Dairy chit chat II

kevthegaff

Dried off yesterday took 4 hours, after every 2 rows washed down parlour. Slow on ones own but if not rushing not too bad

blackdog1

Well first attempt at pasteurisering colostrum was a fail, turned to pudding, think I need to lower the temp and keep it heated longer. 60 degrees for 30 mins is next on the agenda. Anyone have experience with this?

Panch18

blackdog1 wrote: »

Well first attempt at pasteurisering colostrum was a fail, turned to pudding, think I need to lower the temp and keep it heated longer. 60 degrees for 30 mins is next on the agenda. Anyone have experience with this?

Why are you pasteurising it?

Mooooo

blackdog1 wrote: »

Well first attempt at pasteurisering colostrum was a fail, turned to pudding, think I need to lower the temp and keep it heated longer. 60 degrees for 30 mins is next on the agenda. Anyone have experience with this?

I thought pasteurisering was rapid heating and rapid cooling. If you heat it for much of a length will you jot just cook it

C0N0R

blackdog1 wrote: »

Well first attempt at pasteurisering colostrum was a fail, turned to pudding, think I need to lower the temp and keep it heated longer. 60 degrees for 30 mins is next on the agenda. Anyone have experience with this?

We have a pasteuriser here, heating to 60 degrees and keeping it there for 60 mins, what temp were you going too?

C0N0R

stretch film wrote: »

GrasstoMilk wrote: »

That'll be the end of winter milk here if that happens. That's what's making it pay

It's some laugh .the payement system based on solids was brought in at the behest of glanbia to replace the flat price that was traditionally paid for liquid milk.

The reasoning was that there was too much cost in drying the surplus milk (white water).

Now they don't want to pay for something they can't make anything off(protein) while skimming off the extra fat they encouraged in the first place .

Fu ckers and fukees as someone used to say round here

We get just a flat price for our liquid milk, it's great when the solids are below base, which unfortunately is too often but tends to be in spring when we're rising above liquid quota.

Mooooo

Anyone sell culls recently? Big framed cows maybe 600kgs plus down to smaller ladies. Will likely be finished in summer not inside. Condition okay but not well fleshed as they say

alps

Mooooo wrote: »

Anyone sell culls recently? Big framed cows maybe 600kgs plus down to smaller ladies. Will likely be finished in summer not inside. Condition okay but not well fleshed as they say

I'm told selling strong at marts in last 2 weeks, seems to be a lift in prices...only second hand news I'm afraid

whelan2

Is everyone getting their glanbia quality results. Nothing here since 29 November. Mainly daily collections.

Keepgrowing

GrasstoMilk wrote: »

That'll be the end of winter milk here if that happens. That's what's making it pay

It's liquid suppliers it applies to not Baileys

Mooooo

alps wrote: »

I'm told selling strong at marts in last 2 weeks, seems to be a lift in prices...only second hand news I'm afraid

Surprised at that. Will b selling to a feed lot so limited but deal a bit with this lad so just looking for a fair price. I suppose there weight would be a good bet some above some below

Morris Moss

Well folks, I'm after using mastermectin on dairy cows and like a gob****e didn't read that it shouldn't be used on them, any ideas on what to do?

leg wax

.

Mooooo

Morris Moss wrote: »

Well folks, I'm after using mastermectin on dairy cows and like a gob****e didn't read that it shouldn't be used on them, any ideas on what to do?

Are they dry?

Morris Moss

Mooooo wrote: »

Are they dry?

Yeah dry three weeks, dosed them a week ago and start calfing around the 15 of January.

Timmaay

Morris Moss wrote: »

Yeah dry three weeks, dosed them a week ago and start calfing around the 15 of January.

Test their milk for antibiotics before ya let them in the tank after calving. Pool samples of whatever cows ready.

Mooooo

Morris Moss wrote: »

Yeah dry three weeks, dosed them a week ago and start calfing around the 15 of January.

Not sure what you should do. How recently is it that it was stopped for use in dairy cows?. Is it 60 days for in calf heifers or can they be used on in calf dairy stock.? Would the test kits pick it up in milk?

Morris Moss

Mooooo wrote: »

Not sure what you should do. How recently is it that it was stopped for use in dairy cows?. Is it 60 days for in calf heifers or can they be used on in calf dairy stock.? Would the test kits pick it up in milk?

