Dairy Farming General

jaymla627

Buford T. Justice V wrote: »

Are they putting in a new parlour or getting a robot?

40 bail rotary I think, and a new cubicle shed circa a million being spent on a new dairy unit

ganmo

Ya full new job

Dawggone

jaymla627 wrote: »

40 bail rotary I think, and a new cubicle shed circa a million being spent on a new dairy unit

What had me thinking that Lyons was principally used for tillage research?

Buford T. Justice XIX

Dawggone wrote: »

What had me thinking that Lyons was principally used for tillage research?

Wasn't that Backweston?

Lyons was primarily animal research, sheep, beef and dairy, back in the day. It was also used for some demonstrations on research and management to the B.Agr.Sc students. There were lecture halls there as well until that half was sold.

Blackgrass

Buford T. Justice V wrote: »

Wasn't that Backweston?

Lyons was primarily animal research, sheep, beef and dairy, back in the day. It was also used for some demonstrations on research and management to the B.Agr.Sc students. There were lecture halls there as well until that half was sold.

Backweston is dept of ags for trials yeah iirc

whelan2

have a cow -4th calver- calved tuesday, she was down in straw bedded shed this morning, i gave her 2 bottles of calcium -1 in vein and 1 under skin- she improved and was eating, put a bale behind her shoulder. After dinner she looked crap, i gave her another bottle in the vein. Rang vet, they are baffled, no scour, no womb infection, a little bit dehydrated, temp is 100 and heart rate is slow enough-could be due to calcium-gave her some steroids to counteract shock and some fluids with the agger pump. Stomach is ok. Any ideas?

Milked out

whelan2 wrote: »

have a cow -4th calver- calved tuesday, she was down in straw bedded shed this morning, i gave her 2 bottles of calcium -1 in vein and 1 under skin- she improved and was eating, put a bale behind her shoulder. After dinner she looked crap, i gave her another bottle in the vein. Rang vet, they are baffled, no scour, no womb infection, a little bit dehydrated, temp is 100 and heart rate is slow enough-could be due to calcium-gave her some steroids to counteract shock and some fluids with the agger pump. Stomach is ok. Any ideas?

May be no harm to throw a magnet in to her in case she ingested something? Vet does that here the odd time there is a strange case. Not sure after that

Coonagh

jaymla627 wrote: »

40 bail rotary I think, and a new cubicle shed circa a million being spent on a new dairy unit

And all funded by private companies and backed by the IHFA too..... it will be very hard to take any research that comes out of that setup seriously

frazzledhome

Coonagh wrote: »

And all funded by private companies and backed by the IHFA too..... it will be very hard to take any research that comes out of that setup seriously

IHFA, Keenans, Dairymaster
Bastions of independence.

It being set up to prove pastoral milk production wrong

Coonagh

frazzledhome wrote: »

IHFA, Keenans, Dairymaster
Bastions of independence.

It being set up to prove pastoral milk production wrong

All cows coming into the setup are high EBI but their milk sub index has to be higher than fert SI, whole project stinks if you ask me. Some nutrition company also involved probably Alltech.

frazzledhome

Coonagh wrote: »

All cows coming into the setup are high EBI but their milk sub index has to be higher than fert SI, whole project stinks if you ask me. Some nutrition company also involved probably Alltech.

I'm looking forward to being proven right. This is a high risk strategy being taken here. IHFA could end up with serious egg on face.

On the other hand if it works it will be a great boost for feeder and concrete sales

mahoney_j

Coonagh wrote: »

All cows coming into the setup are high EBI but their milk sub index has to be higher than fert SI, whole project stinks if you ask me. Some nutrition company also involved probably Alltech.

Agh lads ,can't wait for this.greenfields caters for the low cost low input route,let us have this one so we can droll over it.as someone with limited parlour land I'm looking forward to it.going to make for great debates/rows here!!

Dawggone

FFS. Is it too much to ask for independant, replicated trials?

Obviously not!


"The devil can cite scripture for his purpose".


Methinks it may be time to grow up...quotas are gone don't you know.

Blackgrass

frazzledhome wrote: »

IHFA, Keenans, Dairymaster
Bastions of independence.

It being set up to prove pastoral milk production wrong

Am i right in saying it's a case of high in-put and hope price stays above x as you can't really cut concrete queens back too much and hope to bank enough chedda to survive the trough? vs lower in put mostly grass will have a lower input cost but a lower ceiling on max output in times of good price pastoral based.

Coonagh

Blackgrass wrote: »

Am i right in saying it's a case of high in-put and hope price stays above x as you can't really cut concrete queens back too much and hope to bank enough chedda to survive the trough? vs lower in put mostly grass will have a lower input cost but a lower ceiling on max output in times of good price pastoral based.

Bingo got it one, less risk and better able to ride the highs and lows of volatility

Dawggone

Coonagh wrote: »

Bingo got it one, less risk and better able to ride the highs and lows of volatility

Now now.
Did you buy a T-shirt lately?

just do it

frazzledhome wrote: »

IHFA, Keenans, Dairymaster
Bastions of independence.

