Dairy Chit Chat- Please read Mod note in post #1

freedominacup

Very funny thing just happened. In calf heifers in a paddock behind the house. Fence only around ten metres from the back wall of the house. Whatever way the light is they can see their reflection in the kitchen windows. Some very funny reactions.

kowtow

freedominacup wrote:

Very funny thing just happened. In calf heifers in a paddock behind the house. Fence only around ten metres from the back wall of the house. Whatever way the light is they can see their reflection in the kitchen windows. Some very funny reactions.

At least yours are staying in the paddock. Mine seem to have become immune to the fence wire and keep wandering up to the back door, into the yard etc. to enquire about the progress of their winter quarters.

Keepgrowing

https://twitter.com/dairycowqueen/status/798835000284094476

whelan2

Buford T. Justice V wrote: »

Obviously not a Kerry supplier, then:p

Still not collected. If it's collected tonight He better put the tank washing and close the gate after him:mad:

First 3 day collection here ever, daily collections are finished-thank fook- back to 2 day collections from tomorrow. I just rang driver to see what the story was here as I was expecting to be collected this morning

Buford T. Justice XIX

whelan2 wrote: »

First 3 day collection here ever, daily collections are finished-thank fook- back to 2 day collections from tomorrow. I just rang driver to see what the story was here as I was expecting to be collected this morning

3 day collections from April to October and 3-4 day from February to April and Mid-October to December. 7 day collections over Christmas for manufacturing milk, liquid is 2 day all year afaik.

I rang this morning to find out the story and my driver was told all my milk was collected yesterday. I rang the manager and he said he would leave it till Friday and no penalty. The last time it happened I got a penalty which they wouldn't refund and I only got a call on my way to HQ to block the entrance when they agreed to refund the penalty.

Signpost

FFS bought feeding straw a few weeks ago after looking at it in a shed. Was lovely stuff. Your man just came to deliver it there and literally every single bale was black, nothing even remotely like what I went to see & bought. Had to tell him put back on the straps as I wasn't taking it and he knew he had tried to con me because didnt even argue or ask for anything for delivery.

Anyone here selling actual feeding straw, not sh1te that you could hardly use for bedding?

wats the craic

i have two maiden heifers not incalf any sugestions where i should sell them , or just flog them with the cull cows at the mart

Mooooo

Signpost wrote: »

FFS bought feeding straw a few weeks ago after looking at it in a shed. Was lovely stuff. Your man just came to deliver it there and literally every single bale was black, nothing even remotely like what I went to see & bought. Had to tell him put back on the straps as I wasn't taking it and he knew he had tried to con me because didnt even argue or ask for anything for delivery.

Anyone here selling actual feeding straw, not sh1te that you could hardly use for bedding?

Id say youll be hard pushed to find it at this stage. Got lovely wheaten straw for feeding and the barley was due to arrive the following week but 4 weeks later it arrived, dull enough looking but what could the man do, he tedded and raked before baling alrite. perhaps look for some winter wheaten straw if you can find it.

Signpost

Mooooo

Signpost wrote: »

Bad form alright when ye had agreed on a deal. Very little alright, my supplier had barley straw that wasnt great left over from last year and that was all gone a month ago, may be tight myself as have to do more straw bedding this year but will get a load of woodchip to stretch it out.

Timmaay

Mooooo wrote: »

Bad form alright when ye had agreed on a deal. Very little alright, my supplier had barley straw that wasnt great left over from last year and that was all gone a month ago, may be tight myself as have to do more straw bedding this year but will get a load of woodchip to stretch it out.

Even tight here in Wicklow, and usually no end of it (typical the yr I decent to get less as I'm under pressure for sheds anyways). I've got afew tractor trailer loads of wood chip already as a base, will prb get more now.

Signpost

Rang a lad on dungdeal who says he has big square bales 8*4*4 in Tipp of wheaten, feeding quality for 65 a bale delivered. How many round bales in a big? Bit of a gamble buying over the phone but going to be screwed without it so worth a chance maybe?

Water John

Ha, good typo. Just might be true.

Timmaay

Reading up about fodder beet today, and "complaining" about the effort of keeping the cows outside at the minute on a small bit of grass has me thinking. I've 3 separate paddocks all beside the parlour which will need to be reseeded over the next few years, could I incorporate a beet into the rotation? When would I need to sow the beet? We buy in about 8ac of maize every year, which is working out at anything between 14 and 19c/kgdm, beet is a lot cheaper, in around 6/7c. Yhe beet could nicely replace the maize as a high energy feed to put condition on them, the cows could strip graze away at the beet, so only need to move a strip wire against trying to juggle maize and grass silage in the feed passage now. Not the driest of farms here, however the back ends tend to be dry, and I'd be aiming to have it all grazed out early Dec and cows housed after that. Anyone do anything similar, or am I just making hardship for myself for the sake of the reseeds ha?

