Dairy Chitchat 4, an udder new thread.

Coolfresian

Doing 4.3 butterfat and 3.7 protein on last collection. Cows offered silage and straw after milking. Spring cows averaging 32 litres and winter cows averaging 28 litres. Feeding 3-4 kg of 14% nut on feed to yield. Will increase to 5 kg on fty when starting breeding for the top yielders. Would that cover cows doing over 40 litres or am I missing out on litres by not feeding more? Cows in very good BCS.

mahoney_j

Acquiescence wrote: »

What kind of production is the 5 and 6kg sustaining, if ye don't mind me asking?

Nudging over 33 ltrs fty averaging 6 kg ,2/2.5 kgdm Maize silage pre evening milking butterfat also dropping but not to levels of the past ,3.90
Proteins mid 3.50s

mahoney_j

Say my name wrote: »

I'm at 3.8 bf here. Grazing unfertilized ground too. Looking at the ground you'd think there's feck all there. But they're skinning the ground better than sheep.
No silage. 4kgs 16% nut.
I was complaining about low bf to a good grassland manager one time...response - graze tighter. :pac:
There must be something to it.

Second round grass 1400 LG cover tested at 19.5% dm last Monday at 10 am

mahoney_j

Coolfresian wrote: »

Doing 4.3 butterfat and 3.7 protein on last collection. Cows offered silage and straw after milking. Spring cows averaging 32 litres and winter cows averaging 28 litres. Feeding 3-4 kg of 14% nut on feed to yield. Will increase to 5 kg on fty when starting breeding for the top yielders. Would that cover cows doing over 40 litres or am I missing out on litres by not feeding more? Cows in very good BCS.

Cows over 37 kg milk on 8 kg here max feed set at that

Coolfresian

mahoney_j wrote: »

Cows over 37 kg milk on 8 kg here max feed set at that

Haven't fed that heavy here before, usually set the fty to 2-4/5 kgs when at grass. Have been getting good results but I'd say I'm leaving litres behind.

Another point imo on lads going to ai earlier for glanbia, I don't see how that will make much difference to peak volume. All our winter cows will milk.up to first week July and always tough to get them dry. September and October calvers doing 27 litres atm and not been pushed. Really don't see how people think starting calving 2 weeks earlier will make a difference?

Timmaay

Coolfresian wrote: »

Haven't fed that heavy here before, usually set the fty to 2-4/5 kgs when at grass. Have been getting good results but I'd say I'm leaving litres behind.

Another point imo on lads going to ai earlier for glanbia, I don't see how that will make much difference to peak volume. All our winter cows will milk.up to first week July and always tough to get them dry. September and October calvers doing 27 litres atm and not been pushed. Really don't see how people think starting calving 2 weeks earlier will make a difference?

Agreed, will make zero different, if your lucky enough to have the ideal late Jan and feb grazing conditions, then your going to graze way too much area too early, if its a wet spring you got one hell of a feed bill to keep the cows going while still inside.

Mooooo

Only way around it imo would be more March calving not Jan calving, would push the peak out a bit. Agree, winter cows get a second peak when at grass they would give as much as most spring calving cows in April and May so calving earlier unlikely to help the situation much
Edit still would be hard to pull cows back even at that. Everyone would have to do there own sums.

Acquiescence

Is there anything to be said for leaving the few litres behind.

That's kind of where my head is at. I'm trying to feed less ration and hopefully avoid 'artifically' increasing peak and knocking the **** out of the cows for the sake of a few extra litres, but I still want to feed them to maintenance obviously.

Feeding 4kg @ around 30L just over 4bf and 3.5-6 protein

But I've a decent % of heifers so maybe I'm just not feeding the mature cows properly while convincing myself it's for their own benefit.

kevthegaff

Will there be a reference going forward for the likes of Arrabawn in a few years

Coolfresian

Acquiescence wrote: »

Is there anything to be said for leaving the few litres behind.

That's kind of where my head is at. I'm trying to feed less ration and hopefully avoid 'artifically' increasing peak and knocking the **** out of the cows for the sake of a few extra litres, but I still want to feed them to maintenance obviously.

