Dairy Farming General

Greengrass1 · 24-04-2014 4:53pm

stanflt wrote: »

No mid June

Six weeks after first cut

Your first must be near fit?

mahoney_j · 24-04-2014 5:51pm

stanflt wrote: »

I hope to have the silage cut by mid June

Is that the second or third cut stan.going to cut my first cut in 2 stages,first lot between 15-20 mYand rest by late may.second and subsequent cuts every 5 to 6 weeks

visatorro · 24-04-2014 11:07pm

Must ring contractor in the morning. I haven' decided whether to go with wagon or trailed harvestor. Looking around may 15

freedominacup · 25-04-2014 12:54am

visatorro wrote: »

Must ring contractor in the morning. I haven' decided whether to go with wagon or trailed harvestor. Looking around may 15

If you're cutting lighter early cuts and he'll cut by the hour I'd go with the wagon. Silage cut with the wagon by the hour cost me 60 euro per acre plus my own cost for mowing last year and the year before incl vat. Standard cost around here for sp is 100 plus vat.

sheebadog · 25-04-2014 7:48am

Breakfast before grass.

freedominacup · 25-04-2014 7:50am

sheebadog wrote: »

Breakfast before grass.

That's a big buffer feed.

sheebadog · 25-04-2014 8:25am

freedominacup wrote: »

That's a big buffer feed.

Enough to do until tomorrow night.

kevthegaff · 25-04-2014 8:33am

nice shed sheebadog, did u have to build or was it there with the lease?

sheebadog · 25-04-2014 8:37am

kevthegaff wrote: »

nice shed sheebadog, did u have to build or was it there with the lease?

Owned. Came with first purchase.
I thought ye would have meas in a shed with a roof!!

visatorro · 25-04-2014 9:25am

freedominacup wrote: »

If you're cutting lighter early cuts and he'll cut by the hour I'd go with the wagon. Silage cut with the wagon by the hour cost me 60 euro per acre plus my own cost for mowing last year and the year before incl vat. Standard cost around here for sp is 100 plus vat.

75 euro per acre with wagon here. he's mows it but he throws the two rows on top of each other. not gonna let him do that this year so price might go up. he didnt have a rake last year anyway. two tractors on pit keeping her packed.

freedominacup · 25-04-2014 10:44am

visatorro wrote: »

75 euro per acre with wagon here. he's mows it but he throws the two rows on top of each other. not gonna let him do that this year so price might go up. he didnt have a rake last year anyway. two tractors on pit keeping her packed.

That's not bad. If you put any value on your own work I wouldn't be far off the €75 mowing it myself.

freedominacup · 25-04-2014 10:46am

sheebadog wrote: »

Enough to do until tomorrow night.

Any bother with heating? Your pit face must be very fresh if you don't.

mf240 · 25-04-2014 11:07am

I know I'll be shot but would ye not bale those light crops. no problem with secondary fermentation with high dry matter bales.

I do All bales and I make stronger silage for dry cows and can feed both at the same time.

freedominacup · 25-04-2014 11:17am

mf240 wrote: »

I know I'll be shot but would ye not bale those light crops. no problem with secondary fermentation with high dry matter bales.

I do All bales and I make stronger silage for dry cows and can feed both at the same time.

That's the beauty of the hourly rate you're not subsidising some fella who won't cut until mid June and who will be getting twice your tonnage/volume clamped for the same per acre rate. Pit is far handier than bales for me. BIL does 1400+ bales per year I don't know how he does it.

sheebadog · 25-04-2014 11:35am

freedominacup wrote: »

Any bother with heating? Your pit face must be very fresh if you don't.

Small pit made especially for when cows on grass so it's always fresh.
Just use it to get fibre and maize crimp into them.

freedominacup · 25-04-2014 11:42am

sheebadog wrote: »

Small pit made especially for when cows on grass so it's always fresh.
Just use it to get fibre and maize crimp into them.

It's on my to do list as cow numbers rise. Was thinking of around 22-25 ft wide with 5 ft walls. Build it in a place where it could be easily lenghtened in the future if needs be.

Timmaay · 25-04-2014 11:54am

freedominacup wrote: »

It's on my to do list as cow numbers rise. Was thinking of around 22-25 ft wide with 5 ft walls. Build it in a place where it could be easily lenghtened in the future if needs be.

Sounds like a plan. I only realised how much hassle bales are this winter, when we only had 16 of them in total, the rest in the pit and is so much less hassle. I'm thinking a narrow pit for high quality silage/maize /wholecrop also, I'd probably put it right beside the existing one and use one wall. Would I need to strengthen that middle wall?

sheebadog · 25-04-2014 11:54am

freedominacup wrote: »

It's on my to do list as cow numbers rise. Was thinking of around 22-25 ft wide with 5 ft walls. Build it in a place where it could be easily lenghtened in the future if needs be.

2 widths of the bucket or grab is enough for 150 to 200 cows. No more than one metre high. Then no waste or secondary fermentation.

