Dairy Chitchat 3

whelan2

Last 5 units in parlour frozen over this morning.

Timmaay

Unbelievable turnaround in ground conditions here the last few days. This only happened on Monday, contractor with the tanker and he was bloody lucky to drive outa it, today I'm spreading Fert and barely marking the ground!

Timmaay

Timmaay wrote: »

Unbelievable turnaround in ground conditions here the last few days. This only happened on Monday, contractor with the tanker and he was bloody lucky to drive outa it, today I'm spreading Fert and barely marking the ground!

.

Sacrolyte

Timmaay wrote: »

.

Plant it!

Mooooo

Had nice paddock sorted for next 3 days. Heifers said feck you and went thru the wire and a couple cows bulling to boot to make sure they walked the whole paddock. Arseholes

Buford T. Justice XIX

First day at grass today in nearly a month here, very happy girls coming in for milking tonight and all laying down chewing the cud just now. Rain just starting here now.

Castlekeeper

Buford T. Justice VI wrote: »

First day at grass today in nearly a month here, very happy girls coming in for milking tonight and all laying down chewing the cud just now. Rain just starting here now.

Are you confident of staying out? I didn't think it was worth bothering with all the rain forecast. Ground would want to be improving around here to be letting them at it whereas it's only going backwards for the next week apparently.

liosnagceann75

Castlekeeper wrote: »

Are you confident of staying out? I didn't think it was worth bothering with all the rain forecast. Ground would want to be improving around here to be letting them at it whereas it's only going backwards for the next week apparently.

Im of the same opinion as you. Today was the first day that cows were giving out to me for not letting them out as this morning was lovely here

Keepgrowing

Cows out day and night here except the hot cows. 80% of MP got 50 kg urea and 100% of young stock ground has got urea. Pipes in and covered all grazed ground and higher covers as we’re going to graze lighter covers go the next few days

trixi2011

Keepgrowing wrote: »

Cows out day and night here except the hot cows. 80% of MP got 50 kg urea and 100% of young stock ground has got urea. Pipes in and covered all grazed ground and higher covers as we’re going to graze lighter covers go the next few days

What sort of covers you heading into ? Any silage at all in the diet and how much meal

Mooooo

Was out the first week of Feb and in since till yday. Did a bit too much damage yday. Don't want to jinx it but looking like I'll have a pit of silage left so once dry enough I'll try to get heifers out and graze as fast as I can so I'll hopefully have a larger area to graze even if covers are low in April and save having to feed silage.

Buford T. Justice XIX

Castlekeeper wrote: »

Are you confident of staying out? I didn't think it was worth bothering with all the rain forecast. Ground would want to be improving around here to be letting them at it whereas it's only going backwards for the next week apparently.

Yeah, I'd be happy enough. No damage done today and will just have them out by day. Picking paddocks that are dry and have good access. Parts of the paddocks are softer than I'd like but the cows were happy outside and happy going in tonight as well.

Let them off in the morning and might bring them in at 12 or 1.

Gawddawggonnit

29.4L.
3.4pr.
4.5bf
160scc
4K tbc

Covers of 2000+ but having a little trouble finding the gap.
Slurry/nitrate season opened on the 1st...

Keepgrowing

trixi2011 wrote: »

What sort of covers you heading into ? Any silage at all in the diet and how much meal

Going into 1000’s for next few days then back to 14-1500.

No silage

4 kg 12% nuts

Going to graze hard and reintroduce silage/wholecrop as required. I find buffer feeding this early upsets them and they’d be standing at the gap with the first sound from the yard

whelan2

Was going to let my coss out yesterday. Ground still very wet. Even the drier fields are wet

Gawddawggonnit

Local contractor has five of these tanks ready to roll, but reckons that it’ll be April before he gets started.

Reggie.

Gawddawggonnit wrote: »

29.4L.
3.4pr.
4.5bf
160scc
4K tbc

Covers of 2000+ but having a little trouble finding the gap.
Slurry/nitrate season opened on the 1st...

