Farming Chit Chat

weefarmer

What kinda money would the week old calves fetch down your way? Im thibkin on buying a couple more bucket calves, they would fairly thrive in the spring aftr they get out!

Bizzum

blue5000 wrote: »

+1 whelan, I've only ever had two of these and both times they died. At least you tried your best. Hope the rest of the calving is going ok.

Sickener alright.
We only ever had 2, both within a couple of months. the first heifer died putting it back in, and the second, a PB Ch cow was fine.
Not a nice job though.

whelan1

the last one we had was the night i came home from hospital after having one of the kids 7 years ago, looked at calving camera and could see the cows womb hanging out , vet couldnt believe i was out working 4 days after having a section. That cow survived but i didnt put her in calf again

KatyMac

whelan1 wrote: »

sounds like we all had a great day, vet got me to pour 2 bags of sugar over the cows womb that was hanging out while i was waiting on her to come out, apparently it reduces the swelling, you learn something new everyday:o

The sugar draws out the serum from the swollen womb. I learned this years ago reading James Herriot books!!

whelan1

must remember to always have sugar in the house

johngalway

whelan1 wrote: »

must remember to always have sugar in the house

There's a piece in Robert C Hendersons book, talking about sheep prolapse. In it he advises smearing the prolapse with the contents of a mastitis tube for cows. At least from memory that's what I think he said, don't have the book to hand here.

reilig

whelan1 wrote: »

must remember to always have sugar in the house

I must stock up on it too. I'm guessing Splenda in no good

We have had one or 2 over the years. Always remember the old time vet telling us to get white sheets from the hotpress to wrap it up in to keep it clean and free from infection while he came out to us. The last cow to have it was about 5 years ago. We got the vet out to put it back and he duly obliged and put a stitch in to keep it in place and injected her to stop her from forcing. He was washing his hands in the kitchen when we heard her on the camera letting a big cough and out it flew again. Got it back in for the second time, did a better job stitching it up and she survived. Never showed in heat again (thankfully) and she was culled.

More common in sheep. Vet showed us how to put it back once and tie a straddle on her to keep it in place. Able to put it back ourselves now and have had good success with the sheep.

Pauric Mc

Does the sugar realy work??

13spanner

Yesterday a bull calf broke his leg just above the hoof. Talk about misfortune...

Suckler

Got a price today from an arborist/tree surgery company for 500 to knock a tall sitka spruce. Its near a neighbours sheds and needs to come down. Its about 70 - 80 foot tall. Cost was to knock it, clip off all limbs and stack them and cut tree in to lengths. Anyone get similiar work done for this price?

Muckit

Suckler wrote: »

Got a price today from an arborist/tree surgery company for 500 to knock a tall sitka spruce. Its near a neighbours sheds and needs to come down. Its about 70 - 80 foot tall. Cost was to knock it, clip off all limbs and stack them and cut tree in to lengths. Anyone get similiar work done for this price?

So you'I still have to saw it up further for firewood? Have to look into getting a tree felled ourselves. It's a big old brut of a beech, so good to have a ball park figure

reilig

Suckler wrote: »

Got a price today from an arborist/tree surgery company for 500 to knock a tall sitka spruce. Its near a neighbours sheds and needs to come down. Its about 70 - 80 foot tall. Cost was to knock it, clip off all limbs and stack them and cut tree in to lengths. Anyone get similiar work done for this price?

Suckler, I think that's a little too dear. I can't exactly price compare but my inlaws had 11 30 year old spruce sawed down this time last year for €600. It included gathering the branches, sawing the trees into logs and splitting them with a firewood processer (My inlaws supplied the tractor to power the processer). They also stccked the split timber neatly in the shed.

Its hard to compare and everyone will be able to find a cheaper price. But at the end of the day, its up to you. Get a second quote if you're not happy. Very important that the Aborist has insurance !!

Suckler

Muckit wrote: »

So you'I still have to saw it up further for firewood? Have to look into getting a tree felled ourselves. It's a big old brut of a beech, so good to have a ball park figure

I'd have to cut it up after yes. Not sure if I could try to seaon it and try to get a bit of usable Lumber out of it.

