Farming Chit Chat II

C0N0R · 04-08-2013 10:19AM

delaval wrote: »

Conor.
How's calving going? Have ye any growth yet and did any more heifs have mastitis?

How is this Botulism scare being viewed in NZ?

My opinion a cynical exercise on the part of the Chineese, too many scares to be a coincidence???

Calving is going good, new shed is running well so far, haven't tested the cup removers yet, will do that this week. Weather is amazing, it's a bit worrying to be honest. Since I started milking them myself have only had one heifer with mastitis, and she calved the day before she was first milked which wouldn't have been ideal but that's the way it happened. Haven't done farm walk but I'd be hoping its growing well. Drove past my old farm and they seem to have oceans of grass, funny enough it was never like that when I was there!!

As its a new conversion all the cows just happen to be out of a herringbone so they are slowly being trained to come onto the rotary, prick of a job but has to be done.

Question, do you use much oxytocin? I was always taught to use it very sparingly and only on heifers that let nothing down and were very tight only for the first milking to. Was talking to someone who used to use it on all heifers for their first milking, I'd be worried it would create a big reliance on it and lead to problems further down the line....

delaval · 04-08-2013 11:38AM

C0N0R wrote: »

Calving is going good, new shed is running well so far, haven't tested the cup removers yet, will do that this week. Weather is amazing, it's a bit worrying to be honest. Since I started milking them myself have only had one heifer with mastitis, and she calved the day before she was first milked which wouldn't have been ideal but that's the way it happened. Haven't done farm walk but I'd be hoping its growing well. Drove past my old farm and they seem to have oceans of grass, funny enough it was never like that when I was there!!

As its a new conversion all the cows just happen to be out of a herringbone so they are slowly being trained to come onto the rotary, prick of a job but has to be done.

Question, do you use much oxytocin? I was always taught to use it very sparingly and only on heifers that let nothing down and were very tight only for the first milking to. Was talking to someone who used to use it on all heifers for their first milking, I'd be worried it would create a big reliance on it and lead to problems further down the line....

Never used it.
We have a spray from NZ company FIL (I think) that reduces 'flagging' in heifers which must be uncomfortable for them. I can't remember the name will check at milking time this evening that's if we have any left.

dar31 · 04-08-2013 01:06PM

delaval wrote: »

Never used it.
We have a spray from NZ company FIL (I think) that reduces 'flagging' in heifers which must be uncomfortable for them. I can't remember the name will check at milking time this evening that's if we have any left.

is that the blue stuff, udder comfort it think its called.
very good, but shockingly expensive

Timmaay · 04-08-2013 01:12PM

Whats flagging?

whelan1 · 04-08-2013 01:57PM

Timmaay wrote: »

Whats flagging?

always thought it was springing

delaval · 04-08-2013 02:00PM

Timmaay wrote: »

Whats flagging?

I don't know sceintific name but it's hen a heifer calves and her udder looks swollen. If you push your fingur into it the indent stays whereas if it was Mast it would be hard.

Crap explanation, 'flagging' could be a word local to here

Going forward... · 04-08-2013 02:37PM

Udder edema. Can be genetic or caused by unbalanced dry cow diet, too much potassium, salt for example.

Kovu · 04-08-2013 02:42PM

delaval wrote: »

I don't know sceintific name but it's hen a heifer calves and her udder looks swollen. If you push your fingur into it the indent stays whereas if it was Mast it would be hard.

Crap explanation, 'flagging' could be a word local to here

We use it here too, I think my grandfather summed it up well when he was trying to explain it to me first.

"Her tits are big and sore so she won't let the babby suck":D

micky mouse · 04-08-2013 02:42PM

Ye are both right.'Flagging' occurs when hf are springing down to calve.Udder is soft and swollen as again if she springs down with mast,it will be hard and sore.It really is amazing that with the click of a button farmers in Ireland can connect with farmers in new zealand

Bactidiaryl · 04-08-2013 03:11PM

Do the kiwis have any farming forums?

delaval · 04-08-2013 03:23PM

micky mouse wrote: »

Ye are both right.'Flagging' occurs when hf are springing down to calve.Udder is soft and swollen as again if she springs down with mast,it will be hard and sore.It really is amazing that with the click of a button farmers in Ireland can connect with farmers in new zealand

Well they are that bit behind on the old dairy side of things

Going forward... · 04-08-2013 04:27PM

I agree but they're not too shabby at rugby.

Dampintheattic · 04-08-2013 04:30PM

Going forward... wrote: »

I agree but they're not too shabby at rugby.

Especially the art of the spear tackle!

whelan1 · 04-08-2013 04:39PM

isnt it strange with the gaelic qualifiers that the semi finals ended up with a team from each province

Richk2012 · 04-08-2013 05:09PM

whelan1 wrote: »

isnt it strange with the gaelic qualifiers that the semi finals ended up with a team from each province

Ya tis , can see a Dublin Mayo final on the cards

Bactidiaryl · 04-08-2013 05:09PM

delaval wrote: »

Well they are that bit behind on the old dairy side of things

I wouldn't say that.

whelan1 · 04-08-2013 05:12PM

Bactidiaryl wrote: »

Do the kiwis have any farming forums?

none as good as this one

Muckit · 04-08-2013 05:14PM

Right heading out for a few. The wife thinks I'm bringing her out for her birthday (which I missed yesterday what with drawing bales), but I'm really just celebrating having all the silage done!!! ssshhh ....say nothing

Bactidiaryl · 04-08-2013 05:14PM

whelan1 wrote: »

none as good as this one

I suppose if they did we'd all be on it.

micky mouse · 04-08-2013 07:16PM

delaval wrote: »

