Farming Chit Chat

Black Smoke · 13-11-2012 04:32PM

leg wax wrote: »

20 euros of meal is the new way to save and make money, only joking lads.:D

It's an effective savings plan, when the cow does what she was initially designed to do. Produce milk:cool:
Isn't that what the last update we got from the smart boys in Derrypatrick told us. Milk in the cow = weight on the calf! Isn't that what we learned as little boys all those years ago. Nowadays, we need a whole team of researchers and so on, working in D'patrick and ICBF to tell us the same thing.

freedominacup · 13-11-2012 05:21PM

redzerologhlen wrote: »

On the phone all morning pricing troughs and gates. Have a 550 gallon concrete trough coming from wexford and 2 traditional style burren gates in the post now...€870 poorer too

Unless you're dealing with v.large numbers those big troughs can be a real nuisance. They're f**kers to keep clean as much as anything else. If you empty them to clean them you'd want a very good flow to get them re-filled before stock come. Vermin seem to love them. I'm fed up finding skeletons of birds and what looked like on more than one occasion a small badger in them. Larger pipes and a more powerful pump are a better investment. IMO

bob charles · 13-11-2012 05:28PM

since I got up early this morning it hasnt stopped raining here. thursday is forecast dry though:)

hugo29 · 13-11-2012 05:35PM

any one set up paddock system, going to set up this year if it ever stops raining, what size would you go for, was thinking 3 acre blocks

Black Smoke · 13-11-2012 05:38PM

bob charles wrote: »

since I got up early this morning it hasnt stopped raining here. thursday is forecast dry though:)

Same here:( In fact, since about 12 June, it's been pretty much raining non stop.
Have absolutely made firm resolution, to sell as much stock as possible in the next few weeks. Enough to make fodder on hand last till late April. If this weather continues into next spring ............... :eek::eek::eek:

redzerologhlen · 13-11-2012 05:52PM

freedominacup wrote: »

Unless you're dealing with v.large numbers those big troughs can be a real nuisance. They're f**kers to keep clean as much as anything else. If you empty them to clean them you'd want a very good flow to get them re-filled before stock come. Vermin seem to love them. I'm fed up finding skeletons of birds and what looked like on more than one occasion a small badger in them. Larger pipes and a more powerful pump are a better investment. IMO

Its to go in a bit of winterage on the side of a mountain that has no water in dry weather, the nearest water scheme or even half reliable water source is a few miles down hill so pumping is out of question im afraid. Was hoping it would hold enough water for a few days if we got a frost or dry spell however unlikely that is in this country and was warned by a few people to stay away from the bigger jfc'c because they spread with time. Have you had any break with from freezing? Thats what was worrying me the most about it.

freedominacup · 13-11-2012 05:56PM

hugo29 wrote: »

any one set up paddock system, going to set up this year if it ever stops raining, what size would you go for, was thinking 3 acre blocks

Best grassland farmer i know has vitually no paddocks. He has a comprehensive network of roadways and watertroughs. All bounds ditches and all roadways are fenced. There are gaps every roughly 50 metres but little or no internal divisions. Many of his sections would be more than 10 acres for a 60 cow herd. He allocates grass using strip wires front and back. Never "stops" silage simply skips areas that get too strong and cuts them immeadiately for bales. Because of this he doesn't top either as all of the farm will be cut for silage at some point in the year. I think a lot of paddocks might actually make your management harder if you're not used to them. A system like this might give you more flexability to allocate grass according to the number and type of stock.

Rough rule of thumb 1 acre @ 2000kg cover is roughly the requirement for 50 average dairy cows at peak yields for 24 hours. So your 3 acre paddocks would do 150 cow herd at peak growth and peak demand for 24 hours. Don't know what numbers or type of stock you're dealing with.

Kovu · 13-11-2012 06:00PM

Horrible misty rain here all day too, the auld lad is on a blood pressure moniter for 24 hours so I'm at all the work for yesterday & today. He picked great weather to send me out!:P

leg wax · 13-11-2012 06:10PM

Black Smoke wrote: »

It's an effective savings plan, when the cow does what she was initially designed to do. Produce milk:cool:
Isn't that what the last update we got from the smart boys in Derrypatrick told us. Milk in the cow = weight on the calf! Isn't that what we learned as little boys all those years ago. Nowadays, we need a whole team of researchers and so on, working in D'patrick and ICBF to tell us the same thing.[/QUOTE do i really want to get into this one:rolleyes:

freedominacup · 13-11-2012 06:14PM

redzerologhlen wrote: »

Its to go in a bit of winterage on the side of a mountain that has no water in dry weather, the nearest water scheme or even half reliable water source is a few miles down hill so pumping is out of question im afraid. Was hoping it would hold enough water for a few days if we got a frost or dry spell however unlikely that is in this country and was warned by a few people to stay away from the bigger jfc'c because they spread with time. Have you had any break with from freezing? Thats what was worrying me the most about it.

