Dairy Chitchat 4, an udder new thread.

Timmaay · 27-07-2020 4:15pm

Jezz, I'm spoilt here with the quad, they are slow enough here the min, I certainly don't need to drive aggressively or anything, but you can cover the ground so much faster with the quad and zigzag across the whole field herding them towards the gap alot faster, once they are on the lane way I usually go up ahead of them, put the clusters on the 1st row, then bring in the few stragglers. The thoughts of spending a full hour bringing them in, think I'd just go OAD in that case ha.

cosatron · 27-07-2020 4:28pm

we never have any issues getting the cows. I suppose its one of the benefits of 12 hour grass allocation. they definitely drop a gear from july on but that's a good sign.

awaywithyou · 27-07-2020 4:32pm

jaymla627 wrote: »

The worst aspect of a rotary is washing the thing, used to always dread the end of milking and facing into stopping down and up for 15 minutes and folding down the trays and cupping up 50 plus sets of clusters

ah when i have last cluster attached to cow... i just switch from attaching clusters to cows to folding down trays and setting up clusters for washing as the last cows are going around... so u should be finished that side of it when last cows have exited.... we also have a deck wash(an absolute must on any rotary) so while im setting up clusters for washing the deck is also being hosed down.... we dont have much floor space around parlour (5 feet) so not alot of washing there either.... i have seen rotarys where u could drive an artic around the parlour such is the space between deck and wall of shed... looks great til u have u to go washing it...

back to ur mans parlour.... parlour imo should be back beside where the new cubicle shed is.... cows are walking past and in front of new shed and there was no mention of that having to be scraped with a tractor and scraper everyday..... more work.... ideally cows and machinery should not be crossing each other in a farmyard.... easier said than done.... but it could have been done there.... it looks like he wanted dairy near the road for milk tanker... access for the tanker wouldnt be high on my list when locating the building....

the only other thing i dont like is the race for testing by the wall... i actually cannot figure out why lads would put a chute along a wall.... and i also think chute is too long... will take ages to load cows into it.... race for testing here is in the middle of drafting area... access from both sides... holds a maximum of 5 cows.... we test as we milk... i slow down the deck to a nice speed where there will 5/6 cows will have arrived into holding area behind race just as vet has the 5 in the crush done.... works very very well.... vaccinating scanning and testing all done this way and works really well.... tried doing it all on platform like ur man plans on doing... will work ok as we used to do it but the system i described above works much much better

GrasstoMilk · 27-07-2020 4:59pm

Someone asked about milking gear a few days ago.
This is what I use. Gloves, dry cuffs and just s standard apron with no back covered - never had much issue with getting cow ****e on my back.

If it's really warm I want wear the apron

K.G. · 27-07-2020 11:05pm

Mooooo wrote: »

Depends on what position you are 're development really. If you have the land accommodation and cow's right I'd imagine it's whatever level of debt you are comfortable carrying really. Anything much beyond 24 units in a herringnone would need 2 people to stay efficient, so over 240 cows would be 10 rows, wouldn't want to go beyond that myself. That rotary could be a one man show for most of the year.
Have a lot to do here so I'll be staying with the 14 unit for a number of years yet

Watched and fair play everything was seriously speced and alot of thought gone into it.the thing is im putting 11 rows through a 14 unit ,parlour has cost roughly 20 k over th years feeder and bin another 5 k.can get through the cows from button to button this time of year in hour and half and that includes washing.i got a great tip on here think it was buford to wash as i go rather the end so one run of the hose has the whole place washed in a few minutes.my point is alot of money spent to milk twice as many cows as me and i cant belive the amount of washing in a rotary.you have to wonder is it worth going for all these cows and messing with hired labour

Wildsurfer · 27-07-2020 11:18pm

GrasstoMilk wrote: »

Someone asked about milking gear a few days ago.
This is what I use. Gloves, dry cuffs and just s standard apron with no back covered - never had much issue with getting cow ****e on my back.