Feeding 4kg @ around 30L just over 4bf and 3.5-6 protein

But I've a decent % of heifers so maybe I'm just not feeding the mature cows properly while convincing myself it's for their own benefit.

That's what I'm not sure of yet. Last year I only realised I was feeding a bit low when the ai man asked what kgs I was feeding. Some lads were feeding 2kgs a day more at the time and I was still getting higher litres and solids. It all depends on the type of cow on farm and grass ahead of them to an extent. I'm feeding less kgs than a friend who has jersey crossbreds so I'm starting to think I should be feeding higher and push them on.

Coolfresian

Mooooo wrote: »

Only way around it imo would be more March calving not Jan calving, would push the peak out a bit. Agree, winter cows get a second peak when at grass they would give as much as most spring calving cows in April and May so calving earlier unlikely to help the situation much
Edit still would be hard to pull cows back even at that. Everyone would have to do there own sums.

I can't see too many ways that there is a solution to doing the sums. I'm calving 40 per cent in winter and even calving more then instead of spring isn't going to help me much at all.

whelan2

Coolfresian wrote: »

Haven't fed that heavy here before, usually set the fty to 2-4/5 kgs when at grass. Have been getting good results but I'd say I'm leaving litres behind.

Another point imo on lads going to ai earlier for glanbia, I don't see how that will make much difference to peak volume. All our winter cows will milk.up to first week July and always tough to get them dry. September and October calvers doing 27 litres atm and not been pushed. Really don't see how people think starting calving 2 weeks earlier will make a difference?

I started ai last week as I didn't fill my winter contract in January and I was penalised. Just doing 20 and stopping then fir 3 weeks as we have loads of birthdays here in mid Jan ��

Mooooo

Acquiescence wrote: »

Is there anything to be said for leaving the few litres behind.

That's kind of where my head is at. I'm trying to feed less ration and hopefully avoid 'artifically' increasing peak and knocking the **** out of the cows for the sake of a few extra litres, but I still want to feed them to maintenance obviously.

Feeding 4kg @ around 30L just over 4bf and 3.5-6 protein

But I've a decent % of heifers so maybe I'm just not feeding the mature cows properly while convincing myself it's for their own benefit.

Feeding shouldn't knock anything out of the cows, unless you are feeding the wrong stuff. They should maintain or gain condition as well as put out what they can in terms of milk. At that performance you are more than likely getting the grass right, I'd be down at 4 if it wasnt for the poor growth of the last 2 weeks as well. Have a way to go to get to a mature herd as well

Say my name

mahoney_j wrote: »

Second round grass 1400 LG cover tested at 19.5% dm last Monday at 10 am

Any info on the third round? :pac:

Ah no it's basically like straw atm.

Pinsnbushings

Coolfresian wrote: »

I can't see too many ways that there is a solution to doing the sums. I'm calving 40 per cent in winter and even calving more then instead of spring isn't going to help me much at all.

Robot on an indoor system calving cows in late May and June..? Is it a totally mad idea..?feed high quality silage and meal.. apart from the much higher costs what other issues might there be calving cows that time of year..? Obviously you'd need serious cows that would respond to feeding and make use of the additional milking you might get with the robot..

Grueller

5 kg of 14% nut and grass ad lib. 25.5 litres at 3.59 protein and 3.83 butterfat. Butterfat has fell from 4.15 in the last week. 40% first calvers and 60% second calvers.

Coolfresian

Pinsnbushings wrote: »

Robot on an indoor system calving cows in late May and June..? Is it a totally mad idea..?feed high quality silage and meal.. apart from the much higher costs what other issues might there be calving cows that time of year..? Obviously you'd need serious cows that would respond to feeding and make use of the additional milking you might get with the robot..

Isn't it crazy that we have to look at such drastic changes to make any expansion work. It d be a lot more palatable to take if the board/mgt took some responsibility. If it was a case of poor planning and taking on new entrants if they knew this was coming down the line then a few resignations would not go a miss.

