It's proof, it's a young man's game. I don't know many with that speed
Ya, heifers can have that reaction alright. They usually settle after a minute. Probably better if he didn't pull the calf away.
It's just a typical example of what farmers do to try everything they can to help their animals and then certain people call them worthless, byproducts, culls, etc.
"That mother was making the ultimate sacrifice by killing her own baby so it wouldn't have to endure a life of cruelty and rape at the hands of the farmer just so he can steal her milk"
That's what I imagine some of the headers in PETA or vegan circles coming out with.
He did well to get through the bars of the gate!
We'd one or two like that in the past. One wasn't too bad, once you knew to watch her she'd be alright and she stayed around a long time. The other was a nervous ninny likely to throw a boot at any time, she didn't last as long.
If they use this to simply just match lakelands base price, for March milk, they'll undo any of the goodwill with the other measures
In hindsight should he have just left the calf to the hefier and just got out for his own safety.
In saying that I would have probably done the same in the heat of the moment and try and get the calf out.
Anyone elses calves swelling up from Prime Elite 25 Plus milk replacer? They get really gassy and go down hill very quickly. I treat them for bloat and pneumonia and improve within a few hours. Never had this before. Correct ratios are used and is mixed very well.
it’s a fairly decent support package jay tbf …top up to milk price plus feed rebates plus some ..hopefully other coops will follow with similar …every bit of it wanted
That’s what I was thinking. He was lucky to get through that gate as fast as he did.
And that all gates were working as they should.
Ya I thought the exact same thing. He completely risked his life and his health over a calf. Calves are a dime a dozen this year, he himself would have been irreplaceable.
LOL. You would not want to be opening knots on a binder twine, with her after you.
I think the only mistake he made, was pulling the calf. If she lay down and spent an hour pushing, she may have been more relaxed.
Reminds me of my father long ago, checked each cow about 40 times an hour to see her progress. And usually ended up pulling each calf.
Whats everyones worst spring this year is bad but 2013 and 2018 were 10 times worse.Good weather is coming next week its mild and loads of grass in fields well all be at silage in a month
farming in my own right since 2010 and along side my dad years before that ….this spring /autumn /winter and the constant rain along with all the outside things we’ve now to deal with (nitrates /dero costs etc etc)is by far the worst I’ve gone thru and I’m on a lucky position I’ve loads of feed and got slurry moved when I could
i think the problem isnt so much the weather the last few weeks… its that the weather has been in general crap since 1st july last year…. i would say 2013 was the worst… the fighting between farmers at the local creamery for the bales of hay that came from england was shocking… we had less stock in 2013 due to TB so ended up selling a good bit of silage.. actually more than a good bit.. my brother in law was out in february and we fed his herd for 2 months solid… we had fellas begging for silage…. we obviously couldnt give it to everyone but there was farms and cattle were literally starving to death…
this year there does seem to be plenty of fodder around… so i dont think the same panic is there as what was There in 2013…
Ya brother said he stopped using the diet feeder in de middle of May that year. I remember I had a bunch of dries that broke into government felled forestry, it saved a nice bit on silage... this year silage is around, it's just de weather and inputs so High, land availability also a big problem
I agree, bales are still for sale around here. To be honest the straw is a bigger problem down here.
I think it is the low moral and uncertainty caused by our current government. No one knows what they will think of next.
Another big thing this year is the calves, there is a massive difference for anyone that is used of sell the fr bulls off young and making room for more. Its terrible to carry four week old calves to the mart and leaving them there for 20 to thirty euro. Besides the amount of milk, time and energy it takes.
Why are the farmers journal always talking up the price of calves? I can understand Marts doing it but the Ifj/jack seem to live on a different world when it comes to reporting the real story on calf sales.
The calf cheques are not much use anyway. I kept some fr bulls and Angus heifers again this year. Might keep all the Friesians next year.
Got caught for feed in about 2004 but haven't been caught since.i had alot of rented ground planted with kale which failed which resowed with rape which also did poor and to compound it the rats attacked the bales in the fields. Have been ok since but I nearly always be buying away too if its offered. Our problem this year is we don't have any silage fit for milking left since Patrick s weekend.2018 was a bitch on the calf front for us,scared me for life
Alot of the problem in 2013 was caused by the absolute lack of a summer in 2012. I just hope this year isn't going to be another 2012.
Was at an ICMSA meeting last night. Full house and not a word out of them. Normally at these things there would be some few lads complaining about something, but not a word. Are lads so worn out they are giving up the fight.
Ya Cos early 12 was no where near as bad as this year is around here
worn out sums it up. the appetite is gone on allot of the farmers.
As it stands their 2.4 cent a litre behind lakeland on base-price if they up base price to match lakeland for March and give a 3 cent top-up than fair play, if they don't their just using it as a pr stunt, liquid milk and fixed milk suppliers will be delighted in fairness
There was a few good weeks in April 2012 but the second half of 2011 had been bad like last year in the west which is what compounded 2013.
I'd say it'll clear before the end of the month …
Ya agree it all started in second half of eleven 12 was a right off and then when the pressure was on in 13 the weather turned in April and May. Edit just to say I still think we got better stretch of weather to get slurry and stuff done
It won't. March April was our summer in 2012. I'm always wary of those really kind, mild springs, as we generally pay for it with a crap summer.
So I reckon we're almost guaranteed a 2013 or 2018 style summer, if we can knock a few more weeks out of the monsoon!
Im into second rotation with 20 bales left, light covers. Was looking at paddocks for day and night from Friday, would 15 day rotation be too short
13 was dry at times but the wind burnt all in late spring.I remember doing a long days work and going looking for feed at night it got that bad i ended up buying 2000 small squares at 4 euro each il never forget 13 and handling those bales
2012 did the damage for the spring of 2013. I remember well as we were building the house. Blocks were laid in march and may. The block layers lost only 1 day to weather. April was cold. And then the summer was a disaster trying to roof it.
First cut was split from the end of may. The remainder of the 1st cut was a smash and grab of pit at the end of july. It was like wire, but cattle ate it and it saved me in 2013