Mooooo

Timmaay wrote: »

Reading up about fodder beet today, and "complaining" about the effort of keeping the cows outside at the minute on a small bit of grass has me thinking. I've 3 separate paddocks all beside the parlour which will need to be reseeded over the next few years, could I incorporate a beet into the rotation? When would I need to sow the beet? We buy in about 8ac of maize every year, which is working out at anything between 14 and 19c/kgdm, beet is a lot cheaper, in around 6/7c. Yhe beet could nicely replace the maize as a high energy feed to put condition on them, the cows could strip graze away at the beet, so only need to move a strip wire against trying to juggle maize and grass silage in the feed passage now. Not the driest of farms here, however the back ends tend to be dry, and I'd be aiming to have it all grazed out early Dec and cows housed after that. Anyone do anything similar, or am I just making hardship for myself for the sake of the reseeds ha?

I think there is some one on twitter doing it alright. Would require more washing of cows in the parlour alright. What way has weather been on a avg the last 5 years for Nov and Dec? Tim you should go away and buy a diet feeder no hassle then

Keepgrowing

Timmaay wrote: »

Reading up about fodder beet today, and "complaining" about the effort of keeping the cows outside at the minute on a small bit of grass has me thinking. I've 3 separate paddocks all beside the parlour which will need to be reseeded over the next few years, could I incorporate a beet into the rotation? When would I need to sow the beet? We buy in about 8ac of maize every year, which is working out at anything between 14 and 19c/kgdm, beet is a lot cheaper, in around 6/7c. Yhe beet could nicely replace the maize as a high energy feed to put condition on them, the cows could strip graze away at the beet, so only need to move a strip wire against trying to juggle maize and grass silage in the feed passage now. Not the driest of farms here, however the back ends tend to be dry, and I'd be aiming to have it all grazed out early Dec and cows housed after that. Anyone do anything similar, or am I just making hardship for myself for the sake of the reseeds ha?

Pure fooking hardship. Got that tshirt. Did it before I had enough resources to provide better housing for cows.

Beet yields 35-40 per acre or c100 tonne of dirty beet per Ha. When washed the tare would be 16-20% depending on variety.

€2500 per ha to grow and harvest.
100 tonnes fresh @ 20% tare is 80 fresh
80 tonnes @ 25%dm is 20 t DM
That's 12.5c per kg DM on a good crop

This is an unfair figure for FBeet as its energy level is massive and it feeds way better than it analysts would suggest. If I was looking for an alternative forage it would be beet every time.

I'd rather harvest and wash rather than deal with the scutter associated with grazing it. A Tanco root chopper on the front loader or back of tractor would feed it really easily

jack o shea

Is it easy replace the tounge part of auto scrapers? Think that's the problem anyway, not
Pushing the ****e when any amount builds up....

whelan2

jack o shea wrote: »

Is it easy replace the tounge part of auto scrapers? Think that's the problem anyway, not
Pushing the ****e when any amount builds up....

Ye just a bolt and nut holding it on. Is the crap dry, might need to wet it a bit

Postdriver

Signpost wrote:

Rang a lad on dungdeal who says he has big square bales 8*4*4 in Tipp of wheaten, feeding quality for 65 a bale delivered. How many round bales in a big? Bit of a gamble buying over the phone but going to be screwed without it so worth a chance maybe?

Should be 3 rounds in 8x4x4

Buford T. Justice XIX

jack o shea wrote: »

Is it easy replace the tounge part of auto scrapers? Think that's the problem anyway, not
Pushing the ****e when any amount builds up....

What brand of scraper?

Dairymaster is just one bolt, turn it upside down, replace the tongue and tighten the bolt.

Timmaay

Mooooo wrote: »

I think there is some one on twitter doing it alright. Would require more washing of cows in the parlour alright. What way has weather been on a avg the last 5 years for Nov and Dec? Tim you should go away and buy a diet feeder no hassle then

Diet feeder not actually the worst of ideas, would solve my lack of feed barrier space nicely also. Long term plan is to breed a cow who can hold condition without needing maize etc.

jack o shea

Ye lads it's dairymaster, very dry ****e il give it another go tomorrow, but the tounges are very worn , does the little bumps on the track wear as Well?

whelan2

jack o shea wrote: »

Ye lads it's dairymaster, very dry ****e il give it another go tomorrow, but the tounges are very worn , does the little bumps on the track wear as Well?

ye you can replace track, did all mine last year.

