Dairy Chitchat 3

Grueller

kevthegaff wrote: »

I'm a fancy lad!!I used at 1/2 mix 3 years ago. Looks good. We done the parlour at home half rate 15 yr ago and still looks good. Your man in chemical supper begs to differ. We didn't do pits as we have the fancy mats as well..

I will put in the mats at some stage, not because I am fancy, but because I find standing on concrete kills my legs and even soaks the heat out of me. It will be a year or two though before they go in.

jaymla627

Grueller wrote: »

I will put in the mats at some stage, not because I am fancy, but because I find standing on concrete kills my legs and even soaks the heat out of me. It will be a year or two though before they go in.

Put them in as soon as possible, if funds allow will be alot cheaper then hip/knee replacements down the line, father would milk occasionally here and before mats went in he would be crippled after standing on concrete for the two hours with the mats in their is no aches our pains, easyfix have a good selection, was 1200 euro here for a 20 unit parlour with their double foam mat

awaywithyou

https://ruralnewsgroup.co.nz/rural-news/rural-general-news/farmers-count-flood-costs

more rain in new zealand... they have got some hammering this month.... even tho they supposed to b in the middle of summer

straight

jaymla627 wrote: »

Put them in as soon as possible, if funds allow will be alot cheaper then hip/knee replacements down the line, father would milk occasionally here and before mats went in he would be crippled after standing on concrete for the two hours with the mats in their is no aches our pains, easyfix have a good selection, was 1200 euro here for a 20 unit parlour with their double foam mat

The worry I would have with the mats is sour milk/dirt building up underneath?

GrasstoMilk

straight wrote: »

Mine is in over 10 years with nothing and it's like new. Concrete doesn't wear away like that. The colour is only for the fancy lads.

Ours is 15 years old and has worn very badly where the cows let down there milk and teat spray drips down

Wildsurfer

Consider covering the concrete with plastic so it will cure properly and give a harder wearing finish. Adding colour at factory will cost approx €50 per meter extra. Agree on mats, well worth it.

straight

I see some lads are putting in black mats where the cows are standing.

whelan2

At last

Water John

Is this the shed finished or Liverpool winning? Great second goal.

whelan2

At last

Castlekeeper

straight wrote: »

The worry I would have with the mats is sour milk/dirt building up underneath?

A good pair of wellies will keep you comfortable all day too, until you stand on a nail of course!

Mooooo

whelan2 wrote: »

At last

Fair play. Hope there'll be many a safe year in it

Buford T. Justice XIX

whelan2 wrote: »

At last

whelan2 wrote: »

At last

whelan2 wrote: »

At last

Well wear, worth the buildup:P

Buford T. Justice XIX

It's good to talk.

I mentioned to the local lad that services around here that I was trying to decide whether to go with gas or stay with electric. He mentioned that he knew where there was a 66gal electric heater only 1 year old going for handier money and was I interested?

So I said I'd go for it, should have enough water for washing now and no limescale should keep it sound for a few years.

whelan2

Mooooo wrote: »

Fair play. Hope there'll be many a safe year in it

Put 75 into that side today and it looks like there's room for twice that.

Buford T. Justice XIX

Anyone know what's going on in Aurivo? The boss is on extended leave for a while now and one of his team who was to leave has remained in place. Just curious, it's an unusual situation.

Wildsurfer

whelan2 wrote: »

Put 75 into that side today and it looks like there's room for twice that.

A nice Christmas present for yourself! Is there much rain coming in at the gap under the eaves where you were wondering about?

whelan2

Wildsurfer wrote: »

A nice Christmas present for yourself! Is there much rain coming in at the gap under the eaves where you were wondering about?

Not on that side. I'll ha e to do something on the other side though

Panch18

whelan2 wrote: »

At last

Looks a great job, well done.

how many will it hold?

kevthegaff

Its a killer letting cows in to dirty it!

whelan2

Panch18 wrote: »

Looks a great job, well done.

how many will it hold?

110 cubicles in each side.