Well I'm certain I used it last year as well so I don't really know when it was stopped for cows...

Umm sorry lads twas a false alarm I'm after reading the box again and it says do not use within 60 days of calving, I'll have to test a few but most will be fine.

kevthegaff

Dosed all today, showed positive for rumen fluke so zanil, ibr and tagging. Go again in Jan with Albex

degetme

kevthegaff wrote: »

Dosed all today, showed positive for rumen fluke so zanil, ibr and tagging. Go again in Jan with Albex

high or low positive?

tanko

degetme wrote: »

high or low positive?

Does that make much difference, is it not the same treatment for either?

degetme

tanko wrote: »

Does that make much difference, is it not the same treatment for either?

low positive apparently does not affect the cow much and you might get away with one dose of zanil 8 weeks after housing. not a vet so don't take my word for it. low positive results here past few years. no liver fluke. always went with 120ml zanil x 2v 8 weeks apart. changing this year to one dose all eight weeks after housing and dose any few dirty or poorer looking ones at drying off

Mooooo

Maize results back
33.9 DM
75 DMD
32.9 starch
9.1 CP
11.5 ME
Ammonia 4.2
Ph 4

freedominacup

Mooooo wrote: »

Maize results back
33.9 DM
75 DMD
32.9 starch
9.1 CP
11.5 ME
Ammonia 4.2
Ph 4

You must be very disappointed.

freedominacup

Glanbia have just launched a new book about kilmeaden creamery. Kilmeaden. Milking members, sorry, memories for 100 years, is the title.

Mooooo

freedominacup wrote: »

You must be very disappointed.

Ha yeah, happy enough. Yield was average, not record high as there was talk off but that quality is what you want. we cut later than most around here. The bit I kept out of the pit separate turned out out to be a balls as loader man didn't roll it much if at all id say and I had used all the protective covering in main pit so it got attacked as well so a bit of waste in that but main pit is good, zill cover and lorry curtains worked well. Haven't fed much yet so will hopefully be a bit left for going to grass in spring

leg wax

anyone going to fermoy tomorrow , 160 on offer,,,,,,,. will offer to take some home....

Sillycave

Does anyone have any information of Farm/Business Plan i.e. layout, what headings used, Targets, Objectives? Just looking for a general idea of what is involved to compile one. If you want to PM me please do, thanks

Mooooo

freedominacup wrote: »

You must be very disappointed.

Was talking to a rep there and he said some samples have come back up at 36 starch.

Timmaay

Mooooo wrote: »

Ha yeah, happy enough. Yield was average, not record high as there was talk off but that quality is what you want. we cut later than most around here. The bit I kept out of the pit separate turned out out to be a balls as loader man didn't roll it much if at all id say and I had used all the protective covering in main pit so it got attacked as well so a bit of waste in that but main pit is good, zill cover and lorry curtains worked well. Haven't fed much yet so will hopefully be a bit left for going to grass in spring

Horsing mine on into the cows now, I'd happy enough if the most is gone by mid Jan. I'm feeding it to put condition on the cows, also I noticed the crows started attacking it hard here from mid Feb onwards in previous years. The likes of soyahulls, rolled barley are cheap enough that I couldn't be arsed with the hassle of maize in the spring to bridge gaps in grass. Rocketing through the leafy silage bales also which is slightly annoying, I can't do much about that until I hit the 1st cut behind the maize in the pit though ha.

Mooooo

Timmaay wrote: »

Horsing mine on into the cows now, I'd happy enough if the most is gone by mid Jan. I'm feeding it to put condition on the cows, also I noticed the crows started attacking it hard here from mid Feb onwards in previous years. The likes of soyahulls, rolled barley are cheap enough that I couldn't be arsed with the hassle of maize in the spring to bridge gaps in grass. Rocketing through the leafy silage bales also which is slightly annoying, I can't do much about that until I hit the 1st cut behind the maize in the pit though ha.

Main reason for me is I haven't dried anything yet, 90 odd cows to be dried including a few culls in next two weeks so be a lot of stuff in to balance the ration if they were getting a lot of it. I'll up it once they are dried. Maybe it's the cold spell but I reckon I went too hard on covers as well so may be tight in spring for grass.

