Dairy Chitchat 3

visatorro

Timmaay wrote: »

Got 14ac still sitting on the ground here ugh. Got offered more 1st cut to buy today also, keen enough to sell it, there doesn't seem to be any real demand for it around here ha, some contrast to last year!

Unreal, but that's farming, play what's in front of you. Only thing last summer there was nothing in front of me anyway! I panic bought but at the same time it was good value for peace of mind!
Iv nowhere for second cut to go now so I'll have a massive bill for bales.

dar31

Timmaay wrote: »

Got 14ac still sitting on the ground here ugh. Got offered more 1st cut to buy today also, keen enough to sell it, there doesn't seem to be any real demand for it around here ha, some contrast to last year!

We're they looking much for it Timmaay

Buford T. Justice XIX

visatorro wrote: »

Unreal, but that's farming, play what's in front of you. Only thing last summer there was nothing in front of me anyway! I panic bought but at the same time it was good value for peace of mind!
Iv nowhere for second cut to go now so I'll have a massive bill for bales.

Better looking at it than looking for it.

jaymla627

Was meant to stopped for silage, but with 35% of grazing block stopped for long term silage that should of been cut last week and 30% cut two weeks ago s, have resorted to grazing the rest of the heavy covers and simply mowing and pushing off the leftovers should make good fertilizer anyways haha

awaywithyou

Buford T. Justice V wrote: »

Better looking at it than looking for it.

i know grass is bursting out of the ground at the minute.... but i wouldnt be surprised if gets very dry later in the yr.... going by the weather patterns over last few yrs wouldnt surprise me if we didnt get a drop of rain in August or September... it happened i new zealand in feb/mar.. there milk production for March (our sept) was the lowest in 6 yrs... so if ye guys are being offered silage id eat them for it.... ya couldnbt have enuf silage...

Gawddawggonnit

On our own since Thur and therefore flat out. Three cows calved last evening and one with twins. This am the one after twins didn’t look good and had a temp. Vet called and said she’d be dead in an hour from peritonitis...2nd calver that did over 8k litres first lact. Lovely.

No sleep last night as was doing a fire brigade job with mildew on wheat. Got 144ha sprayed before 6am when temps hit 19*. Milked herd of cows and fed the beef. Crows and pigeons everywhere... asked local gun clubs to shoot a few and they as much as told me to fcuk off...must order a lash of signs on Monday with the message ‘Chasse gardée’. One good turn deserves another.
Bed for 2hrs now then back at crows before milking. Spraying for the night then. Lovely.

Who would want their children to do this crap??

GrasstoMilk

Gawddawggonnit wrote: »

On our own since Thur and therefore flat out. Three cows calved last evening and one with twins. This am the one after twins didn’t look good and had a temp. Vet called and said she’d be dead in an hour from peritonitis...2nd calver that did over 8k litres first lact. Lovely.

No sleep last night as was doing a fire brigade job with mildew on wheat. Got 144ha sprayed before 6am when temps hit 19*. Milked herd of cows and fed the beef. Crows and pigeons everywhere... asked local gun clubs to shoot a few and they as much as told me to fcuk off...must order a lash of signs on Monday with the message ‘Chasse gardée’. One good turn deserves another.
Bed for 2hrs now then back at crows before milking. Spraying for the night then. Lovely.

Who would want their children to do this crap??

Perils of fingers in so many pies?
If you just had the cows or just the crops you wouldnt be as stretched man power wise?
Cant say I've ever had to work as long as hours as that.
Maybe our nitrogen, grassbased model isnt is bad?

Gawddawggonnit

GrasstoMilk wrote: »

Perils of fingers in so many pies?
If you just had the cows or just the crops you wouldnt be as stretched man power wise?
Cant say I've ever had to work as long as hours as that.
Maybe our nitrogen, grassbased model isnt is bad?

When I was a lad 70ac was a ‘fine farm’.
A decade or two later it was 150ac.
Now it’s 300ac+.
In 20yrs what’ll it be?

Imo you can’t have enough of *good land and good staff. I couldn’t be happier with the team we have now but I can’t expect them to work all hours.

*Good land imo = land that can produce 20+t beet and 4+t wheat barley etc consistently...no mountain, no bog.



Nitrogen based farming isn’t sustainable going forward IMHO, or maybe you don’t read my posts.:).

GrasstoMilk

Gawddawggonnit wrote: »

When I was a lad 70ac was a ‘fine farm’.
A decade or two later it was 150ac.
Now it’s 300ac+.
In 20yrs what’ll it be?