It being set up to prove pastoral milk production wrong

Is that the motivation or just to show high input, high output also works?

Surely there's space for both and good management still remains the key to success.

Coonagh

just do it wrote: »

Is that the motivation or just to show high input, high output also works?

Surely there's space for both and good management still remains the key to success.

Any system done right is profitable there's no doubt about that. But if you look to the UK where all research is funded by private companies their can be no doubt that it has delivered higher profits for the companies and not the farmer

Buford T. Justice XIX

frazzledhome wrote: »

IHFA, Keenans, Dairymaster
Bastions of independence.

It being set up to prove pastoral milk production wrong

That's good news seeing as we have access to large quantities of high quality, low cost concentrates....


I'm out of the loop a good few years but there was a lot of talk a while back about a change of emphasis with a change in personnel.

I suppose it's too early to judge until we see the trials and setup and results but i predict a red hot thread comparing Lyons v Greenfield with enough cards that we will thinks every day is valentines day:)

frazzledhome

just do it wrote: »

Is that the motivation or just to show high input, high output also works?

Surely there's space for both and good management still remains the key to success.

Of course this system works, 90% of the worlds milk is being produced this way.

If this was being done properly they should have funded all development, stock etc with a 20 yr loan and do it commercially.

This of course can't happen as its not doable. The up front costs are massive. This doesn't mean the system doesn't work or does it?

Coonagh

I just looked it up there now an investment of 2 million for 200 cows. 10 grand a friggin cow!!!!!!!

visatorro

Coonagh wrote:

I just looked it up there now an investment of 2 million for 200 cows. 10 grand a friggin cow!!!!!!!

is that not a normal cost for the rest of Europe?

frazzledhome

Coonagh wrote: »

I just looked it up there now an investment of 2 million for 200 cows. 10 grand a friggin cow!!!!!!!

Ah, but they're good cows

ganmo

Dawggone wrote: »

What had me thinking that Lyons was principally used for tillage research?

the way lyons has been split since they sold that last bit is near 1/3 each sheep, tillage and dairy...beef was mostly in the sheds

now its going to be more like 70, 20, 10 dairy sheep tillage

Mehaffey1

Coonagh wrote: »

I just looked it up there now an investment of 2 million for 200 cows. 10 grand a friggin cow!!!!!!!

That's 5 in milk Friesians here! Crap ones but got milk lol

just do it

frazzledhome wrote: »

Of course this system works, 90% of the worlds milk is being produced this way.

If this was being done properly they should have funded all development, stock etc with a 20 yr loan and do it commercially.

This of course can't happen as its not doable. The up front costs are massive. This doesn't mean the system doesn't work or does it?

Of course it's a viable start-up. Sure as someone stated it's only costing a million to convert :rolleyes:


Edit - €2,000,000. Think I'll do the same. ..

frazzledhome

I will deffo visit and try to learn as much as I can from it.

Buford T. Justice XIX

frazzledhome wrote: »

I will deffo visit and try to learn as much as I can from it.

Better bring the checkbook.

mf240

Buford T. Justice V wrote: »

Better bring the checkbook.

Free cow scrather with every keenan feeder purchased on the day .

Dawggone

visatorro wrote: »

is that not a normal cost for the rest of Europe?

NO!!

Dawggone

frazzledhome wrote: »

Of course this system works, 90% of the worlds milk is being produced this way.

If this was being done properly they should have funded all development, stock etc with a 20 yr loan and do it commercially.

This of course can't happen as its not doable. The up front costs are massive. This doesn't mean the system doesn't work or does it?

Excellent point Frazzledhome.

Completely unrealistic.

If they want to go down that "startup" road they should come here...€500k with affordable land rental to infinity would get you started here for 300-400 cows. Price doesn't include cows.

ganmo

you are forgetting they are setting up to do research not to prove a system of farming

atlantic mist

think it a positive move for future students once vested interestes dnt take control,
ucd hav the lyons farm and ucc will hav moorepark,
would one centre of excellance be more appropiate than collages dotted round country seen as its suggested to hav reduced processors, there has bn some waste of money in research farms to date, they get students to do work, contractors work for nothin to get name around, shed wit no expense, free quota, not comercial viable so what was the point, what stand out research has bn made?, went i heard greenfield in the first year movin animals off farm as not adequate housing or feed but no mention of it in notes or costs so gave up on it at least make them transparent
hope research would be duplicated by all ag collages like the crossbreeding mantra an independant/biased free view for once would be great as i feel all systems hav there place in ireland

frazzledhome

ganmo wrote: »

you are forgetting they are setting up to do research not to prove a system of farming

Fair point and will get valuable info

frazzledhome

atlantic mist wrote: »

think it a positive move for future students once vested interestes dnt take control,
ucd hav the lyons farm and ucc will hav moorepark,
would one centre of excellance be more appropiate than collages dotted round country seen as its suggested to hav reduced processors, there has bn some waste of money in research farms to date, they get students to do work, contractors work for nothin to get name around, shed wit no expense, free quota, not comercial viable so what was the point, what stand out research has bn made?, went i heard greenfield in the first year movin animals off farm as not adequate housing or feed but no mention of it in notes or costs so gave up on it at least make them transparent
hope research would be duplicated by all ag collages like the crossbreeding mantra an independant/biased free view for once would be great as i feel all systems hav there place in ireland

Hosted UCD 3rd yr Dairy Business class here on Tues. was blown away with their knowledge and enthusiasm. This is by far the best group we've had from this course to date.

