf as the comforting thought is the milk output will cover all. Except it doesn't cover all. It doesn't cover calves being broadcast making no bid at auction and the negative optics that shows. That leads to expectation that other farmers should also receive same from buyers. The same few farmers are the ones getting no bid for their calves. Other farmers do things differently and like to have their name associated with quality stock. The sellers name does still mean something especially to repeat buyers. Both sides are business orientated but the one selling for zero does harm to that sellers name and wider industry. It's as relevant as the sun rising every day imo.

I'm touching wood and looking for black cats and rabbits feet so as not to jinx myself in posting this. I sold ten calves in the same auction as others getting 0 and 5, 10 euro for calves. Montbeliarde bull made 150, other 9 calves were angus and topped at 250. Averaged for ten, 200 euro. (3,4 weeks) If the effort is put into breeding, feeding and rearing you will still, will have a very saleable calf. Especially so when others think it's not so relevant.

Pinsnbushings · 13-03-2023 12:21PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120352732#Comment_120352732

Ye bit of balance required, i still have decent calves to sell based on most the cows being at least 50 percent bf..repeat buyer for them going in to his 3rd year with us..small numbers but fr bulls are 150, Angus bulls 250 and he might take some Angus heifers if we don't keep ourselves for 200.this at 2 weeks old out of yard..he's delighted to buy healthy calves that don't give him bother.

Obviously it makes no odds financially, when milk price is where it is what the calf makes but it's short term thinking too.

We always kept ourselves but I'm trying to keep things as simple as ever possible here now.

whelan2 · 13-03-2023 12:28PM

Rely on the money from calf sales here during February. So no point having crap calves

ginger22 · 13-03-2023 02:57PM

Lakeland have cut another 6 cents off the price. I suppose we will all fall in behind them.

alps · 13-03-2023 03:10PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120352861#Comment_120352861

How do you enforce balance on those who don't care about anyone else but themselves?

This tranferres across to many aspects of farming...slurry storage, closed periods,

Too many don't care...

Pinsnbushings · 13-03-2023 03:17PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120353927#Comment_120353927

Enforcing the rules that already exist would be a start to be fair, everybody knows a neighbour who's spreading slurry in the closed period yet nobody ever seems to get prosecuted for it. The umbilical was a disaster for it, dirty water being the excuse.

I'm not saying go around dobbing in your neighbours, and I'm no angel meself have had to throw out the odd few loads of slurry in December too..burned bushes when maybe by the letter I shouldn't...but some lads take the piss altogether..

green daries · 13-03-2023 03:22PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120352879#Comment_120352879

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120352861#Comment_120352861

Lakeland is after taking a further 6 cent off for February milk

ginger22 · 13-03-2023 03:55PM

The heat seems to be gone off angus and hereford calf prices. Watched a bit of Kilmallock on line today. Prices well back.

whelan2 · 13-03-2023 04:51PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120354143#Comment_120354143

That's because there's any amount of them around atm

stanflt · 13-03-2023 05:51PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120354401#Comment_120354401

Only got 150 a piece for bbx aax and hex calves today- happy to have them gone tbh

ginger22 · 13-03-2023 06:23PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120354668#Comment_120354668

Thought you were a pedigree Holstein breeder. Surprised you have Angus, Hereford & BB calves.

Grueller · 13-03-2023 06:36PM

€350 & €250 for 2 blues here. 23 and 22 days old.

€230 for a pair of limo bulls at 19 days

€190 for a limo bull at 17 days

€60 for a fr bull at 32 days.