Imo you can’t have enough of *good land and good staff. I couldn’t be happier with the team we have now but I can’t expect them to work all hours.

*Good land imo = land that can produce 20+t beet and 4+t wheat barley etc consistently...no mountain, no bog.



Nitrogen based farming isn’t sustainable going forward IMHO, or maybe you don’t read my posts.:).

Contractor in again today to put slurry out with trailing shoe on pddks cut for silage. Not going with any any artificial N on them. Be interesting to see how they grow and how long they take to get to 1500

Gawddawggonnit

GrasstoMilk wrote: »

Contractor in again today to put slurry out with trailing shoe on pddks cut for silage. Not going with any any artificial N on them. Be interesting to see how they grow and how long they take to get to 1500

Good year for grass so?

I get a great kick out of farmers saying they’re flat out at silage/slurry/bales etc, and a contractor doing the work. Lol.

Btw!!!
Nitrogen is to jump €25-40/t!!
Got offered 34.4N for €245 on Tuesday and CAN + S for €227.
30days credit.
I’ll chalk down about 33% of my N requirements on Monday.

GrasstoMilk

Better than last year so far any way!
Nearly 90 days worth of feed made to date. Should make another 90 easily with second and some 3rd cut

Buford T. Justice XIX

Gawddawggonnit wrote: »

When I was a lad 70ac was a ‘fine farm’.
A decade or two later it was 150ac.
Now it’s 300ac+.
In 20yrs what’ll it be?

Imo you can’t have enough of *good land and good staff. I couldn’t be happier with the team we have now but I can’t expect them to work all hours.

*Good land imo = land that can produce 20+t beet and 4+t wheat barley etc consistently...no mountain, no bog.



Nitrogen based farming isn’t sustainable going forward IMHO, or maybe you don’t read my posts.:).

Surplus N seems a bigger problem elsewhere in the EU....:D

straight

Gawddawggonnit wrote: »

Good year for grass so?

I get a great kick out of farmers saying they’re flat out at silage/slurry/bales etc, and a contractor doing the work. Lol.

Btw!!!
Nitrogen is to jump €25-40/t!!
Got offered 34.4N for €245 on Tuesday and CAN + S for €227.
30days credit.
I’ll chalk down about 33% of my N requirements on Monday.

When I have contractors you spend so much time waiting for them to come, showing them where to go, etc. I'd nearly have it done myself.

K.G.

straight wrote: »

When I have contractors you spend so much time waiting for them to come, showing them where to go, etc. I'd nearly have it done myself.

I could see it happening around here that it could be a case of the contractor ringing you when he wants to cut the silage rather than you ringing him when you want it cut

Panch18

K.G. wrote: »

I could see it happening around here that it could be a case of the contractor ringing you when he wants to cut the silage rather than you ringing him when you want it cut

That’s happening already around here. Last week contractor rings neighbour, you can cut it tomorrow or else I have 900 acres ahead of you

Panch18

Buford T. Justice VI wrote: »

Surplus N seems a bigger problem elsewhere in the EU....:D

What’s great about that graph is the improvement we have made in the last 20 odd years

Some countries don’t seem to have made much or any improvement

jaymla627

Panch18 wrote: »

That’s happening already around here. Last week contractor rings neighbour, you can cut it tomorrow or else I have 900 acres ahead of you

Opposite here, no massively big outfits but lots of 1000 acre lads all tooled up to do twice that machinery wise , s**t is going to hit the fan to be fair when weather does take up as very little was cut bar a few dairy lads probably 90% of grass locally still to be gathered up and not a dry day in sight, few bits mowed but has been pissed rain on

freedominacup

Panch18 wrote: »

That’s happening already around here. Last week contractor rings neighbour, you can cut it tomorrow or else I have 900 acres ahead of you

There's very few posting on here who were alive the first time that line was trotted out. I'd say my grandfather was trying that one on in the early sixties. All contractors know it's the first one that's hardest to shift, after that they fall like dominoes. Everyone is sure they don't want to be first out of the blocks because it won't have enough time to dry but they're all absolutely certain they don't want to be last either. Had to travel to portlaoise yesterday and once outside of Waterford there was a lot more standing (read falling over under it's own weight/starting to go off at the butt) than harvested.

Timmaay

straight wrote: »

When I have contractors you spend so much time waiting for them to come, showing them where to go, etc. I'd nearly have it done myself.