Jaysus

Say my name

Glanbia members would have gotten the message but just in case ye never clicked in.
Here's the protocols of the coronovirus situation.

https://www.glanbiaconnect.com/news/protocol-around-deliveries-and-milk-collection

Basically stay away from the milk and meal and fert drivers and let them do their work.

Mooooo

Gawddawggonnit wrote: »

Local contractor has five of these tanks ready to roll, but reckons that it’ll be April before he gets started.

Pipe used much over there or are the sheds away from where it's needed in most cases?

Mooooo

Say my name wrote: »

Glanbia members would have gotten the message but just in case ye never clicked in.
Here's the protocols of the coronovirus situation.

https://www.glanbiaconnect.com/news/protocol-around-deliveries-and-milk-collection

Basically stay away from the milk and meal and fert drivers and let them do their work.

Most wouldn't have much contact anyway but straight forward enough advise. If a milk plant ended up closing collection wise it would be serious. Obv health comes first but still

tanko

Say my name wrote: »

Glanbia members would have gotten the message but just in case ye never clicked in.
Here's the protocols of the coronovirus situation.

https://www.glanbiaconnect.com/news/protocol-around-deliveries-and-milk-collection

Basically stay away from the milk and meal and fert drivers and let them do their work.

That’ll be no problem for one of my neighbors, he has been told that if he goes within 50 yards of any milk collection driver that his milk will never be collected again.

He hasn’t been happy with the timings of his collections in the past to put it mildly.

Say my name

Mooooo wrote: »

Most wouldn't have much contact anyway but straight forward enough advise. If a milk plant ended up closing collection wise it would be serious. Obv health comes first but still

I know the haulage company collecting our milk has been training in new drivers these last few weeks. It could be just due to the seasonal increase in milk volume but I'd say the covid situation could have forced a call down from on high.

The ai situation will be next with technicians visiting farms. There'll be no face to face contact recommended either.

Mooooo

Say my name wrote: »

I know the haulage company collecting our milk has been training in new drivers these last few weeks. It could be just due to the seasonal increase in milk volume but I'd say the covid situation could have forced a call down from on high.

The ai situation will be next with technicians visiting farms. There'll be no face to face contact recommended either.

Majority of the company collecting our milk has eastern European drivers. Some are only back the last 2 week's as they go home for winter.

Gillespy

Meal delivered Friday, I spoke to him through the window and left him at it as I was at something. Milk is collected during the night so never see him.

Our AI man is great to manage on his own but I like to be there when there's a good few on. Have a whitehead and an AA bull if needs be.

Vet is kind of unavoidable but can be minimized a lot too. Milk recording could be parked for a year I suppose.

whelan2

Milk collected at 3am here. Only talk to driver about twice a year. Meal delivered. I give the driver a thumbs up. On ai now I assume most farmers do not shake hands with the ai man on each visit so I wouldn't worry too much about it. Say my name do you use ai?

Mooooo

tanko wrote: »

That’ll be no problem for one of my neighbors, he has been told that if he goes within 50 yards of any milk collection driver that his milk will never be collected again.

He hasn’t been happy with the timings of his collections in the past to put it mildly.

Times all over the shop at the minute but I get the regular drivers number and a txt if either of us are held up or if he needs to change times sorts it most of the time. I've had to delay the odd day but give and take at this time of year.

Today turned to a pure disaster time wise. Had 3 calving during the night, one backwards with legs down but managed to get her out alive and heifer was ok so took that as a nice win for 3 in the morn. Went to bed for a few hours then, fecking knocked over the alarm clock so the time never changed on it and slept in then. Up to a cow down in the cubicle shed, vet out to her, delayed start and lorry came early so ran the quick wash in that before starting and heifer turned herself upside down during milking then. The cow in shed stood thankfully but took her a while to get out to the straw shed. Delivered a nice heifer calf then from another. When I took that cow out to the calving pen never put the chain on the dry cow pen gate and milkers mixed in with them then. Fit to put my head thru a wall tbh. Was thinking I should have just gone thru the night with the night calving but I've done the odd night straight thru and gone to bed after milking in the morning for a bit but with epilepsy even tho well under control I don't like doing that too often. All for the sake of knocking over the fcuking alarm clock

older by the day

I was going to go to the local pub tomorrow evening as the oil light is on. But should I go. Are things that bad? Or should I go for a gallon and that would do for two weeks

Say my name

whelan2 wrote: »

Milk collected at 3am here. Only talk to driver about twice a year. Meal delivered. I give the driver a thumbs up. On ai now I assume most farmers do not shake hands with the ai man on each visit so I wouldn't worry too much about it. Say my name do you use ai?

