Dairy Chitchat 4, an udder new thread.

mahoney_j · 21-01-2021 2:59pm

Timmaay wrote: »

Tb test due by 28th Feb! Ffs what do they be thinking in the Department landing dates like that on spring calving farms. If I move it back to the end of March I know I'll be locked up for the month, but will I be able to sell calves under 6wks old anyone know?

You could go a month early ,after 28 feb u might get a week or so .not certain but I think a 28 day extension has been given for any tests due atm
I agree on testing this time of year far from ideal

awaywithyou · 21-01-2021 3:15pm

Timmaay wrote: »

Tb test due by 28th Feb! Ffs what do they be thinking in the Department landing dates like that on spring calving farms. If I move it back to the end of March I know I'll be locked up for the month, but will I be able to sell calves under 6wks old anyone know?

can u get it done straght away??

whelan2 · 21-01-2021 3:20pm

We test the first week in March every year. We blood for johnes then too.

Mooooo · 21-01-2021 3:24pm

First spring in years not having to test. Used to tie it in with dosing to avoid cows going up the crush any more than necessary and in case one would go down there would be no issue with her going away

Castlekeeper · 22-01-2021 12:09am

Out test has been the second week of Jan for years, thankfully we've no TB locally so it's pretty low risk. Apart from that it's a grand time to have it for us, there's nothing much going on and all our stock are in the yard.
We've never had an issue with anything happening any in calf cows, touch wood.
I'd do it asap if I were you.

Mf310 · 22-01-2021 12:43am

Well lads, just enquiring here considering setting up a dehorning service for calves and a grass measuring service this year, just wondering from ye here do ye get calves dehorned by someone or would you pay someone to do them for you. In a dairy strong area all around so could work out well in between milkings.

whelan2 · 22-01-2021 7:06am

Hoofcare man does the dehorning here. He gets a good bit of business.

RightTurnClyde · 22-01-2021 8:15am

Mf310 wrote: »

Well lads, just enquiring here considering setting up a dehorning service for calves and a grass measuring service this year, just wondering from ye here do ye get calves dehorned by someone or would you pay someone to do them for you. In a dairy strong area all around so could work out well in between milkings.

Definitely a good market there for those services. You should consider soil sampling aswell. Guy in this area, south tipp, is travelling to places from west cork to Galway to carlow, to do soil sampling.

RightTurnClyde · 22-01-2021 8:15am

Mf310 wrote: »

Well lads, just enquiring here considering setting up a dehorning service for calves and a grass measuring service this year, just wondering from ye here do ye get calves dehorned by someone or would you pay someone to do them for you. In a dairy strong area all around so could work out well in between milkings.

Definitely a good market there for those services. You should consider soil sampling aswell. Guy in this area, south tipp, is travelling to places from west cork to Galway to carlow, to do soil sampling.

RightTurnClyde · 22-01-2021 8:17am

Timmaay wrote: »

Tb test due by 28th Feb! Ffs what do they be thinking in the Department landing dates like that on spring calving farms. If I move it back to the end of March I know I'll be locked up for the month, but will I be able to sell calves under 6wks old anyone know?

No, calves will be lock up aswell. Roll the dice, go early and it'll be done.

whelan2 · 22-01-2021 10:09am

Mf310 wrote: »

Well lads, just enquiring here considering setting up a dehorning service for calves and a grass measuring service this year, just wondering from ye here do ye get calves dehorned by someone or would you pay someone to do them for you. In a dairy strong area all around so could work out well in between milkings.

What part of the country are you in?

mahoney_j · 22-01-2021 10:24am

Mf310 wrote: »

Well lads, just enquiring here considering setting up a dehorning service for calves and a grass measuring service this year, just wondering from ye here do ye get calves dehorned by someone or would you pay someone to do them for you. In a dairy strong area all around so could work out well in between milkings.

Get your name out there and work will roll in ,grass measuring now part of derogation so lads will have to do it ,de horning calves I’ve a lad that comes 3 times during spring ,invaluable .the only thing in insist on is powerhosing his crate ,wellies and etc and disinfecting them before he enters my calf shed .soil sampling also another one I’d add to list

Green&Red · 22-01-2021 10:24am

Anyone here in the johnes control programme?

whelan2 · 22-01-2021 11:03am

Green&Red wrote: »

Anyone here in the johnes control programme?

Yes

Mf310 · 22-01-2021 3:01pm

whelan2 wrote: »

What part of the country are you in?

In Laois , thanks for replys and what would a lad charge for the dehorning i suppose itd be 3€ a calf or that? Soil sampling probably a fair one too might be a bit late for this year

Base price · 22-01-2021 7:39pm

Timmaay wrote: »

Tb test due by 28th Feb! Ffs what do they be thinking in the Department landing dates like that on spring calving farms. If I move it back to the end of March I know I'll be locked up for the month, but will I be able to sell calves under 6wks old anyone know?

