Dairy Chitchat 4, an udder new thread.

Will tirlain have to buy back the leprino plant in portlaoise now I wonder with the closure announcement, from memory half a billion litres worth of milk was contracted to the plant on a five year rolling contract, you'd wonder how they are even allowed to break such a agreement, its a odd situation given how new a facility its is, to be mothballing it

I’ve a Dairymaster - the service is brilliant but the parts are rubbish

Thank god they have a good back up

for parlour think cow flow in/out…for 60/70 cows 8/10 units loads at start …leave room for more units ..wouldn’t be leaving off technology ….feeders a must …your back will thank you in long run ..I’d go acrs as well

good cow flow can be as good as an extra unit or 2 I think. If you can at all try get collecting yard running directly behind parlour. Leave a full bay at the front of the parlour for cows to exit, if you’re tight on room and one cow stops it can stop the whole row of cows exiting. Try have a slatted walk way for the cows leaving the parlour, that will reduce the amount of scraping you have to do

We have a 20 unit Pearson here. Started out as a 12 unit Pearson with no removers. When we extended it we put on removers, meters and cluster flush. You can add them on all later. Pearson’s have it well thought through that you don’t have to do a pile of ripping to add on extras. Definitely go for feeders of some description, even if they are pig feeders l. We have pig feeders and they’re fine. I would definitely prioritise spending extra on cow flow over extras on the parlour when starting out,

Day 1 I'd make the parlour big enough for 24 units. Do it the once be damned. Even if you are putting in 10 units now.

Posters are saying it's easier add units with the Pearson so that's going for it.

My idea of perfect would be 4 rows of cows. I'd take 2 over 4 though. Make it as simple for yourself and the next generation if they want it. Simplest thing is to sicken yourself and anyone else by being chained to the parlour for hours. Faster you milk helps the cows in not being stuck on concrete waiting and more milk, better health overall.

ACRs would be my No. 1

Have 2 road crossings for an 18 acre block and a 7 acre field..no problem with a parlour as its literally a straight step across a quiet side road but cuts me down to a 45 acres grazing block without it

Had a chap from frs in looking for badgers, neighbour lost 5 milkers last week, we are separated by a 300 acre block the local horsey man owns, that's been left turn into a wildlife reservoir, big active set in it, but he's not allowed to set any snares till September, to make sure this years crop of badgers can survive if mammy is caught, its some set-up

Was delighted to see you return to the camera. it’s a 4 unit Alfa laval with about 30 years experience. Room to extend back alright but high traffic area with cows and machinery all on same bit of concrete and no collection yard tank.