Dairy Chitchat 3

Simmental.

GrasstoMilk wrote: »

Does anyone have the recipe for home made electrolytes?
Never ever had scour so bad. Definitely vaccinating next year

patsy_mccabe wrote: »

I bought Glucose and Bread Soda in Dunnes Stores last week. Quick homemade electrolyte.

http://animalhealthireland.ie/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/Recipe_for_Homemade_electrolytes.pdf

.

wrangler

GrasstoMilk wrote: »

Does anyone have the recipe for home made electrolytes?
Never ever had scour so bad. Definitely vaccinating next year

2ozs glucose, teaspoon table salt,
teaspoon breadsoda,
teaspoon losalt,
Tablespoon calcium carbonate
in a litre water

You probably wont get the calcium carbonate

charolais0153

wrangler wrote: »

2ozs glucose, teaspoon table salt,
teaspoon breadsoda,
teaspoon losalt,
Tablespoon calcium carbonate
in a litre water

You probably wont get the calcium carbonate

Calcium carbornate is just ground limestone?

Mooooo

I find the effydral tablets fierce handy. If they are bad give the milk as normal morning and evening and give the effydral first thing, middle of day and last thing. Isolating helps too. With warm weather and pressure on now is the time it may sneak in.

GrasstoMilk

Mooooo wrote: »

I find the effydral tablets fierce handy. If they are bad give the milk as normal morning and evening and give the effydral first thing, middle of day and last thing. Isolating helps too. With warm weather and pressure on now is the time it may sneak in.

Yeah effydral are great but when you've 30 calves scouring you don't be long spending money! 20 bulls calves here that can be sold and can't sell them till I sort this scour! I'm on top of it atm, most calves are drinking there milk morning and evening and I'm giving bimastat twice a day and electrolytes twice a day aswell.
Vet says its e.coli. theres so many with it I can't really put them any where separate, not that I have any other shed for them either!

Mooooo

Sickening this time of year. I feel for ya. If they are still drinking at least you are winning the battle. Stick a disinfectant drum outside each shed for when you're in and out to them, horse on the straw if you have it. Any chance you could find someone to come morning or evening to give ye a chance to get ahead of ourselves? See if a vet/ coop may do a deal on a volume of stuff maybe

wrangler

GrasstoMilk wrote: »

Yeah effydral are great but when you've 30 calves scouring you don't be long spending money! 20 bulls calves here that can be sold and can't sell them till I sort this scour! I'm on top of it atm, most calves are drinking there milk morning and evening and I'm giving bimastat twice a day and electrolytes twice a day aswell.
Vet says its e.coli. theres so many with it I can't really put them any where separate, not that I have any other shed for them either!

Could be anything
Yea it's carried on boots, clothes, and buckets etc very hard to contain it if they're not isolated and feeding the sick ones last

GrasstoMilk

Mooooo wrote: »

Sickening this time of year. I feel for ya. If they are still drinking at least you are winning the battle. Stick a disinfectant drum outside each shed for when you're in and out to them, horse on the straw if you have it. Any chance you could find someone to come morning or evening to give ye a chance to get ahead of ourselves? See if a vet/ coop may do a deal on a volume of stuff maybe

I'll have to look around, never really had anyone in working in the yard before but it is something we need going forward. Only in the door at 11pm and up since 6.

https://www.glanbiaconnect.com/shop/product/Replenolyte-5L/9000816
Got a bottle of this stuff off the vet yesterday. Very handy to mix up and very quick. I'll probably just get a few more. Calves that were absolutely bet yesterday morning and couldn't even stand up drank 2 full feeds today which is good. Just have to keep on top of it now

Never wrestle with pigs

GrasstoMilk wrote: »

I'll have to look around, never really had anyone in working in the yard before but it is something we need going forward. Only in the door at 11pm and up since 6.

Fair play, keep up the good work. Get help it you can. Don't turn into one of these dairy lads you see everywhere that is ageing about 6/7 years every year.

stretch film

GrasstoMilk wrote: »

I'll have to look around, never really had anyone in working in the yard before but it is something we need going forward. Only in the door at 11pm and up since 6.

https://www.glanbiaconnect.com/shop/product/Replenolyte-5L/9000816
Got a bottle of this stuff off the vet yesterday. Very handy to mix up and very quick. I'll probably just get a few more. Calves that were absolutely bet yesterday morning and couldn't even stand up drank 2 full feeds today which is good. Just have to keep on top of it now

thats good enough alright .better get some eff in first shot or two imo.

