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Dairy Chitchat 4, an udder new thread.

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Comments

  • #31412
    weatherbyfoxer
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,759 ✭✭✭weatherbyfoxer


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123724177#Comment_123724177

    Id take it that alot depends on cows output..like would it work on a herd doing over 6000l average?



  • #31413
    mahoney_j
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 11,972 ✭✭✭✭mahoney_j


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123724177#Comment_123724177

    everyone to there own but that crack not for me …too messy on one man operation …milk at 6.30/7 morning and 4 in evening and be done with it ….lots of young lads out there at summer and weekends they just need a chance a bit of patience to train them and pay them



  • #31414
    Castlekeeper
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2, Paid Member Posts: 2,453 ✭✭✭Castlekeeper


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123724255#Comment_123724255

    That's an average yield, the kind all the trials would have been done with.

    “We are all capable of believing things which we know to be untrue, and then, when we are finally proved wrong, impudently twisting the facts so as to show that we were right. Intellectually, it is possible to carry on this process for an indefinite time: the only check on it is that sooner or later a false belief bumps up against solid reality.” George Orwell.



  • #31415
    yewdairy
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 259 ✭✭yewdairy


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123724255#Comment_123724255

    A bit of time spent training relief milkers will makes things a lot easier on you when you go milking. Around here no problem getting relief milkers.

    This time of year €200/ week on relief milkers will get you every weekend off. €3500 on relief milking will allow you take every weekend off from August until end of November.

    At current milk prices going 10/7 for second half of year will reduce milk solids output by €90/ cow on 100 cow herd it's 9k. Number of milkings are reduced by 80, I think it makes better sense to just paid the relief milkers. You also have someone who knows the yard if you are every under pressure or need a dig out.



  • #31416
    Castlekeeper
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2, Paid Member Posts: 2,453 ✭✭✭Castlekeeper


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123724177#Comment_123724177

    Yeah that's an example, a lot of them are rigid for staff rotas. When you're doing it for yourself you realise that you can tear up the script of once, twice, three times, 10 in 7 milking, and write your own to suit you.

    I've little experience yet but what I'd be wary of about the 10 in 7 is the 3 long intervals in a row at the weekend. As of yet we haven't done more than 2 and a 2X day again. So the week could be mixture of 7.00, 10.00 3.00 5.00 as suits.

    I was busy drawing bales with help earlier this week, and, as they didn't have enough grass for the night, I left them on when I was passing with the last load at 7. Milked at 7.30 and left them into 24hrs of grass and didn't milk again til 4 the next day.

    That would be unusual but just an example of the flexibility.

    Again, I always thought it would wreck my head but it's the opposite.

    “We are all capable of believing things which we know to be untrue, and then, when we are finally proved wrong, impudently twisting the facts so as to show that we were right. Intellectually, it is possible to carry on this process for an indefinite time: the only check on it is that sooner or later a false belief bumps up against solid reality.” George Orwell.



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  • #31417
    weatherbyfoxer
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,759 ✭✭✭weatherbyfoxer


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123724317#Comment_123724317

    Sounds like good advice now,..i have budgeted €3500 for relief milking here in part of the budget.will be running 60-80 cows though a new 12 unit parlour all be it a basic parlour to start out…local lads around me with simular herds and setups are paying €50-60 per milking for relief milkers.



  • #31418
    Castlekeeper
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2, Paid Member Posts: 2,453 ✭✭✭Castlekeeper


    EDIT: In reply to @older by the day 's request for a comparison.

    I couldn't because I did OAD full lactation, while this is a mid year transition less than 2 weeks old.

    In general, OAD will have a 20 to 30% reduction in yield compared to TAD, but with improvements in herd fertility and health and reductions in feed costs. Sensitive to SCC problems is increased.

    According to the research, dropping milking, from 14 to 9-13 times a week has negligible effect on yield or SCC.