No i don't use ai. Not for years.
But I'm still on PG's text/mail list.

whelan2

We all have crap days. I often wonder wtf am I at. I have crap on farm and off farm. Trying to please people etc. We all need to take a step back and realise we can't do everything right and please everyone.

whelan2

Say my name wrote: »

No i don't use ai. Not for years.
But I'm still on PG's text/mail list.

So why preach on ai?

Wildsurfer

Mooooo wrote: »

Times all over the shop at the minute but I get the regular drivers number and a txt if either of us are held up or if he needs to change times sorts it most of the time. I've had to delay the odd day but give and take at this time of year.

Today turned to a pure disaster time wise. Had 3 calving during the night, one backwards with legs down but managed to get her out alive and heifer was ok so took that as a nice win for 3 in the morn. Went to bed for a few hours then, fecking knocked over the alarm clock so the time never changed on it and slept in then. Up to a cow down in the cubicle shed, vet out to her, delayed start and lorry came early so ran the quick wash in that before starting and heifer turned herself upside down during milking then. The cow in shed stood thankfully but took her a while to get out to the straw shed. Delivered a nice heifer calf then from another. When I took that cow out to the calving pen never put the chain on the dry cow pen gate and milkers mixed in with them then. Fit to put my head thru a wall tbh. Was thinking I should have just gone thru the night with the night calving but I've done the odd night straight thru and gone to bed after milking in the morning for a bit but with epilepsy even tho well under control I don't like doing that too often. All for the sake of knocking over the fcuking alarm clock

Who still uses an alarm clock! Is it one with those two bells on top...

Buford T. Justice XIX

Wildsurfer wrote: »

Who still uses an alarm clock! Is it one with those two bells on top...

I have 2 phones, an alarm clock and a wife and I still slept out this morning:D

Say my name

whelan2 wrote: »

So why preach on ai?

Not preaching but it'll be the next high intensity job on farm that is just dependent on a very few people if not done by the farmer themselves.
It's the most critical job/operation of the whole year. Especially for spring only calvers.
The difference with the milk lorry driver is that contact moving stock with the operative and owner/worker is sometimes required.

Mooooo

Wildsurfer wrote: »

Who still uses an alarm clock! Is it one with those two bells on top...

It is actually lol. The phone has nothing loud enough on it and if the phone is turned off charging or the battery goes dead it doesn't go off at all not like the old Nokia's when the alarm would go off even if it was dead with twelve months. This time of year I need something loud

whelan2

Say my name wrote: »

Not preaching but it'll be the next high intensity job on farm that is just dependent on a very few people if not done by the farmer themselves.
It's the most critical job/operation of the whole year. Especially for spring only calvers.

Why are you worried about something that doesn't affect you?

Gillespy

When the cow stands and walks out of the shed herself it can turn a bad day into a pretty good day.

whelan2

Buford T. Justice VI wrote: »

I have 2 phones, an alarm clock and a wife and I still slept out this morning:D

I was reading tb test so was awake all night after getting the review of the tb situation in louth in the post yesterday. No alarm clock needed

Say my name

whelan2 wrote: »

Why are you worried about something that doesn't affect you?

A bit of warning I suppose. Being good natured.
Be the same as posting a weather warning about the west and north of Ireland.
You're in a lovely humour this evening.

whelan2

Say my name wrote: »

A bit of warning I suppose. Being good natured.
Be the same as posting a weather warning about the west and north of Ireland.
You're in a lovely humour this evening.

Why worry people unnecessarily?