8g losalt 12bread soda and 40 g glucose in 2 l is a decent homemade mix .

would still vaccinate with rotavec corona anything due after march 10th if you thinks thats whats causing it.

vet had an immuno boost of sorts for new borns not covered by vaccine . cant think of name.

i used to feed electrolytes at milk feeding times and milk at the irregular times . less refusals when they were used to being fed at certain times and the will drink milk at any time iykwim.
try a bit of yoghurt milk.

rota will dog you till the last calf and will get progressively worse so get the vaccine

Timmaay

Never wrestle with pigs wrote: »

Fair play, keep up the good work. Get help it you can. Don't turn into one of these dairy lads you see everywhere that is ageing about 6/7 years every year.

Agreed, g2m, you have worked hard enough to get to here, the milk cheques coming in will no bother pay for some reasonable labour, and you are easy enough going not to be a complete bollix of a boss haha.

GrasstoMilk

Timmaay wrote: »

Agreed, g2m, you have worked hard enough to get to here, the milk cheques coming in will no bother pay for some reasonable labour, and you are easy enough going not to be a complete bollix of a boss haha.

The work now is actually harder than when calves were dropping left right and centre, 80% of the herd milking now alot if calves there and trying to do all the other day to day jobs and now sick calves aswell. It's quite mentally draining but refusing to let it get to me. Just drive on and think of the summer days when cows are at full steam and so is grass

GrasstoMilk

stretch film wrote: »

thats good enough alright .better get some eff in first shot or two imo.

8g losalt 12bread soda and 40 g glucose in 2 l is a decent homemade mix .

would still vaccinate with rotavec corona anything due after march 10th if you thinks thats whats causing it.

vet had an immuno boost of sorts for new borns not covered by vaccine . cant think of name.

i used to feed electrolytes at milk feeding times and milk at the irregular times . less refusals when they were used to being fed at certain times and the will drink milk at any time iykwim.
try a bit of yoghurt milk.

rota will dog you till the last calf and will get progressively worse so get the vaccine

Gave a sample to the vet and he said he would ring me if it was anything other than what he said, haven't had a call any way. Have a girl from bonanza calling out on Friday to have a look at them and hopefully give me some guidance but definitely going to vaccinate going forward

The Rabbi

All calves here reared on milk,no milk replacer.If you have a lot of beastings in the mix it can make calves over a week old scour and it takes a few days for them to recover.When you add in mild damp weather you can have the conditions for the perfect sh**storm.

Injuryprone

GrasstoMilk wrote: »

https://www.glanbiaconnect.com/shop/product/Replenolyte-5L/9000816
Got a bottle of this stuff off the vet yesterday. Very handy to mix up and very quick. I'll probably just get a few more. Calves that were absolutely bet yesterday morning and couldn't even stand up drank 2 full feeds today which is good. Just have to keep on top of it now

I was just about to suggest this product. I've been using it for 2 years with great results. It really brings them back to life, whatever is in it. I've a basic rota problem (even with vaccination) so I don't know whether you've a more serious problem, but I get away with just substitution of the normal milk feeds as directed on the drum as opposed to additional feeds. It would really cut down on the labour if that would work for you too. Might be worth a small experiment

Mooooo

The main thing with scour is trying to stop acidosis, which is what the effydral is good for.

stretch film

GrasstoMilk wrote: »

Gave a sample to the vet and he said he would ring me if it was anything other than what he said, haven't had a call any way. Have a girl from bonanza calling out on Friday to have a look at them and hopefully give me some guidance but definitely going to vaccinate going forward

going forward starts tomorrow so .
been there myself a few years ago. dip tests were inconclusive and vet telling me it was hygiene etc ,shur if it was one of the bad bugs we`d be losing calves left rigt and centre.
lab showed rota eventually and the vaccine is some help. keep onto your vet about it.
know exactly what you mean by mentally draining . when your draped over the top bar of the pen willing some lad to drink its tough going.

let us know what advise you get. shes good in fairness ,if its the main lady on nutrition with bonanza.

Mooooo

Vaccinated all cows in Jan, did about 50% last year. Don't want to jinx it but all ok so far. This weather is a bitch tho, every shed is damp this type of rain and mist just drifts thru everything

GrasstoMilk

If it is rota or e.coli how long will it take for them to recover and can it hit them a second time if they do recover? Its definitely a virus or some bug at the level they're scouring.

whelan2

Are you injecting them with anything. Find norodine great. Best of luck with it. Also be careful that whatever it is doesn't spread to your own house. Change clothes before going back home.

stretch film

GrasstoMilk wrote: »

If it is rota or e.coli how long will it take for them to recover and can it hit them a second time if they do recover? Its definitely a virus or some bug at the level they're scouring.

I found some were weakened to the extent that they got repeat scours and pneumonia.
Never bred some of the worst affected due to them being undersized.

wrangler

GrasstoMilk wrote: »

If it is rota or e.coli how long will it take for them to recover and can it hit them a second time if they do recover? Its definitely a virus or some bug at the level they're scouring.