    Post edited by Castlekeeper on

    “We are all capable of believing things which we know to be untrue, and then, when we are finally proved wrong, impudently twisting the facts so as to show that we were right. Intellectually, it is possible to carry on this process for an indefinite time: the only check on it is that sooner or later a false belief bumps up against solid reality.” George Orwell.



  • #31419
    Castlekeeper
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2, Paid Member Posts: 2,453 ✭✭✭Castlekeeper


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123724260#Comment_123724260

    I would think the opposite, that it's ideal for a one-man operation, life's too short for martyrdom!

    Use relief milkers when needed.

    “We are all capable of believing things which we know to be untrue, and then, when we are finally proved wrong, impudently twisting the facts so as to show that we were right. Intellectually, it is possible to carry on this process for an indefinite time: the only check on it is that sooner or later a false belief bumps up against solid reality.” George Orwell.



  • #31420
    Siamsa Sessions
    Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators, Paid Member Posts: 4,698 Mod ✭✭✭✭Siamsa Sessions


    It's discussions like this that'll be missed if boards.ie doesn't get enough subscribers to keep the lights on.

    I'll probably try 10-in-7 next year. I might prefer TAD but relief milkers are scarce around here. And I don't want to be in bed before 10pm every night of the week so I can get up at 6am the following morning.



  • #31421
    JustJoe7240
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,561 ✭✭✭JustJoe7240


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123724317#Comment_123724317

    How did you work out that 90 euro?



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  • #31422
    yewdairy
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 259 ✭✭yewdairy


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123724454#Comment_123724454

    1 kg of milk solids currently worth €7

    The teagasc article shows a 13 kg reduction in milk solids from twice a day to 10/7 in second half of season

    Multiple 13 by €7



  • #31423
    JustJoe7240
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,561 ✭✭✭JustJoe7240


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123724484#Comment_123724484

    Apologies, I was under the impression that yield difference was negligible.

    Agree with you fully assuming relief milkers are readily available. 10 in 7 doesn't solve the holiday cover issue.

    What part of the country are you in?



  • #31424
    mahoney_j
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 11,972 ✭✭✭✭mahoney_j


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123724372#Comment_123724372

    not for me hanging around till 9/10/11 am to milk screws your day …especially in mornings with school runs etc ….relief Milker better paid and no upset to cows



  • #31425
    Castlekeeper
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2, Paid Member Posts: 2,453 ✭✭✭Castlekeeper


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123724565#Comment_123724565

    Oh I get that, some people are sticklers for routine, horses for courses and all that.

    There's no one hanging around, we're off scoll for a couple of more weeks here, and I can go back twice a day on schooldays, if it suits.

    It's less work for the cows too, they love a morning or an evening off with their bellies full of grass.

    I suppose I must head back to the original theme which was about long term hardship and quality of life on a dairy farm, relief milkers are grand but not the answer to everything. Anything that makes life easier and and more enjoyable for the whole family is what wins here.

    “We are all capable of believing things which we know to be untrue, and then, when we are finally proved wrong, impudently twisting the facts so as to show that we were right. Intellectually, it is possible to carry on this process for an indefinite time: the only check on it is that sooner or later a false belief bumps up against solid reality.” George Orwell.



  • #31426
    mahoney_j
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 11,972 ✭✭✭✭mahoney_j


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123724851#Comment_123724851

    agree it’s same here ….but cows pay the bills ,allow a decent life and leave room to continue investing in farm …I’ve no issue with relief Milkers as long as there head is in the game and they milk when they should etc ….Ive only ever had one utterly useless lad milking here …majority are very good and I treat them right ….for me here that is more important to allow time off and not upset cows routine and let them milk to poteintal ….oad /10 in 7 etc just don’t pay the bills here ….oad may play apart for me in my 60s if I want to stay milking



  • #31427
    Mf310
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 351 ✭✭Mf310


    Outfarm yard in a bit of a state after a few years of neglect bits of bags and rubbish and stuff thought about getting a skip but 500€ and probably not enough stuff to completely fill it what do lads do to keep yards clean? Now i did get a skip for the first time last year in main yard and done a fair clean up but expensive for what it is does anyone fill trailer and bring to dump or what cost does that work out to? Sound



  • #31428
    the_blue_oval
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,906 ✭✭✭the_blue_oval


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123724317#Comment_123724317

    fully agree, but depends what part of the country you’re in. No issue finding contractors to do machinery work around here, but it’s near impossible to find anyone to do a few milkings. Payment or hours aren’t the issue, it’s just very hard find someone willing to give it a go



  • #31429
    K.G.
    Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 3,627 Mod ✭✭✭✭K.G.