Well they are that bit behind on the old dairy side of things

Sure when they are"that bit behind" you could always organise for conor and a few new Zealand lads to come across,show them how to grow grass delaval.Reilig could show them how to drain land;)

stanflt · 04-08-2013 07:25PM

one of the lads that do all my concreting and steel work was killed in a car crash last night only 22- puts everything into perspective

dzer2 · 04-08-2013 07:30PM

stanflt wrote: »

one of the lads that do all my concreting and steel work was killed in a car crash last night only 22- puts everything into perspective

Tough that RIP

delaval · 04-08-2013 07:49PM

micky mouse wrote: »

Sure when they are"that bit behind" you could always organise for conor and a few new Zealand lads to come across,show them how to grow grass delaval.Reilig could show them how to drain land;)

A few often forgotten facts
The grass based 'NZ' system was brought from ireland to NZ by some visiting farmers in the 50's
Kale, turnips and other forage crops did not appear there till a group of farmers saw them here in the 60's
They are now using our machines, McCale, Keenan, HiSpec, Dairymaster to name a few. The area under of fodder beet is growing steadily and they would never have had a beet industry.

So it's not all one way traffic, we just got hamstrung by Quotas and a reliance on Sfp.

Milton09 · 04-08-2013 08:26PM

delaval wrote: »

So it's not all one way traffic, we just got hamstrung by Quotas and a reliance on Sfp.

......and bad weather !

Figerty · 04-08-2013 09:37PM

delaval wrote: »

A few often forgotten facts
The grass based 'NZ' system was brought from ireland to NZ by some visiting farmers in the 50's
Kale, turnips and other forage crops did not appear there till a group of farmers saw them here in the 60's
They are now using our machines, McCale, Keenan, HiSpec, Dairymaster to name a few. The area under of fodder beet is growing steadily and they would never have had a beet industry.

So it's not all one way traffic, we just got hamstrung by Quotas and a reliance on Sfp.

Don't know about the new Zealand bringing the idea. My Grandfathers 9n the 20s and 30s used to grow cabbage and turnips for cows; kale was never big around west clare but it was grown. Turnips were put them through the hand pulper for the pigs etc.

I agree about the equipment being used. I saw a figure last year showing that agricultural machinery exports were massive.

delaval · 04-08-2013 09:40PM

Figerty wrote: »

Don't know about the new Zealand bringing the idea. My Grandfathers 9n the 20s and 30s used to grow cabbage and turnips for cows; kale was never big around west clare but it was grown. Turnips were put them through the hand pulper for the pigs etc.

I agree about the equipment being used. I saw a figure last year showing that agricultural machinery exports were massive.

If you re read post you'll see that I said that they saw that here and took idea back

TEAT SQUEEZER · 04-08-2013 09:57PM

delaval wrote: »

A few often forgotten facts
The grass based 'NZ' system was brought from ireland to NZ by some visiting farmers in the 50's
Kale, turnips and other forage crops did not appear there till a group of farmers saw them here in the 60's
They are now using our machines, McCale, Keenan, HiSpec, Dairymaster to name a few. The area under of fodder beet is growing steadily and they would never have had a beet industry.

So it's not all one way traffic, we just got hamstrung by Quotas and a reliance on Sfp.

they`re still due some of our best bits yet...environmental protection requirements are not of an irish(euro) spec , housing on a grand scale is around the corner imo with limited lands for wintering stock off farm etc.. animal welfare issues raise their head frequently too ....

C0N0R · 04-08-2013 10:06PM

TEAT SQUEEZER wrote: »

they`re still due some of our best bits yet...environmental protection requirements are not of an irish(euro) spec , housing on a grand scale is around the corner imo with limited lands for wintering stock off farm etc.. animal welfare issues raise their head frequently too ....

I think New Zealand has an awful lot to learn from Ireland/Europe still when it comes to farming and dairy farming. As said environmental and animal welfare is still rather weak, and this will come in and will increase the cost of production but I wouldn't say it's a bad thing. The other thing I see happening here and it's happening more and more is people turning away from Grass based systems, I'm seeing more and more high input farms, people are chasing production at the detriment of low cost. A phrase I've heard multiple times and is a particular favourite of mine, Profit for Sanity, Production for Vanity! And it's true.

Ill get a crew of lads together for a few far, visits, ye can all pick a specialist subject relevant to your farm!

C0N0R · 04-08-2013 10:11PM

delaval wrote: »

Never used it.
We have a spray from NZ company FIL (I think) that reduces 'flagging' in heifers which must be uncomfortable for them. I can't remember the name will check at milking time this evening that's if we have any left.

Yea sounds like something FIL would have alright, did you get the name of it? Would you recommend it? Must keep an eye out for it now. Do you just spray it on the udder or what?

Going forward... wrote: »

I agree but they're not too shabby at rugby.

Dampintheattic wrote: »

Especially the art of the spear tackle!

According to Joe Brolly, Sean Kavanagh has been taking a few lessons from the kiwis then to!!

bob charles · 04-08-2013 10:20PM

delaval wrote: »

A few often forgotten facts
The grass based 'NZ' system was brought from ireland to NZ by some visiting farmers in the 50's
Kale, turnips and other forage crops did not appear there till a group of farmers saw them here in the 60's
They are now using our machines, McCale, Keenan, HiSpec, Dairymaster to name a few. The area under of fodder beet is growing steadily and they would never have had a beet industry.

So it's not all one way traffic, we just got hamstrung by Quotas and a reliance on Sfp.

I was going to say the same, most NZ thinking started here. then to reinvent the wheel and to keep researchers, print media etc in a job they start talking about doing it the NZ way. They even sold us over a few exspurts who joined our research teams

Farming Chit Chat II

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