Farming Chit Chat

vanderbadger · 14-05-2012 11:38AM

lakill Farm wrote: »

Would they attack hens and ducks? the cat didnt seem to get involved. My only springer spaniel was in his shed as i knew i was going for 8hours so i fed him and locked him in (10 x 30ft shed) so loads of room.

I want to get the owner to show her the damage there dogs caused to the hens and ducks. Buddy our dog never bothers them, well to much:rolleyes:

well i dont have any hens etc myself but i would say they definately would, they have killed cats at our place and if there is more than one they are deadly altogether, our two had a cat one day when i came upon them, was just in time now, they got a good tip of the stick for their trouble, poor old cat wasnt able to move for a few days but she round in the end, id say hens etc would be easy pickings for them. our female one goes mad chasing hares, sure he never gets near them but off she goes anyway

bob charles · 14-05-2012 11:41AM

Kovu Murr wrote: »

Yup, if you haven't had a test in the previous 4 months then you are locked up and have to retest your animals. You are also locked up until your neighbour is clear. A serious amount of farmers will be affected by this.
Imagine arriving at the mart after 2 hours of gathering & loading to be told you're locked up.

what happens if you are farming beside a feedlot herd? its always restricted and never makes any difference whether you get TB positives in the factory or not. Lots of unhappy neighbours around.

would i be wrong to suggest that vets are not as busy as they used to be and are looking for work. Who is paying for the testing of a neighbouring herd if there last test is outside the 4 month rule??

lakill Farm · 14-05-2012 11:42AM

Thanks Van.

Kovu · 14-05-2012 11:47AM

bob charles wrote: »

what happens if you are farming beside a feedlot herd? its always restricted and never makes any difference whether you get TB positives in the factory or not. Lots of unhappy neighbours around.

would i be wrong to suggest that vets are not as busy as they used to be and are looking for work. Who is paying for the testing of a neighbouring herd if there last test is outside the 4 month rule??

I don't know!:o

I no vet (although I wish I had the pay!)
I'm assuming that the feedlots will act as they always did and no restrictions will be put in place there. Regarding payment of testing, its a hard one. If 5 different neighbours have to be tested, then if the originally locked up herdowner has to pay, it's a big hassle on the pocket. And if the neighbouring herdowner has to pay, can he claim compensation for time wasted, payment for further feeding etc.

I am totally against it but again, it seems the farmer isn't asked what their opinion is before a decision is made.

bob charles · 14-05-2012 11:55AM

bob charles wrote: »

thanks to the prick that sold me a maiden heifer that has decided that now is the time that she has to calve :mad:

back in -
think im going to charge more for night and weekend calvings. Between myself and the squire, 4 hrs since midnight @ 30e an hour ??? :mad: and 30km of travel

Anyway im the proud owner of some half dead/alive black calf. we will see what the morning brings but not hopeful for the little guy. take about a wasted few hours:mad:

A fine dead bull calf was with my heifer this morning, He seemed to be coming around last night when I was leaving after doing all I could but was fairly dead minded, returned 5 hrs later this morning to hopefully feed him and he was lights out. Heifer seems fine, unfortunately now though she is a cow

bob charles · 14-05-2012 11:57AM

There is very little willinless within the Ag dept to get the country rid of TB. If they adopted other countries policies of eliminating the disease it would be erradicated within a number of years. This would put a serious amount of both admin staff and vets out of work thought I suppose

Muckit · 14-05-2012 12:00PM

lakill Farm wrote: »

Went to collect a lock of 2nd hand pig slats for a project in a few years time. Stuck 18no 12inch x 96inch slats on the plant trailer. (This trailer i use to move a 3t digger) 3 punchures :rolleyes: in 60 km. 3 fully fecked tyres.

Got home and 2 dogs had drove calves throught electric fences. It was the first day the calves has been out (Sat). Up the yard and 3 ducks and 4 hens in bits and one PB RIR hen missing . Fu8King westies . I am trying to track the owner because i heard yesterday in the local shop they were in looking for there poor dogs.