Freejin

How often do ye lime cubicles while the cows are dry? Don't do it very often here,no major mastitis problems,cell count around the 200k over the year. Invariably end up with a couple of new high cell count cows every year. Wondering would more lime over the dry period be of benefit?

mahoney_j

Freejin wrote: »

How often do ye lime cubicles while the cows are dry? Don't do it very often here,no major mastitis problems,cell count around the 200k over the year. Invariably end up with a couple of new high cell count cows every year. Wondering would more lime over the dry period be of benefit?

Brush down and lime twice daily ,if scc 200 k or >you have a problem

freedominacup

mahoney_j wrote: »

Brush down and lime twice daily ,if scc 200 k or >you have a problem

Even for drys?

mahoney_j

freedominacup wrote: »

Even for drys?

Yes,lime and brushing cubicles *2 daily less costly than mastitis and high scc .cows fully housed 2.5 weeks scc 68 .average forcyear will be circa 75

Wildsurfer

Sillycave wrote: »

Does anyone have any information of Farm/Business Plan i.e. layout, what headings used, Targets, Objectives? Just looking for a general idea of what is involved to compile one. If you want to PM me please do, thanks

Teagasc have a 35 page booklet called 'My farm, my plan- Planning for my future'. Available at your local office or Oak park.

Brown Podzol

mahoney_j wrote: »

Yes,lime and brushing cubicles *2 daily less costly than mastitis and high scc .cows fully housed 2.5 weeks scc 68 .average forcyear will be circa 75

You'll get an AHI cell check award for that. Got one last year and I only threw a fist of lime into the cubicle once a day.

yewtree

Was at the dairy conference today, good day I thought. Some interesting stuff from L Shaloo on break even price.
The example used of rarely efficient farmer had breakevenue price of 35 cent for 2015. The guy had large drawings and and fairly high borrowings.

mahoney_j

yewtree wrote: »

Was at the dairy conference today, good day I thought. Some interesting stuff from L Shaloo on break even price.
The example used of rarely efficient farmer had breakevenue price of 35 cent for 2015. The guy had large drawings and and fairly high borrowings.

Was that breakeven price including a wage for farmer ,debt repayment and land charge ??.

yewtree

mahoney_j wrote: »

Was that breakeven price including a wage for farmer ,debt repayment and land charge ??.

Every cash cost including tax, capital repayments and labour, no land charge for owned land as it only looks at cash cost. But if you were working on a rented/purchased farm it would be accounted for.

Buford T. Justice XIX

yewtree wrote: »

Was at the dairy conference today, good day I thought. Some interesting stuff from L Shaloo on break even price.
The example used of rarely efficient farmer had breakevenue price of 35 cent for 2015. The guy had large drawings and and fairly high borrowings.

I was at the Cork one yesterday. Best moment was in the clover workshop when a lad recommended using Diesel for Bloat prevention. It didn't go down well with a lot of lads thankfully.

Timmaay

yewtree wrote: »

Every cash cost including tax, capital repayments and labour, no land charge for owned land as it only looks at cash cost. But if you were working on a rented/purchased farm it would be accounted for.

For a fully rented farm stocked about 2lu/ha (all fodder and replacements in house basically), the rule of thumb I've heard is about 3c/l. I'd hazard a guess of 2c/l if your stocked up around 3lu/ha, but you're fodder bill will obviously be higher. Anyways adding that in, 38c/l is a good figure for what you should be aiming for for all incomings, ie milk sales, stock sales and bps etc, this is even if you aren't paying out the rental cash cost, because if you packed in dairying in the morning you would be straight away getting that rental cost as cash into your pocket! Anyways how much under that 38c/l figure will we all be this year?

yewtree

Buford T. Justice V wrote: »

I was at the Cork one yesterday. Best moment was in the clover workshop when a lad recommended using Diesel for Bloat prevention. It didn't go down well with a lot of lads thankfully.

Nothing like a random comment to stir up things up a bit!
On another note there seemed to be a very positive mood at the conference, rising milk price and brighter outlook obviously has a lot to do with it

Signpost

yewtree wrote: »

Was at the dairy conference today, good day I thought. Some interesting stuff from L Shaloo on break even price.
The example used of rarely efficient farmer had breakevenue price of 35 cent for 2015. The guy had large drawings and and fairly high borrowings.

I was at the Cork one yesterday (the good looking fella with the beard for anyone wondering) and had planned to put up about that workshop today. I've the worksheet attached here and in fairness for the 10 mins it takes to fill out its scary to see the output. I'd think I run things fairly tight here but my guess for break even was well off! Thankfully I was producing below it but it definitely opened the eyes a bit!

