Dairy Chitchat 4, an udder new thread.

in all fairness, you said you didn't give the cows meal and then you turned around said you gave them a pinch at milking time. A pinch more than likely a half kilo to keep a cow content so that's a kilo a day on top of the maize and silage, another poster has asked you twice what your milk urea is and you have failed to respond as allot of would be curious to know what it is with that type of feeding, surely is up in the high 30s with that level of protein as im sure the pinch of nuts aren't 15% either

What high protein, where do you get milk urea.

@ this time of year we only have stale cows, milking 18 litres but not feeding meal, only silage and maize or wholecrop.

Don't think I have ever seen a text with U in it from Kerry. Don't think they test for it.

Anybody that asks a question I will always thy to answer if possible.

It is nothing personal so don't get upset.

In all fairness Cosatron, it was I that asked for the MU. I asked so that posters might learn about different forages, and how to grow them. Nobody even asked what the forages consisted of…because from my experience on here there are two… ‘leafy bales’ and dry cow silage. Ginger posted the exact analysis of those forages and not ONE poster queried the constituents!

KG (moderator) posted recently that those that adopt to the new regs the quickest will stay ahead. I agree.

Pointing the finger at the Minister, Teagasc, Taisce, Vegans, Greens etc serves nobody. Finding solutions serves everyone.

What do you see as the solution Dawg? I actually don't see going down the indoor route as a solution to be honest. You still have the nitrates problem and extra ground needed to grow the forage. Or possibly the same amount of ground growing more feed per ha when its in maize or wholecrop, but then not enough cows to eat it unless we go exporting slurry. That really isn’t viable for the vast majority over here as the tillage quality ground isn't available near most of the milk pool.

My own solution is stick under 170, cut cost to the bone, including my own labour to be able to keep my off farm income going as well. I have no opportunity alongside me for extra land and think the off farm option is less stress than an indoor system drawing everything in and slurry out.

On the suck it up comments.

The peat constraints kick in in 2025. Probably after the next general election. The peat constraints are no ploughing, tilling allowed and most likely lower stocking rates than the case now.

There's has never been as much focus, interference and stick shown as is now in Irish agriculture.

We have two commentators on here saying just accept it. Those two commentators have other income other than farming. No slight on ye but ye wouldn't want to be in a government agricultural focus group. Ye wouldn't give a true picture of the farming community.

Maybe ye are the reality though and instead the ag colleges should have been teaching if ye want to farm make sure and have income outside of farming.

Does anyone know how long it takes to get IBR blood samples results. They were sent to a lab in Roscommon.

If you included that the guy being interviewed is probably 20-30k at least worse off from the move.

The survey says "It's not you" .😉

I'm feeling sorry for myself here realising with the current government and environment. I'd have been better going off farm and using the farm as security.

Since you phased out using irish genetics what kind of lift have you got on milk solids a cow delivered?

Grass is king till you get a **** spring summer drought or washout or an autumn like we’ve just had ……I test grass weekly and for vast majority of year from April on it tested poorly …..knock on affect is silage Was cut later and subsequent cuts even at 30/40 days just didn’t cut it …..maize is best feed I have in yard this winter

Banding is a European thing, ask @Gawddawggonnit what it is in France for different yields. If in the high band your as well off going well into it as things stand if you can. If yields are between bands or in middle it will take a good bit of change in genetics and management to get there, whether that would be worth it or not another question. Can't see how growing crops etc unless it is to properly replace ration is the solution for most, if fragmented maybe but not where cows can walk to.

In terms of farm security it's prob a case of working out what suits you at 170 and see if it's viable and if not, I dunno, case specific. We'll be all renting out to tillage farmers and watch em look at waterlogged crops....