So 3pm on saturday i hooked up the cattle trailer and headed to kilkenny to buy a few calves. Got to the yard and i picked up a nail in the tyre. loaded the few calves, changed the tyre and headed for home, only to have the spare delaminate on the M9 outside kilkenny :eek:. Kilkenny to 20 mile other side of mullingar at 40kph. got home at 1am. 5 punchures the one day. All good tyres, well 4 were (1 had better days) and correct pressure.

What a bloody day Iakill. Bet you slept that night!

Motorways are a b***s of a job of anything goes wrong. Not a house or an exit for miles:mad: You'd want to make sure the phone wouldn't die or you'd be totally screwed.

Muckit · 14-05-2012 12:02PM

bob charles wrote: »

A fine dead bull calf was with my heifer this morning, He seemed to be coming around last night when I was leaving after doing all I could but was fairly dead minded, returned 5 hrs later this morning to hopefully feed him and he was lights out. Heifer seems fine, unfortunately now though she is a cow

The f**kin joys of it all, not easy.

bob charles · 14-05-2012 12:12PM

lakill Farm wrote: »

Went to collect a lock of 2nd hand pig slats for a project in a few years time. Stuck 18no 12inch x 96inch slats on the plant trailer. (This trailer i use to move a 3t digger) 3 punchures :rolleyes: in 60 km. 3 fully fecked tyres.

Got home and 2 dogs had drove calves throught electric fences. It was the first day the calves has been out (Sat). Up the yard and 3 ducks and 4 hens in bits and one PB RIR hen missing . Fu8King westies . I am trying to track the owner because i heard yesterday in the local shop they were in looking for there poor dogs.

So 3pm on saturday i hooked up the cattle trailer and headed to kilkenny to buy a few calves. Got to the yard and i picked up a nail in the tyre. loaded the few calves, changed the tyre and headed for home, only to have the spare delaminate on the M9 outside kilkenny :eek:. Kilkenny to 20 mile other side of mullingar at 40kph. got home at 1am. 5 punchures the one day. All good tyres, well 4 were (1 had better days) and correct pressure.

Had a similar tyre experience last year. arrived to collect animals from a mart at 1am, loaded of i went and went around the first roundabout and bang, tyre gone, back into the mart, unloaded and noticed a bolt was after popping in the spring and going outwards and then bursting the tyre. Hunted around for ages and couldnt find a similar bolt. eventually mcgivor tied the bolt in with a bit of string as even if it came out it would only result in the spring dropping a inch or so. off I went again and about 20 miles from home, bang again. Drove about 7 miles on the rim and let the animals off into my uncles land. arrived home in the door at 4.30am and got up at 6am to load cattle for slaughter. I was like a c**t all day long :mad:

PatQfarmer · 14-05-2012 12:28PM

lakill Farm wrote: »

Went to collect a lock of 2nd hand pig slats for a project in a few years time. Stuck 18no 12inch x 96inch slats on the plant trailer. (This trailer i use to move a 3t digger) 3 punchures :rolleyes: in 60 km. 3 fully fecked tyres.

Jeez, bad day indeed, lakill.
Mind me asking, are you going to use the pig-slats under calves? With a tank?

snowman707 · 14-05-2012 12:42PM

bob charles wrote: »

There is very little willinless within the Ag dept to get the country rid of TB. If they adopted other countries policies of eliminating the disease it would be erradicated within a number of years. This would put a serious amount of both admin staff and vets out of work thought I suppose

there are 2 reasons the country will never be clear from bovine tb , the wild life and the dept,

I can live with wild life, the dept...!!!:eek:

lakill Farm · 14-05-2012 12:42PM

PatQfarmer wrote: »

Jeez, bad day indeed, lakill.
Mind me asking, are you going to use the pig-slats under calves? With a tank?

No . going to buy a sow and keep 4 off spring each litter. 30ft long tank x 8ft wide x 8ft will hold 11k Gallons of pig sh1t. (Leaves me room for to get 2 x 5k artic loads of slurry from piggery. (Pig licence type named backyard)

the 30ft slats will be split = 3 x(8 x 10ft) slatted area. and 1 (8 x 10ft) straw area for sow and new born piglets

I like the calves on straw will i have to start up the grape. She is hard started this year

.

vanderbadger · 14-05-2012 12:49PM

PatQfarmer wrote: »

Jeez, bad day indeed, lakill.
Mind me asking, are you going to use the pig-slats under calves? With a tank?

