Dairy Chitchat 3

Panch18

mf240 wrote: »

Sort of similar question. Anyone have a stainless steel milk jar. I'm doing a small upgrade and milking machine guy is putting in a stainless jar but I'm not gone on not being able to see the milk in it. You wouldn't know whether it was emptying properly or not, or maybe it doesn't matter?,

I’d personally prefer a glass jar to see what’s going on, but then that’s just what I’m used to

He’d surely put in a glass jar if you asked. Is there any advantage to stainless jar?

Timmaay

alps wrote: »

How did you sort it?

I duno if your asking how to stop the milk frothing or how to stop it building up so bad it goes into the vacuum line ha, here it was so bad it use to cut out the machine and tbcs rocketed because milk all over the vacuum line and reserve tank, the machine service man put in an airline which blew air in the bottom of the receiving jar, and that solved the problem almost immediately. He said the next step if it didn't work was to bring a pipe back from the exit of the plate cooler and pour cold milk in the top of the receiving jar, but we didn't need to go that far.

I also offer the cows a small bit of straw, how much it helps I don't know though.

Mooooo

Dairymaster jar here, on its side so to speak stainless in the middle and perspex either end. Milk recorder had said he normally wouldn't see so much froth in a jar

mf240

Panch18 wrote: »

I’d personally prefer a glass jar to see what’s going on, but then that’s just what I’m used to

He’d surely put in a glass jar if you asked. Is there any advantage to stainless jar?

I think Id prefer a glass one too. I'd say he'd put in one allright If I asked him.

straight

mf240 wrote: »

I think Id prefer a glass one too. I'd say he'd put in one allright If I asked him.

We would have preferred a glass one but we were assured the stainless was the way to go. It worked out grand. By all accounts the stainless jar is very expensive.

straight

I've a cow here after getting some kind of growth on top of her pap. She's a slow milker anyway but now she's a PIA and I'm only milking her on 3 paps.i must reduce numbers a bit anyway so I'm wondering what's my best option to get rid of her. She's a big framed holstein with not much meat on her. Mart or factory?

mf240

straight wrote: »

We would have preferred a glass one but we were assured the stainless was the way to go. It worked out grand. By all accounts the stainless jar is very expensive.

It's all second hand stuff I'm getting. Just putting in 6 more units at the back, pit was left long enough to go from 10 to 16. You'd imagine the glass one would be cheaper allright. I'll see what he says. Think it's on hold anyway do to lock down.

Panch18

mf240 wrote: »

It's all second hand stuff I'm getting. Just putting in 6 more units at the back, pit was left long enough to go from 10 to 16. You'd imagine the glass one would be cheaper allright. I'll see what he says. Think it's on hold anyway do to lock down.

You’ll have a fine parlour with the 16 units

mf240

Panch18 wrote: »

You’ll have a fine parlour with the 16 units

Hopefully. It's will be small by today's standards but will be idea for me. Probably only ever milk 5 or 6 rows in it.

straight

mf240 wrote: »

Hopefully. It's will be small by today's standards but will be idea for me. Probably only ever milk 5 or 6 rows in it.

Will you need ACRs with the 16 units. 12 is enough for me - No ACRs.

Buford T. Justice XIX

mf240 wrote: »

It's all second hand stuff I'm getting. Just putting in 6 more units at the back, pit was left long enough to go from 10 to 16. You'd imagine the glass one would be cheaper allright. I'll see what he says. Think it's on hold anyway do to lock down.

Are you getting a variable speed milk pump as well? You'll probably need a glass reception jar to keep an eye on the milk building up if you're not.

We have the stainless steel one and had a manual restrictor to slow down the milk going through the plate cooler but we couldn't tell if it was closed too much until the sanitary trap overflowed. No problem since we changed to the VS milk pump a few years ago. I would say the two kinda go together, really.

Are you upgrading the plate cooler as well to cater for more milk flowing though in a shorter time? And the wash trough?

One improvement leads to soooo many more:D

mf240

straight wrote: »

Will you need ACRs with the 16 units. 12 is enough for me - No ACRs.