I got salmonella in my calves years ago, it was Christmas week and only for Noel Kavanghs lab in Oldcastle staying open and working with me I'd have lost a lot of calves........he took the dung sample cultured it and found waht the bug was sensiitive to and supplied antibiotic in probably 15kg bags, an awful few weeks, but I eventually had to take them completely off milk for two weeks to let their stomach heal and give them electrolyles four times daily.
Strangely they recovered and throve and were none the worse but I lost 10 or 12 out of 80 calves
Noel himself was at a conference in England and would phone from england to see how it was going.

dar31

stretch film wrote: »

I found some were weakened to the extent that they got repeat scours and pneumonia.
Never bred some of the worst affected due to them being undersized.

Very true scour and pneumonia go hand in hand esp this weather.
Have you considered vaccinating the rest of the cows 7-10 days off calving.
Is it possible to put any more new borns in another shed silage pit straw shed even part of cubicles, break the spread of it and don't use equipment from sick calves.
Used a product from cahl one year can't remember name but in a red bucket type of an acidifer added to milk at each feed it helped tighten them up.
Hope you get on top of it, had similar 7-8 years ago been vaccinating ever since.
You know your self colostrum and hygiene.
If you wouldn't give it to a baby don't give it to a calf, that my calf rearing standard any more
Good luck
Take an hour nap mid day will help get through it.

whelan2

GrasstoMilk wrote: »

Jesus your lucky, we've had 3 PB Jersey heifers calve down here and they're s pure nightmare! Calved near 3 weeks now and still kicking like tramps

Have a cnut of a second calver here I have to tie up her leg every milking. Life's too short fir dealing with this crap

GrasstoMilk

whelan2 wrote: »

Are you injecting them with anything. Find norodine great. Best of luck with it. Also be careful that whatever it is doesn't spread to your own house. Change clothes before going back home.

2cc of marbocyl for 3 days thr vet recommended.

wrangler

whelan2 wrote: »

Are you injecting them with anything. Find norodine great. Best of luck with it. Also be careful that whatever it is doesn't spread to your own house. Change clothes before going back home.

I'd second that, when we had salmonella in the calves I got the worst stomach bug I've ever had , never got it diagnosed but the stress and long hours were no help I'd say

Mooooo

GrasstoMilk wrote: »

2cc of marbocyl for 3 days thr vet recommended.

Yeah if he thinks it's e-coli that's the stuff, if a cow had e-coli mastitis that's what they'd give. They tend not to prescribe that too often anymore as it's one of the critical drugs they be on about I think

K.G.

10 days ofcalving and i can feel the jeans getting looser already

visatorro

whelan2 wrote: »

What will you do with the culls?

Dealer I'd imagine.

kevthegaff

orm0nd wrote: »

any reports from dairy sales ?

calved heifer prices ? mid range to top end.

Nenagh yesterday over 15 for nice calved down heifers, 13-15 for ones that were on point. 1000-12 for ones calving later in March. Bought a few, got a nice red jex for 14 calved down, she's a beaut (find alot of buyers don't want jex)

Timmaay

kevthegaff wrote: »

Nenagh yesterday over 15 for nice calved down heifers, 13-15 for ones that were on point. 1000-12 for ones calving later in March. Bought a few, got a nice red jex for 14 calved down, she's a beaut (find alot of buyers don't want jex)

How have the emply milker's you picked up before Xmas worked out?

alps

How long are BVD results taking? Sent to IML last week.

kevthegaff

Timmaay wrote: »

How have the emply milker's you picked up before Xmas worked out?

Bought them around early November iirc, between 510 and 590 euros. Killing 4 every week(as they went dry) averaging around 720. Still milking half them doing around 16 litres. Would of made grand money if 3 euro a kg but only 2.60 so... Dropped a load to rathdowney tonight but will only averge 650 I'd say. I'm regretting it as incalf/fresh calvers are gone up in price and ye know the story with beef prices. Cows I let off too could have been pushed on more too but I'm a bit worried about Brexit..

ozil10

Current setup
will be milking 96 Cows in 6 unit parlour once all are calved
Spring based dairy system


Currently building new parlour. Cubicle shed and handling facilities
on greenfield site as current setup is too outdated and way too Labour intensive

Plan is to go to 140 Cows which would mean me buying in stock

All owned land
paddocks and water system are in place for 140 and Land is not a problem as i plan to phase out the beef enterprise but the build is taking longer than I expected

Realistically I reckon it could be end of May before I get milking in the new parlour etc
So just looking at what options are available
Buying in stock may/June is abit late with regards milk and getting them back in calf
Would I be better off Just sticking with my 96 Cows this year
Just looking for people's views
Thanks

Timmaay

Unless you have a winter contract and are gonna get paid for the milk from them may/June calved cows next winter then I think that's not a runner. Any cows calving then also are either from a winter or Ayr system, or are cows that didn't go incalf in a spring system, so the odds of pulling them back into a spring system next yr are fairly slim.