Greengrass1 · 25-04-2014 12:04pm

Have a heifer here that isn't due till sept and us bagging up like mad.
Anyone else have a fly problem yet? Heifers being plagued here

sheebadog · 26-04-2014 8:33am

Results
Milk 33litres
Scc. 166k
Bf. 4.1
Pr. 3.4
Tbc. 5000

kevthegaff · 26-04-2014 8:42am

is it possible to put a wall on an existing slab??

sheebadog · 26-04-2014 8:57am

kevthegaff wrote: »

is it possible to put a wall on an existing slab??

Why not get the portable walls with 'feet' on them. You would see them in grain intakes for seperating different types of grain

farmersfriend · 26-04-2014 9:42am

sheebadog wrote: »

Why not get the portable walls with 'feet' on them. You would see them in grain intakes for seperating different types of grain

We use them to hold beet in yard, and for barley in the shed.

whelan2 · 26-04-2014 9:48am

farmersfriend wrote: »

We use them to hold beet in yard, and for barley in the shed.

we have them to extend our silage pit wall. Have them about 15 years now

kevthegaff · 26-04-2014 10:08am

would they hold a pit with a lad rolling it

stop thelights · 26-04-2014 10:21am

kevthegaff wrote: »

would they hold a pit with a lad rolling it

We have the 8ft type for splitting our maize pit. Grand as when we filling we filling both sides so no pressure to move. When feeding out the maize then it doesn't move.

We also put grass into one pit one year it but wouldn't go higher than 6ft and kept out from the wall as any higher and they'll move!

I think each one it 1.9 ton which out loader just lifts. There's 10ft ones you can get. Think there around 2.5 t and you can fill away up against them and over with out them moving. But if I was driving the loader I'd be watching them like a hawk when going over 10ft as when they move its good luck Charlie!!!!!

sheebadog · 27-04-2014 6:52am

Was planning breeding program yesterday with AI technician and he mentioned 'Kamars'. He said that they are new to the market and cost €25 for 12.

I've heard them mentioned here before, are they worth it?
He said that they are self-adhesive, does it stay on?
Any opinions??

RightTurnClyde · 27-04-2014 7:08am

Been using them for a few years now on the heifers. I find them the best of the bubble type detectors. The glue is seperate to the detectors and is applied from a toothpaste like tube, it can be a bit messy but you'll need a pliers to get them off. They are the best of the bubble detectors. In a big bunch of heifers they are very easily spotted.
There are a lot of products similar to the kamars with the glue already on them, in my experience they are rubbish. I used them 2 years ago, never again. Had the local aI station in pushing them this year, his solution to them falling off was to put a spray on carpet glue onto the heifer to aid the glue on the patch.
Just be sure if you order kamars that you get kamars and not the copy. They ain't as good

frazzledhome · 27-04-2014 8:26am

sheebadog wrote: »

Was planning breeding program yesterday with AI technician and he mentioned 'Kamars'. He said that they are new to the market and cost €25 for 12.

I've heard them mentioned here before, are they worth it?
He said that they are self-adhesive, does it stay on?
Any opinions??

Will be aiing heifers later today after church!

I'll post a pic of one bulling and not bulling. They are the business. If you get in to the LIC/Eurogene website you should be able to buy.

BTW on the market here for years!!! Ye may have no stones but that's not everything

kevthegaff · 27-04-2014 8:28am

what time do ye start milking lads? I get up at 6 and bring them before 4, put in a sound system last night in the milking parlour, the cows done some looking this morning!

frazzledhome · 27-04-2014 8:32am

Clyde is 100%, if Kmar is not on the box do not use. Kellogg's Corn Flakes and Corn flakes are not the same thing.

I use extra glue when applying.

I heard a new one yesterday, clip tail head and use crayon. Local Ai guy recons its the best he's come across for heifers. Any one d this?

frazzledhome · 27-04-2014 8:33am

sheebadog wrote: »

Was planning breeding program yesterday with AI technician and he mentioned 'Kamars'. He said that they are new to the market and cost €25 for 12.

I've heard them mentioned here before, are they worth it?
He said that they are self-adhesive, does it stay on?
Any opinions??

Is this program for heifers or cows?

frazzledhome · 27-04-2014 8:34am

kevthegaff wrote: »

what time do ye start milking lads? I get up at 6 and bring them before 4, put in a sound system last night in the milking parlour, the cows done some looking this morning!

Cups on 6 am and 3.45 pm.
Radio not allowed

C0N0R · 27-04-2014 8:45am

frazzledhome wrote: »

Cups on 6 am and 3.45 pm.
Radio not allowed

Out of curiosity why no radio?? People not concentrating or what? I don't have a radio and it doesn't bother me, a lot of people find it strange!

Cups on 6am and 3pm here

RightTurnClyde · 27-04-2014 8:47am

kevthegaff wrote: »

what time do ye start milking lads? I get up at 6 and bring them before 4, put in a sound system last night in the milking parlour, the cows done some looking this morning!