No be grand.

mf240

Buford T. Justice VI wrote: »

Are you getting a variable speed milk pump as well? You'll probably need a glass reception jar to keep an eye on the milk building up if you're not.

We have the stainless steel one and had a manual restrictor to slow down the milk going through the plate cooler but we couldn't tell if it was closed too much until the sanitary trap overflowed. No problem since we changed to the VS milk pump a few years ago. I would say the two kinda go together, really.

Are you upgrading the plate cooler as well to cater for more milk flowing though in a shorter time? And the wash trough?

One improvement leads to soooo many more:D

No the plate cooler should cope and the wash troughs were big enough the first day. I put in a second hand ten unit ten years ago.

You'd never be done really, ordinary milk pump for the moment

Buford T. Justice XIX

mf240 wrote: »

No the plate cooler should cope and the wash troughs were big enough the first day. I put in a second hand ten unit ten years ago.

You'd never be done really, ordinary milk pump for the moment

No finish to it at all.

You won't know yourself when it's done, milking will be so much quicker.

mf240

straight wrote: »

I've a cow here after getting some kind of growth on top of her pap. She's a slow milker anyway but now she's a PIA and I'm only milking her on 3 paps.i must reduce numbers a bit anyway so I'm wondering what's my best option to get rid of her. She's a big framed holstein with not much meat on her. Mart or factory?

Probably let her into the factory.

Timmaay

mf240 wrote: »

Hopefully. It's will be small by today's standards but will be idea for me. Probably only ever milk 5 or 6 rows in it.

Nothing small about a 16unit, lads around me still in 8 unit and 6 unit double ups with over 100 cows. I'm going to go into the 10th row again with my 14 unit in a week or so, can't see myself bothering to put in anymore units anyday soon though, I'm lucky enough to always have someone willing to milk for me, got 3 lads doing relief milk at the min, a minor upshot of this whole corona incident.

whelan2

15 units here. Nearly 10 rows at the minute. Have another 20 to calve :eek: wont get to do new parlour this year. Hate making over 10 rows.

mf240

whelan2 wrote: »

15 units here. Nearly 10 rows at the minute. Have another 20 to calve :eek: wont get to do new parlour this year. Hate making over 10 rows.

I milked 44 in a 4 unit before the ten unit went in.

whelan2

mf240 wrote: »

I milked 44 in a 4 unit before the ten unit went in.

My record is 360 cows in an 8 unit in england

Base price

straight wrote: »

I've a cow here after getting some kind of growth on top of her pap. She's a slow milker anyway but now she's a PIA and I'm only milking her on 3 paps.i must reduce numbers a bit anyway so I'm wondering what's my best option to get rid of her. She's a big framed holstein with not much meat on her. Mart or factory?

Factories are giving €2.40ish +/- 10c for o/p cows outta the parlour. The mart or donedeal if you can handle the phone calls. If she is quiet someone may buy her to rear a few calves.

mf240

whelan2 wrote: »

My record is 360 cows in an 8 unit in england

That must have been fair boring.

whelan2

mf240 wrote: »

That must have been fair boring.

5 hours milking in the morning and 4.5 in the evening. College placement. I then realised anything over 10 rows is a headwrecker

Grueller

4.33 butterfat, 3.27 protein. Are cows using too much body fat reserves? All heifers, doing 21 litres per day average. Getting 4-4.5 kilos of nuts in the parlour.

Panch18

mf240 wrote: »

Hopefully. It's will be small by today's standards but will be idea for me. Probably only ever milk 5 or 6 rows in it.

It’s enough, I think 7 lines is enough for anyone. We’re at 10 and you’d be getting bored of it from 8 onwards

GrasstoMilk

Panch18 wrote: »

It’s enough, I think 7 lines is enough for anyone. We’re at 10 and you’d be getting bored of it from 8 onwards

Guy not far from me is putting 18 rows through a 44 unit herringbone
We're at 11 here now with 2 left to calve. Going to put a few more units on in winter of 2021/22 hopefully. Will have to endure another row or 2 more next year. Be grand

Grueller

GrasstoMilk wrote: »

Guy not far from me is putting 18 rows through a 44 unit herringbone
We're at 11 here now with 2 left to calve. Going to put a few more units on in winter of 2021/22 hopefully. Will have to endure another row or 2 more next year. Be grand

Are 3 Czech ladies doing a lot of the milking?

whelan2

Panch18 wrote: »

It’s enough, I think 7 lines is enough for anyone. We’re at 10 and you’d be getting bored of it from 8 onwards

Worst is thinking you're on the ninth row and it's only the 7th

GrasstoMilk

Grueller wrote: »

Are 3 Czech ladies doing a lot of the milking?