If it's really warm I want wear the apron

The s/s splashback looks a nice job is it easy to keep clean?

Mooooo · 27-07-2020 11:33pm

K.G. wrote: »

Watched and fair play everything was seriously speced and alot of thought gone into it.the thing is im putting 11 rows through a 14 unit ,parlour has cost roughly 20 k over th years feeder and bin another 5 k.can get through the cows from button to button this time of year in hour and half and that includes washing.i got a great tip on here think it was buford to wash as i go rather the end so one run of the hose has the whole place washed in a few minutes.my point is alot of money spent to milk twice as many cows as me and i cant belive the amount of washing in a rotary.you have to wonder is it worth going for all these cows and messing with hired labour

Same as a lot of things, if done right it may be worth it. For arguments sake if 1 person can manage 100 cows 2 managing 200 cows may be done in a more sustainable way in hours per person or workload. Obviously lots of variables. A case of maximising what's available to you and deciding after that if you want to, or can, go any further.
I find it's being caught between the two stools is awkward. Taking on labour can reduce ability to invest in facilities while at the same time not having it can put too much pressure on as well.

Mooooo · 28-07-2020 7:35am

So much for 2 dryish days. 9 acres of damp silage it is then. Been good so far in terms of getting grass off bar the second cut going late so can't complain too much

dar31 · 28-07-2020 9:02am

Mooooo wrote: »

So much for 2 dryish days. 9 acres of damp silage it is then. Been good so far in terms of getting grass off bar the second cut going late so can't complain too much

Going to knock some paddocks this morning and bale late this evening, fed up waiting for a dry spell and need paddocks back in for cows.

Took a few fields to make hay from a neighbour, more as a favour, a few weeks ago. Fed up looking at weather app waiting for a clear run at it, haven't made hay here since I was in my teens, starting to render why.
Luckily neighbour's in no rush.

Buford T. Justice XIX · 28-07-2020 9:54am

Baling here atm. I'm starting to wonder where I'm going to put the bloody things at this stage.

Better to be looking at it than for it I suppose:)

Say my name · 28-07-2020 10:22am

Buford T. Justice XIX wrote: »

Baling here atm. I'm starting to wonder where I'm going to put the bloody things at this stage.

Better to be looking at it than for it I suppose:)

Better have it..

Tisnt this winter the year after our Grand Solar Minimum and the one when we record temperatures of minus 30 degrees.

Off to draw straw myself.

Reggie. · 28-07-2020 10:26am

Say my name wrote: »

Better have it..

Tisnt this winter the year after our Grand Solar Minimum and the one when we record temperatures of minus 30 degrees.
Off to draw straw myself.

Wtf

Say my name · 28-07-2020 10:30am

Reggie. wrote: »

Wtf

It's not that early for straw.

Reggie. · 28-07-2020 10:59am

Say my name wrote: »

It's not that early for straw.

Not the straw. The coming of the second ice age

straight · 28-07-2020 12:15pm

Reggie. wrote: »

Not the straw. The coming of the second ice age

Green party will sort that out. No need to worry

straight · 28-07-2020 12:16pm

Buford T. Justice XIX wrote: »

Baling here atm. I'm starting to wonder where I'm going to put the bloody things at this stage.

Better to be looking at it than for it I suppose:)

I'd say you'd want to lash on another row of cows to eat all that grass.

Buford T. Justice XIX · 28-07-2020 1:04pm

straight wrote: »

I'd say you'd want to lash on another row of cows to eat all that grass.

Don't mention the war!:D

Reaching storage limits here atm so little scope for more unless I go about covering the overground tank. And might have to cut back a bit if the Nitrates limits go above the 90kgs.

GrasstoMilk · 28-07-2020 3:16pm

straight wrote: »

I'd say you'd want to lash on another row of cows to eat all that grass.