Will the new parlour be definitely finished for end of May?, or could it drag on most the summer? If you were sure it would be finished then, it could be worth the effort to buy in cows right now who are either calved down or going to calf in March, and then hire in labour to milk in the 6unit for the next 3months. That's assuming you can get the right stock now, not for crazy money. Otherwise then nope, stick with your 96 for the yr.

ted_182

Stick with current numbers and buy bulling heifers instead

Mooooo

If you have fields paddocks in place I'd buy in calved stock now, get the milk going out the gate and perhaps see if you can get someone for a few days a week until summer.

whelan2

Always prefer to buy in calved stock, risk of them developing johnes is less

kevthegaff

Did u buy those heifers in tipp tim afterwards?

Sacrolyte

whelan2 wrote: »

Always prefer to buy in calved stock, risk of them developing johnes is less

How so?

Timmaay

kevthegaff wrote: »

Did u buy those heifers in tipp tim afterwards?

No got 10 local instead, which will just bring me back up to what I milked last Yr, sorry now I didn't pickup 25 which I was going to given the early spring and how much fodder I have left over.

ozil10

Mooooo wrote: »

If you have fields paddocks in place I'd buy in calved stock now, get the milk going out the gate and perhaps see if you can get someone for a few days a week until summer.

I don't plan on milking the 140 Cows in the 6 unit parlour

Way too long to be spending in the parlour
Ya bu

ozil10

Mooooo wrote: »

If you have fields paddocks in place I'd buy in calved stock now, get the milk going out the gate and perhaps see if you can get someone for a few days a week until summer.

I don't plan on milking the 140 Cows in the 6 unit parlour

Way too long to be spending in the parlour
Ya bu

older by the day

On the question of buying. I was looking at heifer calf prices on DD. 350 euro for recorded dams and ai bred. Would it make any sence, if I can buy a heifer in 2 years for 13-1400

whelan2

Sacrolyte wrote: »

How so?

I only buy second calves and older. The chances of these having johnes are slim. They start to show signs over 2 years of age. That's my thinking from dealing with it for the last few years.

PMU

alps wrote: »

How long are BVD results taking? Sent to IML last week.

ring them, it only takes about 4 days

whelan2

PMU wrote: »

ring them, it only takes about 4 days

Posted Monday got results today Enfer

Keepgrowing

ozil10 wrote: »

Current setup
will be milking 96 Cows in 6 unit parlour once all are calved
Spring based dairy system


Currently building new parlour. Cubicle shed and handling facilities
on greenfield site as current setup is too outdated and way too Labour intensive

Plan is to go to 140 Cows which would mean me buying in stock

All owned land
paddocks and water system are in place for 140 and Land is not a problem as i plan to phase out the beef enterprise but the build is taking longer than I expected

Realistically I reckon it could be end of May before I get milking in the new parlour etc
So just looking at what options are available
Buying in stock may/June is abit late with regards milk and getting them back in calf
Would I be better off Just sticking with my 96 Cows this year
Just looking for people's views
Thanks

Buy calved stock now nothing less than a second calver. Get milk into the tank, the few weeks in a 6 unit won’t be long passing. Get the cash flowing as what you’re embarking on is a major cash burner.

Have milked up to 25 rows here in the past when we were at the development stage. Loads of “me” time! Would be a long time in a six unit all the same

Timmaay

older by the day wrote: »

On the question of buying. I was looking at heifer calf prices on DD. 350 euro for recorded dams and ai bred. Would it make any sence, if I can buy a heifer in 2 years for 13-1400

It depends on if that heifer there for 2yrs is displacing a potential milking cow, the milking cow will always leave alot more profit than rearing a heifer.

mahoney_j

ozil10 wrote: »

Current setup
will be milking 96 Cows in 6 unit parlour once all are calved
Spring based dairy system


Currently building new parlour. Cubicle shed and handling facilities
on greenfield site as current setup is too outdated and way too Labour intensive

Plan is to go to 140 Cows which would mean me buying in stock

All owned land
paddocks and water system are in place for 140 and Land is not a problem as i plan to phase out the beef enterprise but the build is taking longer than I expected

Realistically I reckon it could be end of May before I get milking in the new parlour etc
So just looking at what options are available
Buying in stock may/June is abit late with regards milk and getting them back in calf
Would I be better off Just sticking with my 96 Cows this year
Just looking for people's views
Thanks

Stick with 96 this year and have a serious think about going to 140 ,just cause you’ve land etc don’t mean it makes sense .140 will mean u will be stretched as a 1 man unit and need regular Labour .can u afford it ?? On top of repayements you won’t manage that number without it .