I've often sent on a WhatsApp paddock map to either of my main contractors and tell them what fields to do whatever jobs in, if I'm away or too busy etc. 5 or 10mins on the quad just after milking will drop nearly any fences or open gates that need to be done for them. Yes I get the very odd day where I spend longer sorting them out than if I did it myself, but I can absolutely guarantee you that I'd be at nothing going out and spending big money on machinary that I'd have little interest in driving or maintaining just to avoid them very few minor issues.

The bigger issue for me now that I'm using more hired labour is spending time keeping work in front of them, I'd have alot more incidents with them than the contractors where I'd of been quicker doing the task myself then setting them and sort out any problems. That's the nature of staff however, it's a worthwhile tradeoff to avoid bursting my balls being nailed down to the farm the whole time largely on myown.

Pidae.m

I find here with our contractor he has gone very big the last few years, I'm trying to get him to spread lime here with a few weeks....... Give me strength!

straight

Timmaay wrote: »

I've often sent on a WhatsApp paddock map to either of my main contractors and tell them what fields to do whatever jobs in, if I'm away or too busy etc. 5 or 10mins on the quad just after milking will drop nearly any fences or open gates that need to be done for them. Yes I get the very odd day where I spend longer sorting them out than if I did it myself, but I can absolutely guarantee you that I'd be at nothing going out and spending big money on machinary that I'd have little interest in driving or maintaining just to avoid them very few minor issues.

The bigger issue for me now that I'm using more hired labour is spending time keeping work in front of them, I'd have alot more incidents with them than the contractors where I'd of been quicker doing the task myself then setting them and sort out any problems. That's the nature of staff however, it's a worthwhile tradeoff to avoid bursting my balls being nailed down to the farm the whole time largely on myown.

You better make sure they're well fed or they'll tell the whole place about you....😉

whelan2

Contractor going to mow here today. Pick up tomorrow evening. I texted him last week to put me in the queue for getting silage done. Putting a few paddocks in too.

mengele

whelan2 wrote: »

Contractor going to mow here today. Pick up tomorrow evening. I texted him last week to put me in the queue for getting silage done. Putting a few paddocks in too.

Is it dry enough. I thought the next few days are going to be very dodgy?

K.G.

freedominacup wrote: »

There's very few posting on here who were alive the first time that line was trotted out. I'd say my grandfather was trying that one on in the early sixties. All contractors know it's the first one that's hardest to shift, after that they fall like dominoes. Everyone is sure they don't want to be first out of the blocks because it won't have enough time to dry but they're all absolutely certain they don't want to be last either. Had to travel to portlaoise yesterday and once outside of Waterford there was a lot more standing (read falling over under it's own weight/starting to go off at the butt) than harvested.

I suppose every area is different.the bigger you are the better you're looked after.smaller lads around here are allready when he can for bales

whelan2

mengele wrote: »

Is it dry enough. I thought the next few days are going to be very dodgy?

Well at this stage it's do or die. No point waiting any longer. Good drying wind out atm

stretch film

whelan2 wrote: »

Well at this stage it's do or die. No point waiting any longer. Good drying wind out atm

Can you get it Ted out

whelan2

stretch film wrote: »

Can you get it Ted out

Will see.

jaymla627

whelan2 wrote: »

Well at this stage it's do or die. No point waiting any longer. Good drying wind out atm

Anything mowed here the past 3 days is a write off now, mornings dry and afternoons then constant rain the rest of the day, a kilo our two of soya will help balance out later cut stuff but what’s been made now is just going to be muck to put it kindly

kevthegaff

Midgets are back c''ts

Mooooo

Things were quiet on the breeding front for a couple of days and then 7 cow's between today and yday. The vasectomised bulls are a pia in the collecting yard as well

whelan2

Looking at the forecast would melt your head. Tomorrow to be dry here. Fair wind out at the moment. Had kids up there playing football in the grass thats mowed and it's dry enough.

Mortelaro

My north wexford based local contractor was going all night Friday until 830am Saturday morning ,last few loads done in the rain
They've about a 1000 acres left to do
We dropped our last 30 acres today,its had one 5 min sharp shower but that's no harm to big mower swarts
Hopefully dry tomorrow
The wind is a Godsend

Dakota Dan

Mooooo wrote: »

Things were quiet on the breeding front for a couple of days and then 7 cow's between today and yday. The vasectomised bulls are a pia in the collecting yard as well

straight

Dakota Dan wrote: »

Pain In Ass

Dakota Dan

Just 2 weeks after clearing up a heifer with mastitis using multiple tubes and injections 2 cows today with mastitis am and pm :mad:

Dakota Dan

Mortelaro wrote: »

My north wexford based local contractor was going all night Friday until 830am Saturday morning ,last few loads done in the rain
They've about a 1000 acres left to do
We dropped our last 30 acres today,its had one 5 min sharp shower but that's no harm to big mower swarts
Hopefully dry tomorrow
The wind is a Godsend

supposed to piss rain in Cork tomorrow, hope you escape .

charolais0153

Dakota Dan wrote: »

supposed to piss rain in Cork tomorrow, hope you escape .