Reilig: It might cost more being a one off, plus its very close to a house as well so insurance was a must. I've knocked a few in the same patch myself but this is too close for comfort to go at it meself; hence getting the pro's in!

stanflt

cut the wholecrop on monday- knocked the third cut 2day and will pick it up in the morning;)

KatyMac

Pauric Mc wrote: »

Does the sugar realy work??

Yes, sugar really works. It makes the prolapse shrink almost as you watch. Of course, there is still no guarantee the blooming cow will survive! Farming being what it is

KatyMac

I got a tree 100+ foot high knocked last autumn. It was awful near our house. It was cut up and left in rings for me to collect at my leisure for €200 - you need to shop around or I was very lucky in my contractor.

leg wax

10 cows and heifers calved,4 calves comeing backwards not a nice start,it can only get better:D.

jay gatsby

happy out loading bales Friday night - just got finished as dark descended - hitting the road in the dark but glad to be finished.

Just get out on the road and hear a funny noise. 6 miles home with the familiar sound of a collapsing wheel bearing, nice variations between squeaking and creaking and not a safe spot to pull in in sight.

Ah yeah the joys of trucking. Spent the weekend getting the bloody thing off.

whelan1

leg wax wrote: »

10 cows and heifers calved,4 calves comeing backwards not a nice start,it can only get better:D.

i have 19 calved , pulled the first one this morning, once they are all alive thats what counts:)

JohnBoy

I got my quad sprayer last week from quad bikes wales.

Loaded up and went down to the farm on friday night, chanced my arm with the weather.

I sprayed 3.6km of ditches and paddock fences in two hours from start of filling up to having it all washed up and put away.

Deeeelighted with it. sitting there with the radio on in the jeep, arm out the window blasting grazon 90 on every nettle in sight


Got some showers during friday night, so who knows if it'll have any effect or not, how long before grazon 90 should show results?

leg wax

nettles should be bent over after a few hours,otherwise i am putting it out too strong.:eek:i use a petrol driven power washer the same way, have seen a few copying me this year .

pakalasa

I bought one from Quad Bike Wales early on in the year too. Great job.
If you're doing just spot spraying rushes and thistles, I wonder is Grazon 90 better than MCPA, or would a Glyphospate spray (roundup etc) be even better again?

towzer2010

whelan1 wrote: »

i have 19 calved , pulled the first one this morning, once they are all alive thats what counts:)

Most of the time but I had a cow calved in the field on friday. Calf sucked and everything looked good. When I went down later that evening the calf had a broken back leg and I had to put her down.

I dont know what happened but I think her mother must have stood on her.

JohnBoy

leg wax wrote: »

nettles should be bent over after a few hours,otherwise i am putting it out too strong.:eek:i use a petrol driven power washer the same way, have seen a few copying me this year .

They did look a bit tired yesterday alright. I used 6ml/L of water.

Eh what do you do with the power washer?

pakalasa wrote: »

I bought one from Quad Bike Wales early on in the year too. Great job.
If you're doing just spot spraying rushes and thistles, I wonder is Grazon 90 better than MCPA, or would a Glyphospate spray (roundup etc) be even better again?

If you dont mind the indiscriminate nature then roundup and co are surely the only way to go, not sure about using it out the window of a moving jeep though, think it'd be more of a knapsack job.

reilig

pakalasa wrote: »

I bought one from Quad Bike Wales early on in the year too. Great job.
If you're doing just spot spraying rushes and thistles, I wonder is Grazon 90 better than MCPA, or would a Glyphospate spray (roundup etc) be even better again?

If you spray with roundup, you'll end up killing grass and all. Weeds will have the upper hand on grass at regrowth and they will take over. Best to use the MCPA or Grazon methinks

leg wax

i use it for spraying under the wires with the lance out the jeep window.