Mortelaro

older by the day wrote: »

I was going to go to the local pub tomorrow evening as the oil light is on. But should I go. Are things that bad? Or should I go for a gallon and that would do for two weeks

Theres not much problem with pubs as long as everybody sneezes or coughs into their arm, you don't scratch your nose, ear or wipe your eye or put your fingers in your mouth and you wash your hands properly when you get home
Just do not ingest virus and stay four feet away from someone coughing
The issue is you will slip up on this when drunk

Say my name

whelan2 wrote: »

Why worry people unnecessarily?

I've been in the position before where ai techs couldn't get here because they got delayed somewhere else and it phucked up their day and had to wait on another cycle.
Imagine if you have cows waiting to be ai'd and the last minute the technician phones in sick and their back up is also sick. What happens then?
The timeline with the way this virus is spreading here it looks like it'll be peak infection time in the population coinciding with when ai will be starting on farms.
It'd be prudent planning to have a back up plan ready "just in case".

People never died from worry.
But have from not having plans in place.

Castlekeeper

Mooooo wrote: »

It is actually lol. The phone has nothing loud enough on it and if the phone is turned off charging or the battery goes dead it doesn't go off at all not like the old Nokia's when the alarm would go off even if it was dead with twelve months. This time of year I need something loud

Have you no young children or are they gone beyond that stage? There's nothe much of an alarm clock needed here I tell you, if everyone slept out you'd be still well woke for 7, speakinf of which, I'd better catch a few zzzzs now.

Reggie.

Castlekeeper wrote: »

Have you no young children or are they gone beyond that stage? There's nothe much of an alarm clock needed here I tell you, if everyone slept out you'd be still well woke for 7, speakinf of which, I'd better catch a few zzzzs now.

Our lot dont rise till after 8am

Mooooo

Castlekeeper wrote: »

Have you no young children or are they gone beyond that stage? There's nothe much of an alarm clock needed here I tell you, if everyone slept out you'd be still well woke for 7, speakinf of which, I'd better catch a few zzzzs now.

Must find a woman first ha, last of the fr calves after landing there now

whelan2

Mooooo wrote: »

Must find a woman first ha, last of the fr calves after landing there now

Had last of the fr here yesterday too. 2 angus born too

Keepgrowing

This guy isn’t always my cuppa tea but some helpful tips in this piece

https://www.facebook.com/1161444260573591/posts/stuck-in-poo-what-to-do-spring-2020-srp-decisions-when-youre-behindwe-seem-to-be/2911161955601804/

Castlekeeper

Keepgrowing wrote: »

This guy isn’t always my cuppa tea but some helpful tips in this piece

https://www.facebook.com/1161444260573591/posts/stuck-in-poo-what-to-do-spring-2020-srp-decisions-when-youre-behindwe-seem-to-be/2911161955601804/

That SRP and the Moorepark regime pushing it through the advisors has some fair messing going on with cows, land, and farmer's heads these past weeks.

mahoney_j

Castlekeeper wrote: »

That SRP and the Moorepark regime pushing it through the advisors has some fair messing going on with cows, land, and farmer's heads these past weeks.

Just farm what’s in front of u to the best u can and don’t be getting too hung up on what u read in papers on social media etc.one thing I think is important tho is grazing enough ground in February to set up second round obviously without wrecking the place .

Timmaay

mahoney_j wrote: »

Just farm what’s in front of u to the best u can and don’t be getting too hung up on what u read in papers on social media etc.one thing I think is important tho is grazing enough ground in February to set up second round obviously without wrecking the place .

And if that means starting in Jan with youngstock then do! I hit 30% grazed around feb 20th before I pulled the plug and rehoused everything, not a hope I'd of hit the 30% otherwise and I got heavier land grazed that would not of been suitable for cows.

Mooooo

Timmaay wrote: »

And if that means starting in Jan with youngstock then do! I hit 30% grazed around feb 20th before I pulled the plug and rehoused everything, not a hope I'd of hit the 30% otherwise and I got heavier land grazed that would not of been suitable for cows.

Ah yeah but very much a dry ground / lower rainfall area operation, had to bring in stock here and straw bed in December who were outwintering in a field as I got cubicles ready. It was just too wet. Field wasn't for grazing either earmarked for work this year