More than happy with that as they drank dumped milk only

stanflt · 13-03-2023 06:43PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120354787#Comment_120354787

We are pedigree

all cows under 3.6% protein get beef

sexed on everything else

K.G. · 14-03-2023 07:23AM

A thought crossed my mind as i saw a shot of cows bulling away already that for all the giving out we do about the ai/breeding industry ebi has given a us a cow that goes in calf really well.maybe there s other things to correct now but there was no money in having 25 % or more not in calf.that sucked the profit out of this farm for a long time

mahoney_j · 14-03-2023 07:37AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120356182#Comment_120356182

Ebi dosnt account for good management of stock and grassland tho ….still of opinion too much messing for vested interests has been done with it and it’s a highly flawed index …..

ginger22 · 14-03-2023 09:26AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120356182#Comment_120356182

Well to be fair fertility is an issue that all the international AI companies have been working on as well and have generally corrected while at the same time not loosing sight of all the other traits. The issue I have with the Irish AI companies is their total disregard for anything other than EBI. It is a race to the bottom regarding the "quality" of our cows. They are now even afraid to put up photos of the bulls dams let alone a linear chart for their bulls.

cjpm · 14-03-2023 12:07PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120356496#Comment_120356496

But but but….. I’ll be fine if I use unproven bulls, apparently they’ve good genes.…..

As long as I’ve a team of them it will be ok if a few are duds….

….I’m doing my bit for the AI company helping them separate the wheat from the chaff at my own risk and expense…..

The EBI report is the fifth gospel after all

straight · 14-03-2023 09:26PM

Wouldn't consider myself to be a true believer in EBI myself but I just paid nearly 800 euro to genotype my 35 heifer calves. It's a useful tool to a certain degree. Surely better than the old lads that think they can recognise a good milker by looking at her.

Full up of calves here. Don't know what to do. An exporter was supposed to call for fr bulls but the boat keeps getting cancelled for one reason or another. One fr bull gone overage so he'll definitely be staying now.

mahoney_j · 14-03-2023 09:57PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120359521#Comment_120359521

Full up of calves at this stage of spring not nice place to be ….sold some on nenagh today from 5 euro for a set of handy twin bulls to 90 euro for a 28 day old calf who returned and empty bvd vial and had to retest …shippers were active buyers

giveitholly · 14-03-2023 10:10PM

Is the boat cancelled again this week due to a strike in France?

Castlekeeper · 14-03-2023 11:59PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120350822#Comment_120350822

Thanks SMN, Death and I still avoid each other, for the time being anyway!

Fully organic now and apart from a few replacement, all calves go at about 3-4 weeks, same as normal. About half went as organic last year, they'll nearly all go this year due to demand from new entrants. It's a small market, I get a fair price, but no real premium.

I never fed them yoghurt, the height of messing. I used to swear by acidification of the milk, but I don't bother any more and am getting on just a well.

sandman30 · 15-03-2023 12:27PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120359521#Comment_120359521

What will you do differently after genotyping? Would any be culled/sold based on the genotype results?

straight · 15-03-2023 01:07PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120361354#Comment_120361354

It might help to pick them out. Sell about 10 or 15 every year weaned. Wouldn't be depending on it alone.

Green&Red · 16-03-2023 08:57AM

https://www.farmersjournal.ie/genotyping-of-800-000-cows-gets-agreement-in-principle-753662

https://www.gov.ie/en/press-release/2a1cf-minister-mcconalogue-opens-8-million-national-liming-programme/

Liming programme doesn't seem to be open yet. Two positive stories IMO

stanflt · 16-03-2023 09:10AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120364937#Comment_120364937

Liming program not open to derogation farmers- another kick in the hole for effeciency

Grueller · 16-03-2023 09:28AM

Yup and if you have been mauling and slobbering for 40 years spreading no lime you get rewarded for it now. And I stand over that comment, because if you haven't been soil sampling and looking after your farm with the cheapest, easiest and highest return nutrient, you need to own it and admit you are a slobberer.

I do realise there are farmers not in derogation that will qualify but will need no lime, because they are not slobberers.

Grueller · 16-03-2023 09:32AM

On another note, I have an outbreak of scour in the dwelling house here. I was on the throne from 2am until milking time. Had to leave the pit a few times during milking too. I am in a fair state with it. I would nearly chance a drop of bimastat or a vetlyte powder.

mahoney_j · 16-03-2023 09:43AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120365039#Comment_120365039

Give the auld precision microbes a go 😜😜….and keep the kitten soft close

Dairy Chitchat 4, an udder new thread.

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