JohnBoy

Can you turn a power washer down enough to do that? mad

do you use an IBC for a tank or what? must use some amount of water at it.

leg wax

JohnBoy wrote: »

Can you turn a power washer down enough to do that? mad

do you use an IBC for a tank or what? must use some amount of water at it.

blue acid barrel,and put the peddle to the floor.:D

Suckler

does anyone have a wiring diagram for Massey 135 by any chance? Got the auld fella the full repair manual but got knows where he has it left:mad: At the moment he's tow-starting it. He's on about getting a neighbour just to wire up the starter meaning it'll be half done if I dont do it.

vincenzolorenzo

I have a soft copy of the workshop manual but the file is too big to attach here. If you PM me your email address I'll send it on

pakalasa

Suckler wrote: »

does anyone have a wiring diagram for Massey 135 by any chance? Got the auld fella the full repair manual but got knows where he has it left:mad: At the moment he's tow-starting it. He's on about getting a neighbour just to wire up the starter meaning it'll be half done if I dont do it.

From google search;
http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/attachments/general-vintage-tractors/162699d1271860356-massey-ferguson-135-wiring-mf135-d-elect-small-.jpg

http://www.ssbtractor.com/wwwboard/view_all.cgi?bd=massey&msg=12862

leg wax

just had a reps inspection all fine.:Dand was very happy that i winter cattle out all winter as i have not enough storage for slurry.

Suckler

Cheers Vincencolorenzo & Pakalasa - couldnt find a clear diagram but the documents were found at home once I encouraged them to look again!:rolleyes: Although Im not looking forward to the next time Im in the wrong:o

Username John

leg wax wrote: »

just had a reps inspection all fine.:Dand was very happy that i winter cattle out all winter as i have not enough storage for slurry.

Great to hear Leg Wax.

Could you give a run through how the inspection went, what was inspected?

Interesting re the out-wintering, I didnt know you could do that. Did you have them on kale or something, or just on rough ground?

Charlie Charolais

Username John wrote: »

Great to hear Leg Wax.

Could you give a run through how the inspection went, what was inspected?

Interesting re the out-wintering, I didnt know you could do that. Did you have them on kale or something, or just on rough ground?

ya John, I thought your cattle numbers would be limted by your slurry storage capacity?

leg wax

Username John wrote: »

Great to hear Leg Wax.

Could you give a run through how the inspection went, what was inspected?

Interesting re the out-wintering, I didnt know you could do that. Did you have them on kale or something, or just on rough ground?

a run down, i got a phone call yesterday morning to say i had a inspection at 2 oclock, a very nice lady arrived and shecame into the house had a cup of tea and a chat went through all maps that were involved,60 acres to be exact, but iam farming 120 acres but no maps.she went off for a walk around the farm checked clover birdboxes and new hedge and trees[which you cannot see as they are covered up with growth of weeds]. she then measured the slurry tanks and one shed with cubicals, i had 17 spinging cows in the shed on hay and straw,she then had a copy of my herd numbers for dec at which point i had 160 cattle on hands,she asked me where i kept them all i told her out side on kale she asked to see it brought her to see it and was happy with that,she did not ask for maps or anything.

leg wax

Charlie Charolais wrote: »

ya John, I thought your cattle numbers would be limted by your slurry storage capacity?

if you dont have buildings or tanks can the dept stop you keeping cattle.if you dont winter in cattle can the dept make you put up a tank even if it is not used.

Charlie Charolais

leg wax wrote: »

if you dont have buildings or tanks can the dept stop you keeping cattle.if you dont winter in cattle can the dept make you put up a tank even if it is not used.

well done on passing it!

Is it not a clause of reps entry that you have slats?
i remember we had an inspection, must be 15 years ago, the slats were full & we had 10 weanlings out, the inspector didn't like it but only because they had access to an open flat shed we passed it

leg wax

Charlie Charolais wrote: »

well done on passing it!

Is it not a clause of reps entry that you have slats?
i remember we had an inspection, must be 15 years ago, the slats were full & we had 10 weanlings out, the inspector didn't like it but only because they had access to an open flat shed we passed it

i dont know being straight and honest about it but i was not talking about being in reps above,i am only throwing suggestions out,one of the big dairy farms 3 miles away from me was told they needed more storage for slurry,with the cost of the new tank and the cost of emptying it every year he put in place a debauer[cant spell] a ****s squezzer,slurry from channel enters the machine the dry matter is squezzed out the dirty water that is left is spread by the on farm dirty water system[you can spread dirty water all year i think]the small amount of solids is put up on the dung heap,thinking out side of the box got around the rules by not breaking them,the machine cost a lot of money but he has no slurry speading bill.