Have a read of this article in the journal regarding testing calves/herds during covid 19. The requirement to have calves tested for internal movement over 42 days old has been waved until 1st of April. Calves destined for export still require a tb test over 42 days old. It also states there is a 28 day grace period for a herd that goes over its annual TB test where the herd can still trade but after 28 days it is locked up until a clear test. This does not apply to herds that are already restricted.
https://www.farmersjournal.ie/calf-tb-testing-flexibilities-extended-into-february-595051

ruwithme · 22-01-2021 8:07pm

Mf310 wrote: »

In Laois , thanks for replys and what would a lad charge for the dehorning i suppose itd be 3€ a calf or that? Soil sampling probably a fair one too might be a bit late for this year

€3a bud be more like it.charge them dairy men plenty anyway if you do start up.

Enough folk working for little. Very busy the same lads.

Base price · 22-01-2021 8:39pm

Our Vet had awful problems trying to source adrenacaine (local anesthetic) in the last couple of years so we could debud calves.

Years ago we used to be able to buy a couple of 500ml bottles of Norocaine and that would do the calves that we reared.

Siamsa Sessions · 23-01-2021 12:20am

Prices from dairy sale in New Ross today. Anything in-calf made big money but maidens from 2019 were cull prices

https://www.livestock-live.com/OnlineCatalogue-WRM?op=list

Castlekeeper · 23-01-2021 9:28am

Siamsa Sessions wrote: »

Prices from dairy sale in New Ross today. Anything in-calf made big money but maidens from 2019 were cull prices

https://www.livestock-live.com/OnlineCatalogue-WRM?op=list

Looks like the maidens just made maiden prices, same as if they were 2020 maidens.
I take it in calf heifers made 17-2000 and cows averaged 14-1500?
Wold these have been springing/ softening, I assume calving date was reflected in terms price?

Say my name · 23-01-2021 9:31am

Siamsa Sessions wrote: »

Prices from dairy sale in New Ross today. Anything in-calf made big money but maidens from 2019 were cull prices

https://www.livestock-live.com/OnlineCatalogue-WRM?op=list

600- 700 was always the price of maidens.
We're in 2021 now too so maidens heading for two years of age wouldn't appeal.

Mooooo · 23-01-2021 9:46am

Say my name wrote: »

600- 700 was always the price of maidens.
We're in 2021 now too so maidens heading for two years of age wouldn't appeal.

Only way to increase value there imo would have been to serve Jan 1st and sell later as autumn calving heifers. Some lads go mad for the extra size...

Siamsa Sessions · 23-01-2021 10:22am

Castlekeeper wrote: »

Looks like the maidens just made maiden prices, same as if they were 2020 maidens.
I take it in calf heifers made 17-2000 and cows averaged 14-1500?
Wold these have been springing/ softening, I assume calving date was reflected in terms price?

I didn’t look at it live but there’s videos of each animal in the ring if you want to have a look. That seems to be the run of prices alright. No maidens from 2020. I guess the man selling gives them an extra year to grow

Siamsa Sessions · 23-01-2021 11:01am

Mooooo wrote: »

Only way to increase value there imo would have been to serve Jan 1st and sell later as autumn calving heifers. Some lads go mad for the extra size...

Is there much of a demand for autumn calves? It might be a back up plan for me if some of the heifers I bought don’t go in calf on time for Spring 2022

Say my name · 23-01-2021 11:08am

Mooooo wrote: »

Only way to increase value there imo would have been to serve Jan 1st and sell later as autumn calving heifers. Some lads go mad for the extra size...

Suckler lads you mean who calve every 18 months!!

A well done animal should have reached size and calve down at 2.
A fair guess is these are from a jobbers yard with nothing spent on them.
Same lad could have been worried about calving down with mastitis or have no milking facilities in place.

Castlekeeper · 23-01-2021 11:21am

Siamsa Sessions wrote: »

Is there much of a demand for autumn calves? It might be a back up plan for me if some of the heifers I bought don’t go in calf on time for Spring 2022

Yes, if they're milky, a lively trade for them in Kilkenny all last Autumn.

tanko · 23-01-2021 3:45pm

Say my name wrote: »

Suckler lads you mean who calve every 18 months!!

A well done animal should have reached size and calve down at 2.
A fair guess is these are from a jobbers yard with nothing spent on them.
Same lad could have been worried about calving down with mastitis or have no milking facilities in place.

From what i see there's plenty of dairy cows that only calve every 18 months!!

Say my name · 23-01-2021 7:22pm

tanko wrote: »

From what i see there's plenty of dairy cows that only calve every 18 months!!

Yes in the north and France.

whelan2 · 23-01-2021 8:22pm

Say my name wrote: »

Yes in the north and France.

I'd say theres a good few here too. A dairy farmer bought an angus bull off us before Christmas. Calving all year round, great milk figure but terrible fertility and calving index. This was the first bull they had ever bought. The aim was to tighten up calving, have 2 blocks and improve his fertility in the ebi

Say my name · 23-01-2021 9:03pm

whelan2 wrote: »

I'd say theres a good few here too. A dairy farmer bought an angus bull off us before Christmas. Calving all year round, great milk figure but terrible fertility and calving index. This was the first bull they had ever bought. The aim was to tighten up calving, have 2 blocks and improve his fertility in the ebi

And his first foray into milking crossbreds.. :pac: Polly milkers.

I'd better stop now..

We'll have all pollys ourselves this year on all the cows. Fr/hol bull was with the heifers.
A good complaint was this year was I'd normally cull 8,9 or 10 not in calf. After the black bull. I think there's only 4 not in calf.

Dairy Chitchat 4, an udder new thread.

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