Good idea

200 surplus bales made to date

straight · 28-07-2020 5:29pm

GrasstoMilk wrote: »

Good idea
200 surplus bales made to date

How many McHale bales would that be. 150? I drove a baler for summers before and lads used to love pointing out the slopey bales to me. Just saying like.

Mooooo · 28-07-2020 6:05pm

Heading for 400 of the fcukers here. Prob more to make but may take a bit for reseeding yet

GrasstoMilk · 28-07-2020 6:47pm

straight wrote: »

How many McHale bales would that be. 150? I drove a baler for summers before and lads used to love pointing out the slopey bales to me. Just saying like.

100 from a McHale baler and 100 from our own Krone. No weight difference between them

Gillespy · 28-07-2020 7:02pm

Credit to McHale's pr men for making Ireland believe their bales are so much bigger than any other baler.:D

Bought Fusion bales last spring and still got 14 on a trailer and they were no heavier than bales made by ourselves. Fantastic baler and with 170hp + in front are bound to make great solid bales but so can most balers younger than old RP12s

jaymla627 · 28-07-2020 7:10pm

Gillespy wrote: »

Credit to McHale's pr men for making Ireland believe their bales are so much bigger than any other baler.:D

Bought Fusion bales last spring and still got 14 on a trailer and they were no heavier than bales made by ourselves. Fantastic baler and with 170hp + in front are bound to make great solid bales but so can most balers younger than old RP12s

Contractor specific to aswell, the baler man isn’t going to have the pressure up to the max on the chamber if he can get away with it

GrasstoMilk · 28-07-2020 7:17pm

jaymla627 wrote: »

Contractor specific to aswell, the baler man isn’t going to have the pressure up to the max on the chamber if he can get away with it

Our guy does now tbf. 230 horse valtra up front and bales well packed. They weigh 850 kg and our own weigh 820/830 kg.
Some lads say they can get a tonne in a bale but I've never had one

Reggie. · 28-07-2020 8:03pm

GrasstoMilk wrote: »

Our guy does now tbf. 230 horse valtra up front and bales well packed. They weigh 850 kg and our own weigh 820/830 kg.
Some lads say they can get a tonne in a bale but I've never had one

1000kg in a bale would be madness

cosatron · 28-07-2020 8:15pm

Reggie. wrote: »

1000kg in a bale would be madness

Says the contractor

mahoney_j · 28-07-2020 8:44pm

Reggie. wrote: »

1000kg in a bale would be madness

May be confusing them with maize bales ....

Farmer2017 · 28-07-2020 9:19pm

Did herd test today. See some with bottom lumps this eve. Is this normal r should I b worried about it

whelan2 · 28-07-2020 9:22pm

Farmer2017 wrote: »

Did herd test today. See some with bottom lumps this eve. Is this normal r should I b worried about it

Dont even look for lumps. You'll drive yourself mad

Farmer2017 · 28-07-2020 9:23pm

whelan2 wrote: »

Dont even look for lumps. You'll drive yourself mad

She caught my eye coming in this evening

awaywithyou · 28-07-2020 9:28pm

Farmer2017 wrote: »

She caught my eye coming in this evening

could b a reaction to the needle or to being injected rather than what she was injected with.... had she a lump in that area b4 test??

Farmer2017 · 28-07-2020 9:29pm

awaywithyou wrote: »

could b a reaction to the needle or to being injected rather than what she was injected with.... had she a lump in that area b4 test??

Couldn’t be certain but it def on inj site

whelan2 · 28-07-2020 9:32pm

They were only tested today, plenty of time for a top lump to show up

cosatron · 28-07-2020 9:33pm

Bottom lumps are fine. Top lumps are panic stations

Farmer2017 · 28-07-2020 9:34pm

whelan2 wrote: »

They were only tested today, plenty of time for a top lump to show up

Fecking hope so. U b sh**ing it

whelan2 · 28-07-2020 9:37pm

cosatron wrote: »

Bottom lumps are fine. Top lumps are panic stations

Top lumps are avian tb, bottom lumps are panic stations around here

cosatron · 28-07-2020 9:41pm

whelan2 wrote: »

Top lumps are avian tb, bottom lumps are panic stations around here

I better check it out with boss in the morning. You could be right. I thought it was top lumps

Say my name · 28-07-2020 9:52pm

cosatron wrote: »

I better check it out with boss in the morning. You could be right. I thought it was top lumps

The vet can change which is which at their discretion.