One thing which I took from Pete Morgans talk was the fact that in NZ the monitor farms make their bank accounts open for others to compare to. Until Teagasc do this its going to be constant bull from the lads feeding 300 kg of meal but 800 kg going into the bin etc. Needs to be more transparency so the size of your ego doesn't dictate the top 20%. I would have no issue sharing my accounts if others were doing the same as I could see a huge advantage in it for the industry.

Water John

Good stuff there on real costs and figures. Maybe some of the IFJ boys, incl Matt Dempsey should go along for an update.

mahoney_j

yewtree wrote: »

Every cash cost including tax, capital repayments and labour, no land charge for owned land as it only looks at cash cost. But if you were working on a rented/purchased farm it would be accounted for.

Some change if true and not before time .most these lads don't consider labour and debt repsyement a cop and don't quote them .this is not a cheap country to produce milk and this needs to be shown transparently.some of the glory hunters in journal and that dairy mag are hopefully there .going on solo runs blowing about pm cop missing so much data doing us a huge disservice

Keepgrowing

mahoney_j wrote: »

Some change if true and not before time .most these lads don't consider labour and debt repsyement a cop and don't quote them .this is not a cheap country to produce milk and this needs to be shown transparently.some of the glory hunters in journal and that dairy mag are hopefully there .going on solo runs blowing about pm cop missing so much data doing us a huge disservice

I accept that to a degree. It's a bit of a stretch calling people glory hunters. It's a welcome change but including drawings isn't accounting for your labour. If your spouse has a good income your drawings will be skewed.

Compared to all of Europe except the western parts of England and Wales we have lower costs of production. The cost of land, cubicle, slurry storage, labour and land is truly eye watering particularly in Northern Europe.

We can grow 13-20 tonne of DM grass here and even with a high land price it'll be competitive with maize. It won't have the consistency but it can be supplemented with cheaper grains. We pay a premium for fert but our labour and capital costs are lower.

We won't hit the production per cow of our neighbours but we are more robust when the price falls.

mahoney_j

Keepgrowing wrote: »

I accept that to a degree. It's a bit of a stretch calling people glory hunters. It's a welcome change but including drawings isn't accounting for your labour. If your spouse has a good income your drawings will be skewed.

Compared to all of Europe except the western parts of England and Wales we have lower costs of production. The cost of land, cubicle, slurry storage, labour and land is truly eye watering particularly in Northern Europe.

We can grow 13-20 tonne of DM grass here and even with a high land price it'll be competitive with maize. It won't have the consistency but it can be supplemented with cheaper grains. We pay a premium for fert but our labour and capital costs are lower.

We won't hit the production per cow of our neighbours but we are more robust when the price falls.

Finding it hard find fault with that ,excellent post .i used the term glory hunters because most of these guys and journos printing them are putting it out there that we can produce milk for ridiculous figures ,missing crucial figures .if lads are going to put themselves out there for articles there needs to be honesty and transperancy in figures .theres no credibility in saying you can produce milk at figures in teens /low 20s and not pay yourself ,repay debt and even a land charge

yewtree

Any one with any clue knows that milk can't be produced for 20 cent.
The breakeven price will vary so much between farms due to requirement for drawing and level of debt, taxation structure it's not much use as a comparison between farms. The PM is a better benchmarking tool for specific costs, the problem is that the PM was used to indicate total costs on farms which clearly is wrong.

mahoney_j

yewtree wrote: »

Any one with any clue knows that milk can't be produced for 20 cent.
The breakeven price will vary so much between farms due to requirement for drawing and level of debt, taxation structure it's not much use as a comparison between farms. The PM is a better benchmarking tool for specific costs, the problem is that the PM was used to indicate total costs on farms which clearly is wrong.

Johnny public didn't know that tho sndcwill read these articles and think were on the pigs back and that we should all be producing milk at those figures ,coops /supermarkets etc will use those figures too
Pm is totally outdated and its info used and abused by the journos who print articles in the ifj and dairy farmers magazine etc .i even fail to understand why it's used in comparing different farms as no 2 farms are the same .my yearly monitoring /comparadion are between 2. Different years accounts .there honest figures that I use for my own benefit .i could blow ****e out my ears using pm figures but they don't contain accurate figures