GrasstoMilk

https://m.independent.ie/business/farming/schemes/new-40-grant-for-calf-rearing-facilities-announced-38799022.html?hhh

Anyone know anything about this? Itll hardly be up and running for this spring

Mooooo

GrasstoMilk wrote: »

https://m.independent.ie/business/farming/schemes/new-40-grant-for-calf-rearing-facilities-announced-38799022.html?hhh

Anyone know anything about this? Itll hardly be up and running for this spring

Price of auto feeders will take a nice hike now

GrasstoMilk

Mooooo wrote: »

Price of auto feeders will take a nice hike now

We've one ordered, I'd be trying to get the grant on it if possible. Advisor reckons itll be some what like the fooder scheme back in 17/18 where you just apply

Injuryprone

GrasstoMilk wrote: »

https://m.independent.ie/business/farming/schemes/new-40-grant-for-calf-rearing-facilities-announced-38799022.html?hhh

Anyone know anything about this? Itll hardly be up and running for this spring

Applications open 07/01/20. Going off the timelines of other grants, you'd probably get approval just when the calves are coming off the milk

Dakota Dan

Anyone using chlorine free detergent with every 4 day collections? Hot washing machine every evening here with chlorine free and same with the bulk tank every collection, tbc went from 17k up to 105k yesterday even though milking machine and bulk tank are spotless. Totally annoying.

jaymla627

Dakota Dan wrote: »

Anyone using chlorine free detergent with every 4 day collections? Hot washing machine every evening here with chlorine free and same with the bulk tank every collection, tbc went from 17k up to 105k yesterday even though milking machine and bulk tank are spotless. Totally annoying.

Gone back to using chlorine on bulk tank here and then doing a second wash with chlorine free to remove any residue, tbc was always under 10 here and since going to chlorine free it goes bananas on a regular basis, despite machine been hot washed every milking

Injuryprone

Dakota Dan wrote: »

Anyone using chlorine free detergent with every 4 day collections? Hot washing machine every evening here with chlorine free and same with the bulk tank every collection, tbc went from 17k up to 105k yesterday even though milking machine and bulk tank are spotless. Totally annoying.

Was the 17k for a 4 day collection as well? I found a teagasc publication a few years ago ( think I linked it here maybe) that shows tbc increases exponentially after 3-4 days even with everything perfect. You're saying a 4 day collection, it was probably another day or 2 before it was tested if the collection was at the weekend.

It's a real bugbear of mine. In the middle of may on 2 day collection with milk being tested within 12 hours most of the time because of the peak, a tbc of 29k will be classed as premium milk. That exact same sample this time of the year could return a tbc north of 300k

Mooooo

Dried off the last of the cow's yday. Plenty milk on the cubicles today and they weren't exactly driving milk perhaps averaging 10 to 12 litres

Base price

GrasstoMilk wrote: »

https://m.independent.ie/business/farming/schemes/new-40-grant-for-calf-rearing-facilities-announced-38799022.html?hhh

Anyone know anything about this? Itll hardly be up and running for this spring

Reading the article it appears that it is only open to dairy farmers which IMO is unfortunate and a flawed scheme. The majority that avail of the funding will use it to rear their replacement heifer calves whereas I think the aim of the scheme should be focused on the less economic dairy bull calves. The majority of dairy farmers that I know sell their bull calves either directly for shipping, through the mart or privately.

IMO such a scheme should have aimed to encourage non dairy farmers to rear dairy bull calves.

Dakota Dan

Mooooo wrote: »

Dried off the last of the cow's yday. Plenty milk on the cubicles today and they weren't exactly driving milk perhaps averaging 10 to 12 litres

They should dry up in a week or two, same happens here every year even with a sealer.

Gawddawggonnit

GrasstoMilk wrote: »

https://m.independent.ie/business/farming/schemes/new-40-grant-for-calf-rearing-facilities-announced-38799022.html?hhh

Anyone know anything about this? Itll hardly be up and running for this spring

The Lolly Trolly!
If they grant aid generators and space heaters, it’ll be the full whistle and bells.

Ye’ll have to vote FG now...!

Gawddawggonnit

Base price wrote: »

Reading the article it appears that it is only open to dairy farmers which IMO is unfortunate and a flawed scheme. The majority that avail of the funding will use it to rear their replacement heifer calves whereas I think the aim of the scheme should be focused on the less economic dairy bull calves. The majority of dairy farmers that I know sell their bull calves either directly for shipping, through the mart or privately.

IMO such a scheme should have aimed to encourage non dairy farmers to rear dairy bull calves.

+1.
Shocking unfairness.

Dakota Dan

Injuryprone wrote: »

Was the 17k for a 4 day collection as well? I found a teagasc publication a few years ago ( think I linked it here maybe) that shows tbc increases exponentially after 3-4 days even with everything perfect. You're saying a 4 day collection, it was probably another day or 2 before it was tested if the collection was at the weekend.