As long as they do the whole herd that way and know what they're doing of course.

Castlekeeper · 28-07-2020 9:56pm

Can't see the attraction in pumping out nitrogen to create a surplus that has to be baled.
Anyone could see the way growth rates are going the last few weeks and adjust accordingly, skip every second field or shut the spreader down to 12-14 units and a lot of money and hassle would be spared at what should be one of the cushiest times of year for a dairy farmer.

mahoney_j · 28-07-2020 10:04pm

Castlekeeper wrote: »

Can't see the attraction in pumping out nitrogen to create a surplus that has to be baled.
Anyone could see the way growth rates are going the last few weeks and adjust accordingly, skip every second field or shut the spreader down to 12-14 units and a lot of money and hassle would be spared at what should be one of the cushiest times of year for a dairy farmer.

Cows have to be fed on ****ty days from October on ,u can never have enough good feed in yard .been spreading 20 units behind cows since April and last 2.5 weeks back to 17!ish grass still growing strong but of my rotation was 25 days plus farm would go hungry v quick

Say my name · 28-07-2020 10:12pm

Castlekeeper wrote: »

Can't see the attraction in pumping out nitrogen to create a surplus that has to be baled.
Anyone could see the way growth rates are going the last few weeks and adjust accordingly, skip every second field or shut the spreader down to 12-14 units and a lot of money and hassle would be spared at what should be one of the cushiest times of year for a dairy farmer.

Why not the whole hog?
Conditions are perfect for biology and biological organic inputs.

whelan2 · 28-07-2020 10:12pm

Say my name wrote: »

The vet can change which is which at their discretion.

As long as they do the whole herd that way and know what they're doing of course.

Never heard of that tbh. Was always the same on any farm I was on in the UK and here

Base price · 28-07-2020 10:16pm

whelan2 wrote: »

Never heard of that tbh. Was always the same on any farm I was on in the UK and here

+1
I would have thought that there are strict rules to ensure conformity.

Say my name · 28-07-2020 10:18pm

whelan2 wrote: »

Never heard of that tbh. Was always the same on any farm I was on in the UK and here

Our vet won't tell you which is which and swaps it to suit himself.

Maybe it's just him.
Reasoning is with him if people knew which was which it leaves it open to tampering with.

whelan2 · 28-07-2020 10:22pm

Say my name wrote: »

Our vet won't tell you which is which and swaps it to suit himself.

Maybe it's just him.
Reasoning is with him if people knew which was which it leaves it open to tampering with.

What happens if the department come out to inspect at reading?

Say my name · 28-07-2020 10:25pm

whelan2 wrote: »

What happens if the department come out to inspect at reading?

I presume he tells them which is which?

trixi2011 · 28-07-2020 10:27pm

Have seen both in Ireland and UK in resent times were vet has put the injections the wrong way round by mistake he would make a note of these animals . Had a cow with a big bottom lump at test 3 weeks ago ended up she had avain In that lump and a note had been on the system so passed the test no bother

tismesoitis · 28-07-2020 10:44pm

Lumps on the top...ok. bottom lumps...not ok!!
Up for heaven down for hell.

visatorro · 28-07-2020 11:28pm

Reggie. wrote:

1000kg in a bale would be madness

Doubt any chamber would be able for 1000 kg bales . 800-850 kg seems to be the run of it

Reggie. · 29-07-2020 12:18am

cosatron wrote: »

Says the contractor

Try moving that sort of weight on the front of a tractor constantly and you'll some harm being done

Dairy Chitchat 4, an udder new thread.

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