I wouldn't really know much about freezing. My eldest lad was 9 before he made his first snowman in 2010. I had never seen frost on an electric fence wire before I went to Multy to do the cert. If we were a mile further south we'd be fishing not farming so my opinions on cold wouldn't be worth listening to. If you're getting the trough for a use like that then you'd surely be unlikely to have the problems I outlined but I'd empty it at the end of the winter and disconnect it.

Timmaay · 13-11-2012 06:18PM

freedominacup wrote: »

Best grassland farmer i know has vitually no paddocks. He has a comprehensive network of roadways and watertroughs. All bounds ditches and all roadways are fenced. There are gaps every roughly 50 metres but little or no internal divisions. Many of his sections would be more than 10 acres for a 60 cow herd. He allocates grass using strip wires front and back. Never "stops" silage simply skips areas that get too strong and cuts them immeadiately for bales. Because of this he doesn't top either as all of the farm will be cut for silage at some point in the year. I think a lot of paddocks might actually make your management harder if you're not used to them. A system like this might give you more flexability to allocate grass according to the number and type of stock.

Rough rule of thumb 1 acre @ 2000kg cover is roughly the requirement for 50 average dairy cows at peak yields for 24 hours. So your 3 acre paddocks would do 150 cow herd at peak growth and peak demand for 24 hours. Don't know what numbers or type of stock you're dealing with.

Yeh that's something I've considered doing. Two of our land blocks have no permanent paddock divisions, just electric fencing which isn't in great shape. We could do with upgrading and installing more cowpaths, as well as reseeding a good few of the paddocks. All of which costs money! When I do get around to the reseeding I'll try do afew paddocks together, reduce the number of paddocks to save on fencing, but put in more gaps in the laneways as such, and then just use internal electric fence divisions.

freedominacup · 13-11-2012 06:25PM

Timmaay wrote: »

Yeh that's something I've considered doing. Two of our land blocks have no permanent paddock divisions, just electric fencing which isn't in great shape. We could do with upgrading and installing more cowpaths, as well as reseeding a good few of the paddocks. All of which costs money! When I do get around to the reseeding I'll try do afew paddocks together, reduce the number of paddocks to save on fencing, but put in more gaps in the laneways as such, and then just use internal electric fence divisions.

The guy I'm talking about is working this system for more than 10 years maybe upto 15 at this stage and has it down to a fine art. I hadn't been on his farm for a long time, we used to be in the same discussion group but got split when Teagasc took over, but I went to a walk on his farm this year and it was impressive to see it in action. Funny one though last time I was on his place he had just sprayed a particular block for docks, first place we went on this walk was same block still same bloody dock infestation. Not really an issue on the rest of his farm but this block was giving him constant trouble.

Timmaay · 13-11-2012 06:37PM

Docks are another thing I'm determined to sort out next year also! Sick of seeing them in the silage the whole time at the minute! I'm getting a sprayer for the tractor in the spring, and just picked up a small one for the quad last week. The aim is to put it on the quad every week or so, and whenever I see patches emerging, spray them, once its on the quad I'll prb be out in the paddocks anyway so wont be much of an extra chore. But yep, They always seem to come out in patches! There was a ditch removed down the middle of one of our paddock years ago (like at least 40years ago!), and docks always come up right along where the ditch was!

pakalasa · 13-11-2012 07:01PM

leg wax wrote: »

20 euros of meal is the new way to save and make money, only joking lads.:D

In fairness, I do remember you saying a while back that you were trying the Parth cows to see if they would have more milk than the Blondes. Nothing wrong with milky cows.

gozunda · 13-11-2012 07:05PM

Timmaay wrote: »

Docks are another thing I'm determined to sort out next year also! Sick of seeing them in the silage the whole time at the minute! I'm getting a sprayer for the tractor in the spring, and just picked up a small one for the quad last week. The aim is to put it on the quad every week or so, and whenever I see patches emerging, spray them, once its on the quad I'll prb be out in the paddocks anyway so wont be much of an extra chore. But yep, They always seem to come out in patches! There was a ditch removed down the middle of one of our paddock years ago (like at least 40years ago!), and docks always come up right along where the ditch was!