It's a real bugbear of mine. In the middle of may on 2 day collection with milk being tested within 12 hours most of the time because of the peak, a tbc of 29k will be classed as premium milk. That exact same sample this time of the year could return a tbc north of 300k

It was last Tuesday, I was using chlorine free on the bulk tank all the summer with no problems until it went to 3 day collections. I was using circodine p on the milking machine cold wash.

whelan2

Had a cow in the slurry tank this evening. Not in new shed. I'd say she was there a day or 2. Got her out and she walked away. Oh had taken a load or two out of that tank on Monday and left a pallet over the manhole as he was to go back to it...

Base price

Gawddawggonnit wrote: »

+1.
Shocking unfairness.

It's not about unfairness, IMO it's about what happens with the Irish dairy bull calves into the future. We all know that the live shipping of dairy bull calves is probably going to end within the next few years. There needs to be suitable solutions NOW rather than relying on the never, never.

alps

Base price wrote: »

Reading the article it appears that it is only open to dairy farmers which IMO is unfortunate and a flawed scheme. The majority that avail of the funding will use it to rear their replacement heifer calves whereas I think the aim of the scheme should be focused on the less economic dairy bull calves. The majority of dairy farmers that I know sell their bull calves either directly for shipping, through the mart or privately.

IMO such a scheme should have aimed to encourage non dairy farmers to rear dairy bull calves.

It should be open to all those who rear calves.

The main point of pressure at the moment is where the calves arrive. Facilitating those that relive that pressure is just as important...

Maybe the feeling was, and this was constantly repeated, that the beef guy wasn't going to buy any calves next spring.

Mooooo

Base price wrote: »

Reading the article it appears that it is only open to dairy farmers which IMO is unfortunate and a flawed scheme. The majority that avail of the funding will use it to rear their replacement heifer calves whereas I think the aim of the scheme should be focused on the less economic dairy bull calves. The majority of dairy farmers that I know sell their bull calves either directly for shipping, through the mart or privately.

IMO such a scheme should have aimed to encourage non dairy farmers to rear dairy bull calves.

Perhaps reading too much into it. I'd say it'll be open to all. The dairy farmer mention is with regard to creed encouraging farmers to adequate facilities?

Mooooo

whelan2 wrote: »

Had a cow in the slurry tank this evening. Not in new shed. I'd say she was there a day or 2. Got her out and she walked away. Oh had taken a load or two out of that tank on Monday and left a pallet over the manhole as he was to go back to it...

Replaced the concrete covers here in the most used tanks with steel ones as easier to open and close. Reduces the risk of leaving pipe in it / tank open.

Gawddawggonnit

Base price wrote: »

It's not about unfairness, IMO it's about what happens with the Irish dairy bull calves into the future. We all know that the live shipping of dairy bull calves is probably going to end within the next few years. There needs to be suitable solutions NOW rather than relying on the never, never.

Absolutely.
Anyone could see these grants coming. But grant aiding dairy farmers without giving a thought to the traditional calf rearers/buyers is beyond shortsighted.
Gov need to go big on this and ‘create’ a veal industry. Big money needs to be invested NOW to be in some way prepared for when live exports of calves are finished.
Bit of vote buying...a few quid being thrown about to be seen to address the issue...etc etc.
I honestly believe that if huge money isn’t spent on this immediately there’s the possibility of a less than desirable outcome.

visatorro

whelan2 wrote: »

Had a cow in the slurry tank this evening. Not in new shed. I'd say she was there a day or 2. Got her out and she walked away. Oh had taken a load or two out of that tank on Monday and left a pallet over the manhole as he was to go back to it...

Big job getting her out?

Dakota Dan

whelan2 wrote: »

Had a cow in the slurry tank this evening. Not in new shed. I'd say she was there a day or 2. Got her out and she walked away. Oh had taken a load or two out of that tank on Monday and left a pallet over the manhole as he was to go back to it...

In the slurry tank for 2 days and walked away?

whelan2

Dakota Dan wrote: »

In the slurry tank for 2 days and walked away?