Buford T. Justice XIX

jack o shea wrote: »

Ye lads it's dairymaster, very dry ****e il give it another go tomorrow, but the tounges are very worn , does the little bumps on the track wear as Well?

The dry stuff is murder alright. I always keep a spare tongue just in case.

What happens mine is a build up of feed at one side throws it off the track and the tongue gets bent so I pop in the spare and go to a neighbour who heats the bent one and bends it back into shape.

Mine are in 15 years and the notches on the tracks are perfect still, it's nearly always a bent tongue or bolts coming loose on the track joiners that cause problems with mine.

Buford T. Justice XIX

whelan2 wrote: »

ye you can replace track, did all mine last year.

Were they in long? I just replaced the end section in mine, 10' long with a panel to turn the plate holding the tongues up or down, for 125 euro plus vat!

whelan2

Buford T. Justice V wrote: »

Were they in long? I just replaced the end section in mine, 10' long with a panel to turn the plate holding the tongues up or down, for 125 euro plus vat!

Over 10 years, I find wetting the passage down a great job with dry crap, have a tap half way along passage for this.

jack o shea

Mine are in about 8 years never replaced anything up til now..

GrasstoMilk

Timmaay wrote: »

Diet feeder not actually the worst of ideas, would solve my lack of feed barrier space nicely also. Long term plan is to breed a cow who can hold condition without needing maize etc.

You'd put in feed space for 150 cows for the price of a feeder

whelan2

GrasstoMilk wrote: »

You'd put in feed space for 150 cows for the price of a feeder

Can pick up a second hand feeder cheap enough.

GrasstoMilk

whelan2 wrote: »

Can pick up a second hand feeder cheap enough.

Not saying anything against feeders.
My point being buying a feeder still won't solve your feed space issue

Mooooo

GrasstoMilk wrote: »

Not saying anything against feeders.
My point being buying a feeder still won't solve your feed space issue

It can if 2 forages is the issue. Once a tmr is out keep it pushed in and the first cow gets the same as the last cow to eat. short on feed space here and before the feeder strong cows may eat all the maize and rest left with the silage and none fed right, at least now they all get the same. Would agree tho invest in space ahead of a feeder unless you can pick one up cheap or hire one for the few months. Esp seeing as timmay is moving away from autumn calving Spurious chains and things like that are a lot cheaper too than main brand with older machines.

Timmaay

Mooooo wrote: »

It can if 2 forages is the issue. Once a tmr is out keep it pushed in and the first cow gets the same as the last cow to eat. short on feed space here and before the feeder strong cows may eat all the maize and rest left with the silage and none fed right, at least now they all get the same. Would agree tho invest in space ahead of a feeder unless you can pick one up cheap or hire one for the few months. Esp seeing as timmay is moving away from autumn calving Spurious chains and things like that are a lot cheaper too than main brand with older machines.

I'd save a few quid buying straight soya and balancing the dietary p in the feeder instead of small volumes of expensive enough 18/20% nuts, however as moo said I'm trying to move away from all this so I'm definitely not going to go out and spend 10k etc on a feeder for a few weeks of the year. All I know is at the min it's taking me the best part of 40mins to put in the maize level enough along the feed passage and into two ring feeders, and the spread afew bales over it all, and reasonably bit of shoveling etc, and some bigger cows are probably still getting more than their fair share.

Buford T. Justice XIX

NI dairy herd dispersals on the increase



http://www.thescottishfarmer.co.uk/news/14879624.NI_dairy_herd_dispersals_on_the_increase/

farisfat

whelan2 wrote: »

Can pick up a second hand feeder cheap enough.

A few grand will buy keenan feeders at the moment

GrasstoMilk

I'll have 200ft feed space in here for under 2k by this time next year. yard under it will cost a lot more but that's a very big area we're concreting so not a fair comparison.
All in I'll have space to feed near 200 head if I need to but idea is to keep the cows in the one area and not be mucking up yards

mahoney_j

GrasstoMilk wrote: »

I'll have 200ft feed space in here for under 2k by this time next year. yard under it will cost a lot more but that's a very big area we're concreting so not a fair comparison.
All in I'll have space to feed near 200 head if I need to but idea is to keep the cows in the one area and not be mucking up yards

200 spaces including feed barriers ,concrete etc for under 2 k ?????