GrasstoMilk

Say my name wrote: »

I'm at 3.8 bf here. Grazing unfertilized ground too. Looking at the ground you'd think there's feck all there. But they're skinning the ground better than sheep.
No silage. 4kgs 16% nut.
I was complaining about low bf to a good grassland manager one time...response - graze tighter. :pac:
There must be something to it.

Get them to eat the stem for fibre

29.2l 3.83 p 4.03bf 5 kg meal. On second round since the 1st

Pinsnbushings

Coolfresian wrote: »

Isn't it crazy that we have to look at such drastic changes to make any expansion work. It d be a lot more palatable to take if the board/mgt took some responsibility. If it was a case of poor planning and taking on new entrants if they knew this was coming down the line then a few resignations would not go a miss.

Well it certainly would be a dramatic change here, goin from about as low input system that is out there, small herd milked oad with everything owned and payed for..but I suppose this 5000 a year minimum payment to retire has me looking at the thing again. I will be very limited in how much i can produce if this thing lasts more than a couple of years so I'm weighing up whether I should take that and do something else with the farm,if we're likely to exit in a couple of years anyway. Hard to know what to do.

trixi2011

Xbreed herd here 28l here 3.93 p and 4.57 fat on second round and 2.5kg of meal .

Mooooo

trixi2011 wrote: »

Xbreed herd here 28l here 3.93 p and 4.57 fat on second round and 2.5kg of meal .

What's the age profile of the herd? Will they hold peak long? Good going

cute geoge

Pinsnbushings wrote: »

Well it certainly would be a dramatic change here, goin from about as low input system that is out there, small herd milked oad with everything owned and payed for..but I suppose this 5000 a year minimum payment to retire has me looking at the thing again. I will be very limited in how much i can produce if this thing lasts more than a couple of years so I'm weighing up whether I should take that and do something else with the farm,if we're likely to exit in a couple of years anyway. Hard to know what to do.

You sound just like myself ,just wondering what age you are and have you many milking .I am 47 with 47

trixi2011

Mooooo wrote: »

What's the age profile of the herd? Will they hold peak long? Good going

Fully mature herd only bringing in 15% heifer last 2 years . Not sure how long they will hold on to peak as it's a new herd and farm to.me . I'm hoping there's a bit more in them

straight

Coolfresian wrote: »

Doing 4.3 butterfat and 3.7 protein on last collection. Cows offered silage and straw after milking. Spring cows averaging 32 litres and winter cows averaging 28 litres. Feeding 3-4 kg of 14% nut on feed to yield. Will increase to 5 kg on fty when starting breeding for the top yielders. Would that cover cows doing over 40 litres or am I missing out on litres by not feeding more? Cows in very good BCS.

Teagasc say .111 kgs per litre is the recommendation.

mahoney_j

straight wrote: »

Teagasc say .111 kgs per litre is the recommendation.

Then a cow doing 40 litres gets 4.4 kg meal .....they should stick to grass and leave feeding cows to proper nutritionists

Pinsnbushings

cute geoge wrote: »

You sound just like myself ,just wondering what age you are and have you many milking .I am 47 with 47

Early 30s with 40. I'm working full time but not mad about the day job..kept on the dairy at home over the years with the father hoping a land opportunity might arise and look at going home full time then..kinda put up or shut up time for me now I think ha.

Are you considering taking the retirement package? Have you looked at alternatives? Are you farming full time?

K.G.

Just wondering how many of ye have upped the value of your dairy for your accounts on the back of current dairy stock boom

dar31

K.G. wrote: »

Just wondering how many of ye have upped the value of your dairy for your accounts on the back of current dairy stock boom

Easier to ask than stress my brain, what's the advantage?

K.G.

dar31 wrote: »

Easier to ask than stress my brain, what's the advantage?

None other than at some point we have to decide is this where we at or is this temporary. I ve always kept it in order in numbers terms but valuations would be on the Conservative side,animals are probaly worth 30 to 40 %higher at the moment.an auditor strolls down the borreen and says you have 100 cows which you say are worth 80k but they say are 120k, that's 40 k of under declared income

Mooooo

Cows at 1500 here, have always been.