vanderbadger

leg wax wrote: »

a run down, i got a phone call yesterday morning to say i had a inspection at 2 oclock, a very nice lady arrived and shecame into the house had a cup of tea and a chat went through all maps that were involved,60 acres to be exact, but iam farming 120 acres but no maps.she went off for a walk around the farm checked clover birdboxes and new hedge and trees[which you cannot see as they are covered up with growth of weeds]. she then measured the slurry tanks and one shed with cubicals, i had 17 spinging cows in the shed on hay and straw,she then had a copy of my herd numbers for dec at which point i had 160 cattle on hands,she asked me where i kept them all i told her out side on kale she asked to see it brought her to see it and was happy with that,she did not ask for maps or anything.

any pics of the cattle out during the winter wax or of the kale?

leg wax

vanderbadger wrote: »

any pics of the cattle out during the winter wax or of the kale?

no pics of cattle out on kale but new crop on pic thread.

bob charles

Its a requirement by law that once over 140kgs of N per ha that you have to have adequate slurry storage, no if's, but's or maybe's, even if you dont keep cattle overwinter. For a farmer without adequate storage facilities able to pass the nitrates inspection is a bit of a kick in the nuts for the many spending big money to keep authority happy. Im in the process of putting up another 150gls of storage just to keep the all too many box tickers that arrive on my yard, even though we would have some of the best outwintering lands (rough land/bushes/trees etc) available, but this is a strict no no.

leg wax

bob charles wrote: »

Its a requirement by law that once over 140kgs of N per ha that you have to have adequate slurry storage, no if's, but's or maybe's, even if you dont keep cattle overwinter. For a farmer without adequate storage facilities able to pass the nitrates inspection is a bit of a kick in the nuts for the many spending big money to keep authority happy. Im in the process of putting up another 150gls of storage just to keep the all too many box tickers that arrive on my yard, even though we would have some of the best outwintering lands (rough land/bushes/trees etc) available, but this is a strict no no.

so bob you are saying that a farmer who buys in cattle in march sells in oct has to have slurry storage.

bob charles

leg wax wrote: »

so bob you are saying that a farmer who buys in cattle in march sells in oct has to have slurry storage.

going by the regulations yes if they are over 140kgs N per ha. Its a complete joke but them's the rules and its enforceable by law :mad:

5live

bob charles wrote: »

going by the regulations yes if they are over 140kgs N per ha. Its a complete joke but them's the rules and its enforceable by law :mad:

Are you certain about that? Lots of guys round me buy in for summer grazing and for DA and SFP and dont have as much as a shed to store a few bales of straw, just a small yard and crush.

But just thinking they wouldnt be over the 140kg over the whole year, just the summer

bob charles

I will double check the regulations but im nearly certain there is only a provision for reduced storage under 140kgs N per Ha

keep going

sorry to disagree but i think its you must be under 140 on any given day of the wintering period and no dairy cows

whelan1

husband just noticed that the bars for tightening the chains on his lowloader are gone they had been sitting on the trailer in our yard ... fookers must have robbed them ... there is always someone in our yard so they must have taken them during the night... must have a look to see if anything else is gone
edited to say panic over he found them

leg wax

whelan1 wrote: »

husband just noticed that the bars for tightening the chains on his lowloader are gone they had been sitting on the trailer in our yard ... fookers must have robbed them ... there is always someone in our yard so they must have taken them during the night... must have a look to see if anything else is gone
edited to say panic over he found them

hes a man it did not jump up and bite him and say where you left me:o

Tipp Man

bob charles wrote: »

I will double check the regulations but im nearly certain there is only a provision for reduced storage under 140kgs N per Ha

Bob i think you are mistaken

We summer graze nearly 200 cattle a year - selling in October/November and there is no shed on the beef farm. We have been in REPS 1, 2 and 3 and been inspected many times and it has never been an issue.

I think the issue is that if you are wintering cattle then you need the required level of storage even if the animal is outwintered all winter. so if you out winter 100 cattle you still need storage for 100 cattle even though the tank may never be used. That's how i see it anyway

Am open to correction of course