Dont know a lot about him tbh. The 2 sons dont want to heat detect or ai, trying to contract hire someone to do it

degetme

Grueller wrote: »

4.33 butterfat, 3.27 protein. Are cows using too much body fat reserves? All heifers, doing 21 litres per day average. Getting 4-4.5 kilos of nuts in the parlour.

Have you any grass for them?

Grueller

degetme wrote: »

Have you any grass for them?

They are grazing a reseed that was sown last Autumn

degetme

Grueller wrote: »

They are grazing a reseed that was sown last Autumn

The protein is low. Is it a heavy cover? Grass is flying now so you might want to skip heavy covers if you have them. I don't know your grass situation. What genetics are the heifers off of

whelan2

What's the milk urea like?

Mooooo

Grueller wrote: »

They are grazing a reseed that was sown last Autumn

What lactose like and what cover are they grazing.? Walk the place in the morning, the last 5 days has seen a big change in growth may be time to skip a paddock and mow it for bales depending on what you have on farm Genetics may be at play too in the protein side, bf is very good tho. Any urea result?
Changing the weighting of milk price a bit more towards bf hit me a bit in milk price

Mooooo

Panch18 wrote: »

It’s enough, I think 7 lines is enough for anyone. We’re at 10 and you’d be getting bored of it from 8 onwards

Was at 13 and 14 for a few years, pain in the ads esp If they had to be held to cross the road. Will be at 9 or possibly in to 10 this year again. Dad was milking 50 in stalls tho before a 6 unit was put in back in the day so I may stop my complaining lol

visatorro

mf240 wrote:

Hopefully. It's will be small by today's standards but will be idea for me. Probably only ever milk 5 or 6 rows in it.

Lad near me milking 80 in a tie up byre. 6 stalls im fairly sure. Takes him 3 hours. Wonder is there many still about?

alps

GrasstoMilk wrote: »

Dont know a lot about him tbh. The 2 sons dont want to heat detect or ai, trying to contract hire someone to do it

You'd need some squad of bulls to cover it...

mf240

visatorro wrote: »

Lad near me milking 80 in a tie up byre. 6 stalls im fairly sure. Takes him 3 hours. Wonder is there many still about?

The four unit I mentioned above was a tie up byre. Only one local that I can think of still going

Injuryprone

alps wrote: »

How did you sort it?

Ran milk tube back from the bulk tank to the receiving jar to bring back cold milk. Works grand. Went from having froth in the overflow jar at the end of the first round to nothing overnight. Just make sure it gets washed all the time and every other month I check the diffuser to see if it isn't clogged. Cost hardly anything.

Injuryprone

mf240 wrote: »

It's all second hand stuff I'm getting. Just putting in 6 more units at the back, pit was left long enough to go from 10 to 16. You'd imagine the glass one would be cheaper allright. I'll see what he says. Think it's on hold anyway do to lock down.

Would it be that you can only go so big with glass, maybe?

Grueller

Mooooo wrote: »

What lactose like and what cover are they grazing.? Walk the place in the morning, the last 5 days has seen a big change in growth may be time to skip a paddock and mow it for bales depending on what you have on farm Genetics may be at play too in the protein side, bf is very good tho. Any urea result?
Changing the weighting of milk price a bit more towards bf hit me a bit in milk price

Lactose 5.17, urea 30. My genetics would not lead to massive protein. I am a new entrant so just remember reading that if prottein to butterfat ratio is above 1 : 1.15 the cows may be using too much body fat reserves.
SCC was 233. Solids of 76.

alps

Grueller wrote: »

Lactose 5.17, urea 30. My genetics would not lead to massive protein. I am a new entrant so just remember reading that if prottein to butterfat ratio is above 1 : 1.15 the cows may be using too much body fat reserves.
SCC was 233. Solids of 76.