Start at 7 here, home by 8:30 for brekie with family. 4:30 in the evening. Gate closed by 6.
Radio in a few years. Radio 1 , cows like to keep up with current affairs.
Put in wifi this year.
Know of a guy that has a 40" flat screen in parlour with sky on

sheebadog · 27-04-2014 8:48am

frazzledhome wrote: »

Is this program for heifers or cows?

Was thinking of using on cows as well as heifers.
Jeez there was a few quid to be made by the man that imported them to France first.
Having said that the French are hard to change to new tech!
When we tail paint the French workers are too embarrassed to hunt out the cows to field. People taking pix of the cows. See a few neighbours at it now!

kevthegaff · 27-04-2014 8:49am

frazzledhome wrote: »

Cups on 6 am and 3.45 pm.
Radio not allowed

supposedly classical music will increase theyre yield, lyric fm this morning, very relaxing

sheebadog · 27-04-2014 8:51am

kevthegaff wrote: »

what time do ye start milking lads? I get up at 6 and bring them before 4, put in a sound system last night in the milking parlour, the cows done some looking this morning!

Cups on at 6am and at 5pm. Takes three hours. Radio not allowed!

RightTurnClyde · 27-04-2014 8:55am

Why no radio lads. I find everything is more relaxed with radio on, both cows and milkers. And cows are used to noise around the place. No sh1tting if strange noises or people around the place.

frazzledhome · 27-04-2014 9:29am

RightTurnClyde wrote: »

Why no radio lads. I find everything is more relaxed with radio on, both cows and milkers. And cows are used to noise around the place. No sh1tting if strange noises or people around the place.

I had two incidents where I saw lads standing listening to gift grub or some rubbish. I find it a real distraction myself, I rarely turn on in the tractor even

frazzledhome · 27-04-2014 9:32am

Can someone remind me of the N & S in ASN and Sulphate of Amonia. I have some silage ground looking peeky, drought(only joking)

frazzledhome · 27-04-2014 9:35am

sheebadog wrote: »

Was thinking of using on cows as well as heifers.
Jeez there was a few quid to be made by the man that imported them to France first.
Having said that the French are hard to change to new tech!
When we tail paint the French workers are too embarrassed to hunt out the cows to field. People taking pix of the cows. See a few neighbours at it now!

I'd say they'd be more worked up if their salary wasn't in their accounts at months end.

Check out Gregg Care website for really handy paint cans that also make application easy

whelan2 · 27-04-2014 9:36am

start milking at 6.30 am and 4,30 pm, lad who does a few milkings for me milks at 5.30 am, really notice the extra milk in them in the evenings when he has been here. edited to say we have a radio

RightTurnClyde · 27-04-2014 9:37am

Gave up the cigs 3 months ago ( was smoking 50+ at the end). If I didn't have the distraction of the radio while I was giving them up I'd say I'd end up knawing on the kick bar or trying to roll a cows tail into a spliff or something.
Sometimes distraction can be a good thing

whelan2 · 27-04-2014 9:39am

RightTurnClyde wrote: »

Gave up the cigs 3 months ago ( was smoking 50+ at the end). If I didn't have the distraction of the radio while I was giving them up I'd say I'd end up knawing on the kick bar or trying to roll a cows tail into a spliff or something.
Sometimes distraction can be a good thing

fair play for giving them up.

Greengrass1 · 27-04-2014 9:48am

frazzledhome wrote: »

Clyde is 100%, if Kmar is not on the box do not use. Kellogg's Corn Flakes and Corn flakes are not the same thing.

I use extra glue when applying.

I heard a new one yesterday, clip tail head and use crayon. Local Ai guy recons its the best he's come across for heifers. Any one d this?

Yep I do that with thee tail paint on the cows. Works very well. I was going to put crayons in the heifers as well but wasn't going to cut the hair

sheebadog · 27-04-2014 9:59am

RightTurnClyde wrote: »

Gave up the cigs 3 months ago ( was smoking 50+ at the end). If I didn't have the distraction of the radio while I was giving them up I'd say I'd end up knawing on the kick bar or trying to roll a cows tail into a spliff or something.
Sometimes distraction can be a good thing

Some spliff ! There could be a kick off that!!

Timmaay · 27-04-2014 10:13am

I'm the lazy one here, up at 7.15 in the morning, evenings once I'm fully done by 7pm I'm happy. And couldn't live without the radio.

sheebadog · 27-04-2014 10:19am

RightTurnClyde wrote: »

Why no radio lads. I find everything is more relaxed with radio on, both cows and milkers. And cows are used to noise around the place. No sh1tting if strange noises or people around the place.

Why complicate things?
Plus I'd rather milkers focused on the job in hand.
Radio stations are shyte here anyhow!

sheebadog · 27-04-2014 10:24am

Two ladies started milking for the first time this am.
Won't have them back. They are the stick waving types. Push cows through at the highest speed possible. I think that it's a French thing.

Dairy Farming General

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