If you spread slurry - you will get new seeding of docks every year. Dock is one plant that will go thru the cows intestine, survive for months in liquid slurry and then propagate once spread in the right conditions.

The ones coming up where the old ditch was may be because of more favourable growing conditions - diff soil profile etc

Dock likes nitrate rich acid soil. Liming to reduce pH will help grass growth and not suit dock

Best way to deal with Dock is to either spray more than once with weed killer and then spot spray each spring,

Timmaay · 13-11-2012 07:31PM

gozunda wrote: »

Dock likes nitrate rich acid soil. Liming to reduce pH will help grass growth and not suit dock

Hmmm ugh, I didn't know that at all, and it's most lightly a big factor so. We've avoided liming one of the blocks as we only rent it on a 1 year lease at a time, despite soil tests suggesting it needs it badly. Another reason I really need to get a long term lease on that land!

ABlur · 13-11-2012 07:59PM

Young farmer for sale!

http://www.donedeal.ie/for-sale/tractors/4174922

mf240 · 13-11-2012 08:20PM

Damn it I rang up said hed be right handy round the yard for the winter.

Some farther murphy had allready been round and paid a deposit on him.

leg wax · 13-11-2012 09:12PM

pakalasa wrote: »

In fairness, I do remember you saying a while back that you were trying the Parth cows to see if they would have more milk than the Blondes. Nothing wrong with milky cows.

when you guys talk about milk and and i talk about more milk we are on different planets,blonds have very little milk and i just want a little more a increase of 2 lires a day would just be perfect.

Muckit · 13-11-2012 09:17PM

Bizzum wrote: »

Some lads go over the top and feed middling calves high levels of ration in an effort to boost weight gain, and cover any deficiency, quality wise the calf may have. We all see them up and down

+1

leg wax · 13-11-2012 09:26PM

on another note, you all know of my small calves problem,the last calf that went to the lab has sent alam bells ringing in the dept.i have to blood test all cows that had funny calves tommorow as they think its this new virus thats in cork.time will tell.

whelan1 · 13-11-2012 09:36PM

leg wax wrote: »

on another note, you all know of my small calves problem,the last calf that went to the lab has sent alam bells ringing in the dept.i have to blood test all cows that had funny calves tommorow as they think its this new virus thats in cork.time will tell.

jeeny. hopefully you get answers soon

pakalasa · 13-11-2012 09:59PM

leg wax wrote: »

on another note, you all know of my small calves problem,the last calf that went to the lab has sent alam bells ringing in the dept.i have to blood test all cows that had funny calves tommorow as they think its this new virus thats in cork.time will tell.

Fook!

tanko · 13-11-2012 10:24PM

That's terrible news. How many of these calves have you had so far?

kboc · 13-11-2012 10:36PM

leg wax wrote: »

on another note, you all know of my small calves problem,the last calf that went to the lab has sent alam bells ringing in the dept.i have to blood test all cows that had funny calves tommorow as they think its this new virus thats in cork.time will tell.

are ye jokin?

Bizzum · 13-11-2012 10:56PM

Worrying times Legwax. I hope you reach a satisfactory resolution. No matter how unpalatable, it's vital to get to the bottom of the issue. Best of luck.

Juniorhurler · 13-11-2012 11:00PM

Bizzum wrote: »

Worrying times Legwax. I hope you reach a satisfactory resolution. No matter how unpalatable, it's vital to get to the bottom of the issue. Best of luck.

+1. Hopefully we will still be seeing scania loads of quality blues for Davey to shift.

leg wax · 13-11-2012 11:06PM

tanko wrote: »

That's terrible news. How many of these calves have you had so far?

kboc wrote: »

are ye jokin?

10 calves in the last year or so ,and no not jokin.the last calf was born 2 weeks ago normal body ,really short legs and her spine was all twisted.

just do it · 13-11-2012 11:58PM

redzerologhlen wrote: »

They are nice alright, €200 a pop for 10ft's with posts so they werent too dear either.

Did you go with one of the local lads listed or the wexford crowd?

just do it · 14-11-2012 12:13AM

Bizzum wrote: »

Much the same with ourselves.
A bad one, be it cow or calf, will eat as much as a good one. A weanling particularly a bull calf will benefit from meal. Some lads go over the top and feed middling calves high levels of ration in an effort to boost weight gain, and cover any deficiency, quality wise the calf may have. We all see them up and down, weanlings nearly fit to kill coming off cows.
Our own Chx weanlings tend to be big growthy heavy calves with nice shape(thats the aim anyway!) they need the bit of ration to reach their potential, but I think they do perform well on it.

"An ounce of breed'n beats a pound of feed'n"

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