GrasstoMilk

mahoney_j wrote: »

200 spaces including feed barriers ,concrete etc for under 2 k ?????

I'll have feed space for 55 in an existing shed
The new 200 ft will have some barriers from existing feed space that's being moved, will put rest in as straight pipes. That 2k doesn't include the concrete they'll stand on just the feeding passage itself. The concrete it'll be on is part of reconcreteing an existing yard so hard to quantify it

Timmaay

mahoney_j wrote: »

200 spaces including feed barriers ,concrete etc for under 2 k ?????

200ft. Unless them jex only need a ft each ha? But he said not including concrete.

Keepgrowing

Timmaay wrote: »

200ft. Unless them jex only need a ft each ha? But he said not including concrete.

350 foot feed pad done here last year €10k.
That's digger, filling, concrete H irons and straight bar. All work done ourselves and that figure includes our own labour

kowtow

Buford T. Justice V wrote:

Were they in long? I just replaced the end section in mine, 10' long with a panel to turn the plate holding the tongues up or down, for 125 euro plus vat!

90 + vat a length at dairy power from memory. I did a load a year or two back.

Now need to find a motor saddle + control for a second passage... have the track more or less.

mf240

I'd prefer to put in enough space for them all to eat at once. Even with a diet feeder they have to wait their turn if not enough space. Put in an extra but last year and it's just concrete yard and a couple of neckrails beside an existing shed . Run the slurry into the slats with a 135 and scraper and do a couple of passages with it as well. Cheap and cheerful.

Signpost

My biggest problem with a feeder is you need a second tractor / loader. Atm I've a good tractor & loader that I keep fresh. Have a quad for fertiliser and a a small tractor that started about 5 times this year, usually because it was in the way. Drop the loader in minutes and can do all the work I need it to, loader on it feeds everything in the sheds etc. Even to get a tub feeder cheap prob talking 10k+ (guess, feel free to correct me), your definitely talking another 15 / 30 k to have the tractor to drive it for mixing it & in most instance your still going to be buying in your beet etc. As much as I would fail to see a fault in what they are doing its hard to justify the expense at the same time!

visatorro

I'm kinda boxed in when it comes to feeding space. so feeder was a simple option I suppose. Handy second hand machine. No crazy money involved. Plenty of work with it. One tractor operation. Pit silage and straw. Bit of meal.

It's like everything else, looking in from the outside. Some lads are cow starvers, some lads are machinery mad. Do whatever suits yourself. Not perfect here but still cheap and cheerful.

alps

http://i.stuff.co.nz/business/farming/86554584/fonterra-discriminated-against-studholme-suppliers-court-of-appeal

Interesting little read...

whelan2

visatorro wrote: »

I'm kinda boxed in when it comes to feeding space. so feeder was a simple option I suppose. Handy second hand machine. No crazy money involved. Plenty of work with it. One tractor operation. Pit silage and straw. Bit of meal.

It's like everything else, looking in from the outside. Some lads are cow starvers, some lads are machinery mad. Do whatever suits yourself. Not perfect here but still cheap and cheerful.

We havent enough feed space here, have to feed twice a day. Plan to knock exsisting sheds in 2017 and rebuild so that we only have to feed once a day. Feeder is a 170 , 12 years old-bought new- tractor that runs it is a 2000 tn125 and a 1998 jcb loads it. Any money I have will go in to new buildings and roadways, no shiny metal disease here. Feeder is great as oh can fill it every other day and I run it along when he's not here. Only milkers are fed with feeder , rest get bales. Bring feeder to outfarm full once a week

Timmaay

Talking about feed barriers, anyone know where I'd get galvanised feed bars, just the 3inch pipe, usual 16ft length, in the south east area preferably.

GrasstoMilk

Timmaay wrote: »

Talking about feed barriers, anyone know where I'd get galvanised feed bars, just the 3inch pipe, usual 16ft length, in the south east area preferably.

Any steel supplier.
Ivor Murphy in Enniscorthy will have them too but he'll have his bit on them.
40e a 20ft length

pedigree 6

Right that's everything dried off this morning.

Time now to do the paperwork and get the angle grinder and welder going again.
Wohoo.:D

Water John

Boys and their toys, Ped. Enjoy.

kevthegaff

Timmaay wrote:

Talking about feed barriers, anyone know where I'd get galvanised feed bars, just the 3inch pipe, usual 16ft length, in the south east area preferably.

Crowd in South tipp, I'll try to get the name for u later