Ye. It's not a deep tank only holds about 10k gallons. I was closing a gate and heard a moan. The pallet was moved over on tuesday from where it was. I didn't pass too much remarks. We lifted the slats with the pallet forks on the digger. Got a rope around her neck and a halter on her. Then the hip lifter . Lifted her out , took the lifter off and she walked into a shed. She's a dry cow. The lad that's building the shed was a great help. Going to have wine tonight. Slats are all back down and manhole closed

jaymla627

Gawddawggonnit wrote: »

Absolutely.
Anyone could see these grants coming. But grant aiding dairy farmers without giving a thought to the traditional calf rearers/buyers is beyond shortsighted.
Gov need to go big on this and ‘create’ a veal industry. Big money needs to be invested NOW to be in some way prepared for when live exports of calves are finished.
Bit of vote buying...a few quid being thrown about to be seen to address the issue...etc etc.
I honestly believe that if huge money isn’t spent on this immediately there’s the possibility of a less than desirable outcome.

Wouldnt the calf to beef man be better off letting the dairy farmer bring the calves to weaning our 6 weeks plus at which point mortality rates and labour/facilities needed will be minimal....
Beef farmers need to play the game now and stay away from buying young calves, they are going to have to be fed and well cared for now given bord bia auditors will be on the hunt for bad eggs, with beef prices the way they are the dairy farmer needs to be subbing the beef man to take care of his problem childern. our let him bring them to beef and take his chances with Larry

Base price

jaymla627 wrote: »

Wouldnt the calf to beef man be better off letting the dairy farmer bring the calves to weaning our 6 weeks plus at which point mortality rates and labour/facilities needed will be minimal....
Beef farmers need to play the game now and stay away from buying young calves, they are going to have to be fed and well cared for now given bord bia auditors will be on the hunt for bad eggs, with beef prices the way they are the dairy farmer needs to be subbing the beef man to take care of his problem childern. our let him bring them to beef and take his chances with Larry

Some of us beef farmers need to continue to make a living. We buy dairy bull calves to rear/finish. Why should we have to wait to buy older bull calves at probably exorbitant prices whilst the dairy farmer gets State aid to facilitate his part of the transaction.

jaymla627

Base price wrote: »

Some of us beef farmers need to continue to make a living. We buy dairy bull calves to rear/finish. Why should we have to wait to buy older bull calves at probably exorbitant prices whilst the dairy farmer gets State aid to facilitate his part of the transaction.

You'll get them very keenly priced I reckon, if live exports are stopped, the sheer supply of calves that will flood the market means it will be a buyers market for calves

K9

jaymla627 wrote: »

Wouldnt the calf to beef man be better off letting the dairy farmer bring the calves to weaning our 6 weeks plus at which point mortality rates and labour/facilities needed will be minimal....
Beef farmers need to play the game now and stay away from buying young calves, they are going to have to be fed and well cared for now given bord bia auditors will be on the hunt for bad eggs, with beef prices the way they are the dairy farmer needs to be subbing the beef man to take care of his problem childern. our let him bring them to beef and take his chances with Larry

Couldn’t agree more, said something similar months ago. All beef farmers are doing is providing free labour so the dairy farmer can milk more cows. They’d be better off getting a job working for them rearing the calves. IMO a calf is the dearest animal you can buy

Base price

jaymla627 wrote: »

You'll get them very keenly priced I reckon, if live exports are stopped, the sheer supply of calves that will flood the market means it will be a buyers market for calves

You are ignoring my previous post https://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showpost.php?p=112061730&postcount=7287

I'm more than aware what happens to dairy bull calf prices because of a glut in the system be it due to inclement weather, BSE, etc. I've been buying and rearing calves for nearly 40 years.

If live exports cease the few factories that cater for calves won't be able to cope with the numbers - therefore there needs to be a realistic, financial, sustainable solution that includes all farmers, not just one for dairy farmers.

Base price

Gawddawggonnit wrote: »

Absolutely.
Anyone could see these grants coming. But grant aiding dairy farmers without giving a thought to the traditional calf rearers/buyers is beyond shortsighted.
Gov need to go big on this and ‘create’ a veal industry. Big money needs to be invested NOW to be in some way prepared for when live exports of calves are finished.
Bit of vote buying...a few quid being thrown about to be seen to address the issue...etc etc.
I honestly believe that if huge money isn’t spent on this immediately there’s the possibility of a less than desirable outcome.

I doubt there is financial viability for a veal industry in Ireland. As previously posted I looked into it some years ago. We have a 3 maybe 4 month window for purchasing calves. The input costs (milk replacer, meal and straw) are prohibitive before you take into account the variability of factory prices including transport costs to mainland EU.

straight

I'm expecting a few dairy farmers to be in the top 10 of Ireland's rich list...