Each student is linked and networking with mentors and this is really appearant

st1979

sure when you take it that land is free and available all around the milking parlour the grass based system is the only system with unlimited growth potential.
but in the real world land is over 10k an acre and comes available for sale around the parlour every second generation. so I for one think this is good to see. was in Holland on a farm trip and those guys spend well over 10k per cow on shed. Had a very nice work place and work routine and seemed to have good life style. was high cost system and some claimed to make no profit. but all had no problem in buying more land around parlour for 20k an acre. 1 guy said if he made profit the next year he would invest in more solar panels as he could write it off against his taxable profit. so for me the claim they make no money is false. They make no taxable profit.

stanflt

frazzledhome wrote: »

IHFA, Keenans, Dairymaster
Bastions of independence.

It being set up to prove pastoral milk production wrong

Don't think so- it's replicating a herd very near me!!

4500 litres from grass
Feed to yield over a base of 26 litres
High Ebi
High fertility

I think Ihfa will have to restructure their organisation and mindset when this system shows the profitability of Ebi and all that goes with it

atlantic mist

hopefully the creditability ucd hav wouldnt be comprimesed by large companies throwing there weight around, but will be interesting who benifit from research as many collages set up companies when comercial idea comes out of research, hope it wouldn b like teagasc were the tax payer funds it and we still hav to pay fees for reports and advice
are the companies involved putting in fund for future of irish farming or to sell one of their products, time will tell

kowtow

Coonagh wrote: »

I just looked it up there now an investment of 2 million for 200 cows. 10 grand a friggin cow!!!!!!!

Or, in other words, not quite enough to buy the acre she will need to graze in the pastoral system.

Let alone the cow, the cubicle bed, the scraper, or the parlour.

freedominacup

kowtow wrote: »

Or, in other words, not quite enough to buy the acre she will need to graze in the pastoral system.

Let alone the cow, the cubicle bed, the scraper, or the parlour.

Ah yes kowtow but from the sounds of things they have the acre on top of the 10k/cow investment. The real trick esp considering the part of the country they are in would have been to stock at 5/ha and buy in the feed needed beyond what grazing could provide. Reduce your investment by 25%/cow and see if the extra feed costs negated the reduced investment. Considering the best operators are growing 6 tonnes/cow and utilising just under 5 €350 per cow per year would buy a good bit of feed to make up the deficit.

kowtow

freedominacup wrote: »

Ah yes kowtow but from the sounds of things they have the acre on top of the 10k/cow investment.

I think you are probably right.

Still, will do no harm if the figures coming out of it are fulsome and transparent... the purely pastoral approach for Ireland makes perfect sense in a laboratory where you can pretend that it is one big farm, but on the ground the reality is very different. Hard to think of a country where de-fragmenting small landholdings is more difficult or more expensive than here - we should certainly not be abandoning research on more intensive approaches.

Apart from anything else housing is a reality for us - due to the weather - for a fair part of the year, and a more intensive venue might well support research which is beneficial for both welfare and productivity.

Markcheese

If the political will was there land fragmentation issues could be sorted out with a lot more share farming encouraged by taxation and welfare policies - possibly -

kowtow

Markcheese wrote: »

If the political will was there land fragmentation issues could be sorted out with a lot more share farming encouraged by taxation and welfare policies - possibly -

I think share farming, partnerships, long leases etc all help in terms of access to land - but I don't think any of them are a solution for land fragmentation in the strictest sense.

If you are truly committed to a system which relies on grazed grass for it's sole competitive advantage, and if you ever wish to expand, then your neighbour in effect already has a stake in your business - whether he takes it as partner, share farmer, lessor or future vendor - he still has the stake.

While your milk must compete in a world market, the land around your grazing platform is essentially a monopoly / duopoly.

Timmaay

Do bvd test results need to be back before a calf can be sold? If so how do I check if the result is back?

freedominacup

Timmaay wrote: »

Do bvd test results need to be back before a calf can be sold? If so how do I check if the result is back?

Enfer do results by text. Once you have that you're good to go. There's a number but I'm not sure how regularly it's answered. Should be on website.

Bullocks

Timmaay wrote: »

Do bvd test results need to be back before a calf can be sold? If so how do I check if the result is back?

They do . I get a text with results when they are done

Timmaay

What's the turnaround time this time of the yr?

Buford T. Justice XIX

Timmaay wrote: »

What's the turnaround time this time of the yr?

I'm getting results back in 4 days, not sure how common that is though.

Southern Scientific, btw.

whelan2

Timmaay wrote: »

What's the turnaround time this time of the yr?

if its enfer you can register on their website and see the results when they are up, normally post on monday and get text thursday morning

Greengrass1

Icbf have them