Have you not heard,it’s called the sunny south east for a reason:D

Dakota Dan

charolais0153 wrote: »

Have you not heard,it’s called the sunny south east for a reason:D

:D:D

Buford T. Justice XIX

Mooooo wrote: »

Things were quiet on the breeding front for a couple of days and then 7 cow's between today and yday. The vasectomised bulls are a pia in the collecting yard as well

I'm finding that the chinball marks are staying on for ages this year. Normally gone in 4 or 5 days but some are still on after 3 weeks. Makes sorting cows very slow:mad:

stretch film

Buford T. Justice VI wrote: »

I'm finding that the chinball marks are staying on for ages this year. Normally gone in 4 or 5 days but some are still on after 3 weeks. Makes sorting cows very slow:mad:

baked on..........vas bulls are some gift this time of year though, pia and all.

if i havent time to keep up to date with re-tailpainting i use a crayon marker on each side of cow so shes instantly obvious as done .

Mortelaro

Dakota Dan wrote: »

supposed to piss rain in Cork tomorrow, hope you escape .

All in,rolling and covering it now
No rain thank God
Huge crops everywhere this year
Doing the maths here on this farm, we might do no 2nd cut bar a few surplus paddock bales
A great saving

Signpost

Mortelaro wrote: »

Doing the maths here on this farm, we might do no 2nd cut bar a few surplus paddock bales

Will you not be completely understocked if you suddenly add in all your silage ground to the mix?

Timmaay

Signpost wrote: »

Will you not be completely understocked if you suddenly add in all your silage ground to the mix?

Along the east coast, almost definitely not ha. We very regularly get a dip in growth from any stage during July to early October due to a moisture deficit. Spreading the likes of 80units for a 2nd cut from now on is largely a lottery in my book, and you'd only bother if you were dam sure of a tidy amount of rain in the near term, and you actually needed the extra fodder.

Mortelaro

Timmaay wrote: »

Along the east coast, almost definitely not ha. We very regularly get a dip in growth from any stage during July to early October due to a moisture deficit. Spreading the likes of 80units for a 2nd cut from now on is largely a lottery in my book, and you'd only bother if you were dam sure of a tidy amount of rain in the near term, and you actually needed the extra fodder.

Yeah that's it around here
The Fert for grazing goes down too in this scenario
The added consideration is,we've now more fodder than last year by about 50%

Against that though,we were able to graze through a lot of last winter which is where taking out paddocks in this good growing time will add to the insurance because last winters warmth,growth and good dry ground were a once in a blue blue moon thing
So best not to forget that part

Buford T. Justice XIX

Looking very much like feed prices are going to rise a good bit in the near future.
https://twitter.com/kannbwx/status/1135649120801234944?s=19

Timmaay

Buford T. Justice VI wrote: »

Looking very much like feed prices are going to rise a good bit in the near future.
https://twitter.com/kannbwx/status/1135649120801234944?s=19

The order of nuts I put in on Wed never went through, so I had to turn back the feeders from 2.5kg/day to the bare minimum of just over a kg, and the last collection went up by 50l lol. Win win once the weather stays right for us ha!

kevthegaff

How do lads react to cows dropping in milk, do ye allocate more grass or meal? Cows have dropped 2 litres here I upped meal from 1 and a half to 3 kg s while weather is wet

straight

kevthegaff wrote: »

How do lads react to cows dropping in milk, do ye allocate more grass or meal? Cows have dropped 2 litres here I upped meal from 1 and a half to 3 kg s while weather is wet

The peak is over. That's why they dropped 2 litres.

mahoney_j

kevthegaff wrote: »

How do lads react to cows dropping in milk, do ye allocate more grass or meal? Cows have dropped 2 litres here I upped meal from 1 and a half to 3 kg s while weather is wet

Not trying to give smart answer Kev but I try and prevent big drops like that in milk by keeping things consistent ,keep grazing 14/1600 kg covers and not messing too much with feed rates cows (spring calving)should be drooping a bit anyway now but not by 2 litres in a collection .fty system here and by far best investment after reseeding etc

Mooooo

The rain here has pushed up a fair bit of stem, even in paddocks well clipped last round and making it very hard to take paddocks out to get it right. Grass quality biggest influence I think