does anyone use calf slats
i see the slat mat companies are getting into them
http://www.easyfix.ie/calf-slat.html
they dont really look too comfy but sure beats cleaning out straw bedding every day

bob charles · 14-05-2012 01:02PM

I see lots of unclaimed map acres land around me when doing up the SFP forms :rolleyes:. they are easy enough to spot this year. Hopefully I have enough acres pulled together to comply with nitrates regs

PatQfarmer · 14-05-2012 01:05PM

vanderbadger wrote: »

does anyone use calf slats
i see the slat mat companies are getting into them
http://www.easyfix.ie/calf-slat.html
they dont really look too comfy but sure beats cleaning out straw bedding every day

I priced them, but they're FIERCE expensive:eek:

I used to use timber fertiliser pallets under straw to raise the calves off the ground, but it was a nightmare to clean out. Now I give them a good bed of straw, take out all the bedding under the calves every week and top up with clean straw as required during week. Try to use more straw and less antibiotics:D

An old man told me re rearing calves: If you smell ammonia, you'll get pneumonia;)

Tipp Man · 14-05-2012 01:13PM

PatQfarmer wrote: »

I priced them, but they're FIERCE expensive:eek:

I used to use timber fertiliser pallets under straw to raise the calves off the ground, but it was a nightmare to clean out. Now I give them a good bed of straw, take out all the bedding under the calves every week and top up with clean straw as required during week. Try to use more straw and less antibiotics:D

An old man told me re rearing calves: If you smell ammonia, you'll get pneumonia;)

Just a little tip Pat on the fertiliser pallets

If you remove the boards from 1 side and have that side (without boards that is) on the floor then the straw has nothing to get caught up in and you can clean the straw off the top of the pallets. It will be dry straw so you will have it off in seconds

Its a brilliant job and keeps the calves really dry

PatQfarmer · 14-05-2012 01:23PM

Tipp Man wrote: »

Just a little tip Pat on the fertiliser pallets

If you remove the boards from 1 side and have that side (without boards that is) on the floor then the straw has nothing to get caught up in and you can clean the straw off the top of the pallets. It will be dry straw so you will have it off in seconds

Its a brilliant job and keeps the calves really dry

Thanks for that. Unfortunately, parts of the calf-shed floor do not have sufficient slope to drain freely, thanks to bloomin' builder laying it too flat:mad:
So it is better that I clean it out at least weekly, otherwise I found that the urine pooled under the pallets...not a recipe for healthy calves!
Have considered cutting channels in floor, but that would clog with dirt. Any other suggestions?

bbam · 14-05-2012 01:29PM

PatQfarmer wrote: »

Thanks for that. Unfortunately, parts of the calf-shed floor do not have sufficient slope to drain freely, thanks to bloomin' builder laying it too flat:mad:
So it is better that I clean it out at least weekly, otherwise I found that the urine pooled under the pallets...not a recipe for healthy calves!
Have considered cutting channels in floor, but that would clog with dirt. Any other suggestions?

I've seen calf stalls raised two ft off the floor to allow wash down pump clean under them. Seemed to work fine but I thought it would leave calves cold.
It had wooden removable slats and when he had a sick calf he would bed with straw for a few days until the calf was better. He didn't say but it looked expensive.

PatQfarmer · 14-05-2012 01:43PM

bbam wrote: »

I've seen calf stalls raised two ft off the floor to allow wash down pump clean under them. Seemed to work fine but I thought it would leave calves cold.
It had wooden removable slats and when he had a sick calf he would bed with straw for a few days until the calf was better. He didn't say but it looked expensive.

It'd make the calves look bigger for those donedeal pics when selling:D:D
Otherwise, I'd be terrified the whole thing would collapse...unless it was put up properly, at big cost.
Seriously though, I'd agree, it must be cold under them. My straw-forking days are still in front of me, it appears. It's not too bad if cleaned every week. Just push all out into centre passage and in with the front loader. 30 mins. max to do double-sided shed with 4no 12'x24' pens.

bbam · 14-05-2012 03:43PM

PatQfarmer wrote: »

It'd make the calves look bigger for those donedeal pics when selling:D:D
Otherwise, I'd be terrified the whole thing would collapse...unless it was put up properly, at big cost.
Seriously though, I'd agree, it must be cold under them. My straw-forking days are still in front of me, it appears. It's not too bad if cleaned every week. Just push all out into centre passage and in with the front loader. 30 mins. max to do double-sided shed with 4no 12'x24' pens.