Only concern in these results is the SCC, and I'd be inclined to get to the root of that immediately.

Don't get bogged down on the fat to protein ratio...it is what it is most if the time. Your protein could be higher, and the only way to get theft up, and keep it up, is unrestricted access to the highest ME grass possible.

Are you using a strip wire at the moment? It the greatest protein inhibitor known to man..

Grueller

alps wrote: »

Only concern in these results is the SCC, and I'd be inclined to get to the root of that immediately.

Don't get bogged down on the fat to protein ratio...it is what it is most if the time. Your protein could be higher, and the only way to get theft up, and keep it up, is unrestricted access to the highest ME grass possible.

Are you using a strip wire at the moment? It the greatest protein inhibitor known to man..

I have the strip wire up. I don't have paddocks done yet so don't know what else to do.
Any advice on the root of the SCC issue?

JeffKenna

alps wrote: »

Only concern in these results is the SCC, and I'd be inclined to get to the root of that immediately.

Don't get bogged down on the fat to protein ratio...it is what it is most if the time. Your protein could be higher, and the only way to get theft up, and keep it up, is unrestricted access to the highest ME grass possible.

Are you using a strip wire at the moment? It the greatest protein inhibitor known to man..

Sorry for the silly question but what's the issue with strip grazing?

whelan2

Grueller wrote: »

I have the strip wire up. I don't have paddocks done yet so don't know what else to do.
Any advice on the root of the SCC issue?

Send a few samples with the milkman to get individual results. You can also get a sensitivity test done to see what would be best to use to treat thrm

Mooooo

Grueller wrote: »

I have the strip wire up. I don't have paddocks done yet so don't know what else to do.
Any advice on the root of the SCC issue?

Instead of making them clean out the area every 12 hours, put it up for 24 hours and then use the next grazing to go a bit tighter and clean out iykwim. Alternatively give slightly extra for each 12 hr grazing for 2 grazings and then less on the third. It means they only have to work for 1 in 3 grazings. Back fence behind after 3 grazings then. Your results are good so wouldn't get hung up on ratios as yet or yield with all heifers.
On scc see if you can get a DIY recording done. That'll tell you the high scc cow's. Then use a paddle to find the high quarter in that cow and treat as required. As they are first calvers shoukd have a high degree of success hopefully. Check the filter for clots in the meantime or else spend a milking stripping all cow's before milking in case there is a clinical case

mahoney_j

Panch18 wrote: »

It’s enough, I think 7 lines is enough for anyone. We’re at 10 and you’d be getting bored of it from 8 onwards

Agree 7/8 Rows is max too much time spent in parlour and cows standing on concrete otherwise getting relief milkers starts to get an issue too if giving 7/8 hours a day milking

furandfeather

Quick question for ye.
Bought 3 calves 10 days ago for the kids to rear.
One of them after shes fed stands there for about half hour shivering and with her lugs down.
Shes 100% for the rest of the day, thriving away,feeding well and picking at meal and fibre?
Is it anything to be concerned about?
Thanks

alps

JeffKenna wrote: »

Sorry for the silly question but what's the issue with strip grazing?

Cows consume grass at different speeds, and all have different DM requirements. There is no way to determine exactly the requirements of the herd, so let them eat all they can. If there is a restriction, some cows will be underfed. The only way to avoid this is to give them unrestricted access.
However, as Moooo point out, you need to get the residual down to 4cm to ensure quality in the next rotation, and the happy medium seems to be to restrict them 1 grazing in 3....

Base price

furandfeather wrote: »

Quick question for ye.
Bought 3 calves 10 days ago for the kids to rear.
One of them after shes fed stands there for about half hour shivering and with her lugs down.
Shes 100% for the rest of the day, thriving away,feeding well and picking at meal and fibre?
Is it anything to be concerned about?
Thanks

CMR is too cold and is chilling the calf.

furandfeather

Base price wrote: »

CMR is too cold and is chilling the calf.

It's always mixed between 35 and 40 degrees and she is always the first getting fed, so she is getting the warmest mix.
This has only started the last 3 days