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123723546#Comment_123723546

    Yet another nail in grass milking.the days of using umbilical s to grow grass on the home farm and raping the silage ground maybe over.it was wrong anyway.



  • #31430
    Grueller
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 5,550 ✭✭✭Grueller


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123725053#Comment_123725053

    Absolutely agree. I am moving slurry 8 miles to an out farm here. Fair cost but good crops of silage and soil indices are good too so there is a benefit.



  • #31431
    Coolcormack1979
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 576 ✭✭✭Coolcormack1979


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123724940#Comment_123724940

    hadn’t much to get rid of last yr but filled the 8x6 cattle box with old broken mats and other stuff that had been in a shed for a couple of years.took it to the council yard in Roscrea and for €60 got rid.better value than hiring a skip



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  • #31432
    whelan2
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2, Paid Member Posts: 31,301 ✭✭✭✭whelan2


    MMust Be a massive skip for 500 euro. We get a skip every 2 months, 200 euro.



  • #31433
    Mf310
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 351 ✭✭Mf310


    14cube i think not crazy big really id have thought



  • #31434
    GrasstoMilk
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,697 ✭✭✭GrasstoMilk


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123724940#Comment_123724940

    🔥.



  • #31435
    Arm Wax
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 108 ✭✭Arm Wax


    i have my own skip here a big bugger bought it 12 years ago dump everything into it bale wrap netting ,only ever costs me 350 empty it twice a year



  • #31436
    visatorro
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,078 ✭✭✭visatorro


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123725128#Comment_123725128

    Do you move it yourself to a tank over the winter and spread after cuts? Or does contractor do all. I'd imagine contractors will be under more pressure if they have to ferry more slurry to outfarms. Im using my contractor since 2012. This is the first year I seen him under pressure for drivers.



  • #31437
    straight
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2, Paid Member Posts: 6,204 ✭✭✭straight


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123726872#Comment_123726872

    You just can't have enough storage going forward. I have loads of storage here and I am putting in another 85 foot tank. Takes off pressure, offers flexibility, makes better use of valuable slurry.



  • #31438
    Sheep breeder
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,370 ✭✭✭Sheep breeder


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123691336#Comment_123691336

    Was on that farm a number of years back to look at brown Swiss cows, high yielding with Holstein and Browns diet fed with maize, brewers, beet. Serious parlour and milk tower tank. Main period well maintained by family and gate lodge was lived in, old house in yard run down, farm had a farm manager and work man and owner and tied to English money and member of the House of Lords. Serious good land. Owner and manager retiring.



  • #31439
    straight
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2, Paid Member Posts: 6,204 ✭✭✭straight


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123726907#Comment_123726907

    Sounds Like a different world to down our way. 😅



  • #31440
    visatorro
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,078 ✭✭✭visatorro


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123726901#Comment_123726901

    Probably right. I put in a tank this spring. If I have to go again I think ill pull the pin. Let some other lad worry about it.



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  • #31441
    Sheep breeder
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,370 ✭✭✭Sheep breeder


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123711384#Comment_123711384

    Best of luck with the dairy cows, from what I have seen on your posting on the beef side of things, you’re good at the job and transferring should be no problem to you. Was talking to an old ag college friend in Tullamore last week and his son is starting calving in the spring and just finishing the parlour, he was dead against the change in the start and now can’t wait for calving due to the planning and work the son has done. Started buying heifer calves two years ago.



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