TBH I think it's better too.
Warm, dry and when it's refreshed often they tend to start eating it younger which is good for them.

jerdee · 14-05-2012 03:43PM

last time we reared calves we put down a full load of 3/4 limestone in the back wall of haybarn then put straw ontop urine flowed down and calves were dry and comfortable plus plenty of air
at the finish all we did was mix up straw with stone for a couple of months and straw had disappeared useful stone for gaps .

just my bit

leg wax · 14-05-2012 04:06PM

what we always did when milking for calves they were kept in a big shed with no floor and instead of topping up the floor every year with stone or dust we got lorry loads of ag lime and put that in,it was the best thing ever ,there was never a smell and when you took the straw out with the tractor it mixed up with lime and broke down the straw faster.

whelan1 · 14-05-2012 05:38PM

i did have the o donnovan stalls with wooden slats in the floor about 10 inches off the ground, absolutely hated them... took out slats and just bed them with straw, use cubicle lime on the floor and also disenfect with oocide regularly

Pat the lad · 14-05-2012 09:38PM

anyone ever put pre-cast slabs instead of slats over tank??? putting up 4 span slatted shed for suckers, was tinkering with putting pre-cast slabs over one end span for creep area for calves?
would it be too draughty on them
anyone done this or seen it done?

bob charles · 14-05-2012 09:43PM

Pat the lad wrote: »

anyone ever put pre-cast slabs instead of slats over tank??? putting up 4 span slatted shed for suckers, was tinkering with putting pre-cast slabs over one end span for creep area for calves?
would it be too designer on them
anyone done this or seen it done?

No problems, just get them specced properly, Are you taking the tractor or feeder over them aswell. I pass over a suspended tank everyday with the feeder which would be 10ton on the feeder axle

Pat the lad · 14-05-2012 10:34PM

[Quote=bob charles

No problems, just get them specced properly, Are you taking the tractor or feeder over them aswell. I pass over a suspended tank everyday with the feeder which would be 10ton on the feeder axle[/Quote]

just the tractor and loader for cleaning out end span that would be creep area For calves Bob.
was afraid the tank might be draughty on the calves laying on the top of the pre cast slabs- that's all

bob charles · 14-05-2012 10:58PM

Pat the lad wrote: »

just the tractor and loader for cleaning out end span that would be creep area For calves Bob.
was afraid the tank might be draughty on the calves laying on the top of the pre cast slabs- that's all

nah, you would be pouring concrete ontop of the slabs aswell

keep going · 14-05-2012 11:27PM

use wood chips under the calves with a few years and will never use anything else.excellent drainage and no cleaning out unless you overstock and then a dig up with the pike will get you another week or two.have calves on the same chips with nearly 3 months this year and no problems.they stay in the same pen and as the bull calves are sold so the stocking rate go s down.million miles ahead of straw

just do it · 14-05-2012 11:32PM

jerdee wrote: »

last time we reared calves we put down a full load of 3/4 limestone in the back wall of haybarn then put straw ontop urine flowed down and calves were dry and comfortable plus plenty of air
at the finish all we did was mix up straw with stone for a couple of months and straw had disappeared useful stone for gaps .

just my bit

Sounds like a great idea, no issue with finding a spot for a load of stone each year! Was it a concrete floor under the stone? And did you change the straw or just replenish it as need be?

jerdee · 15-05-2012 07:26AM

just do it wrote: »

jerdee wrote: »

last time we reared calves we put down a full load of 3/4 limestone in the back wall of haybarn then put straw ontop urine flowed down and calves were dry and comfortable plus plenty of air
at the finish all we did was mix up straw with stone for a couple of months and straw had disappeared useful stone for gaps .

just my bit

Sounds like a great idea, no issue with finding a spot for a load of stone each year! Was it a concrete floor under the stone? And did you change the straw or just replenish it as need be?

yes concrete floor under just topped straw as required surprised how little straw they used and there was fifty bwh on it .

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