Dairy Chitchat 4, an udder new thread.

Say my name

There was a fine concrete cow roadway on nationwide this evening.

trixi2011

GrasstoMilk wrote: »

You still need a good base for a concrete road or itll be cracked in no time with the weight of modern machinery going across them

Would you not be trying to keep the machinery off the cow tracks ? Concrete is class job on high traffic areas close to the parlour

Wildsurfer

I think a concrete roadway would only be suitable on a level farm, would they get too slippery in summer on any inclines and make cows nervous? Better grip on a stone road.

GrasstoMilk

trixi2011 wrote: »

Would you not be trying to keep the machinery off the cow tracks ? Concrete is class job on high traffic areas close to the parlour

If you had it concreted it would most certainly be used by heavy machinery

Mooooo

Roadways here would be machinery and cow's, bar fields accessible via the public road, wouldn't be putting down two roads for each really? Most slurry is spread by pipe but silage and fert would use roadways

jaymla627

Mooooo wrote: »

Roadways here would be machinery and cow's, bar fields accessible via the public road, wouldn't be putting down two roads for each really? Most slurry is spread by pipe but silage and fert would use roadways

When the weather really beats us here we drive up the hill to our driest block of ground turn in off the main road make sure the tank is empty just as your coming to the roadways at the end of them paddocks and drive back down to slurry lagoon on cow track, lads on dry flat farms haven't a notion of the costs involved in keeping roadways right and having to go on them with machinery constantly

Castlekeeper

Buford T. Justice XIX wrote: »

It's a good grass year but no more than that, yet anyway. At a rough guess, cows were on grass about 12 or 14 days less than normal this year. There was 10 days in March where they didn't go out at all whereas we'd normally have them out at least once a day during March. That's on top of being kept inside a few days longer before going out in February.

Good year so far, yes. Pet year, not a chance. We may be able to pull some days back in October/November if the weather stays favourable but it's far from a pet year here.

In fairness a few days at grass in feb / march is not the same as growth rates through the growing season and in many cases more particular to an individual farm. We're probably ahead of average on days at grass for instance as with the exception of last week, the cows haven't had to be rehoused all year.
Most people have hardly room for all the surplus bales. Apart from drought prone areas that suffered a dip in May I'd say most areas are well ahead of average. I must check Pasturebase.

Mooooo

It's tankers prob do most damage so the umbilical is a help there, goes cross country. Been here three times this year and will be again pre closing date.

Timmaay

Castlekeeper wrote: »

In fairness a few days at grass in feb / march is not the same as growth rates through the growing season and in many cases more particular to an individual farm. We're probably ahead of average on days at grass for instance as with the exception of last week, the cows haven't had to be rehoused all year.
Most people have hardly room for all the surplus bales. Apart from drought prone areas that suffered a dip in May I'd say most areas are well ahead of average. I must check Pasturebase.

We were probably a ton of grass behind up until the drought ended in mid June, however since then its been pure rainforest conditions, moisture and heat, we expect a dip in grow rates across the summer here from June onwards due to drought here, however instead growth rates were something like 20 ahead of demand, despite very little bag fertiliser spread.

straight

Castlekeeper wrote: »

In fairness a few days at grass in feb / march is not the same as growth rates through the growing season and in many cases more particular to an individual farm. We're probably ahead of average on days at grass for instance as with the exception of last week, the cows haven't had to be rehoused all year.
Most people have hardly room for all the surplus bales. Apart from drought prone areas that suffered a dip in May I'd say most areas are well ahead of average. I must check Pasturebase.

Remember the cold weather in april/ may and the light 1st cuts. Them cold east winds and north winds.

Castlekeeper

straight wrote: »

Remember the cold weather in april/ may and the light 1st cuts. Them cold east winds and north winds.

Yes indeed, I don't think we've ever seen more weather from that side. Around here it was mostly elevated or exposed farms that were affected, most chugged along pretty normally as the excellent ground conditions made up for it.
Whole not as good as '19 which was a bumper year for 1st cuts, I would think that a lot of the reason for light 1st cuts this year was people cutting early? Again due to the dry weather and also for quality as there was a surplus in most yards.

My miwadi

Hi guys,
We bought in a incalf cow that was presumably hadnt calved. She looks full of milk every since she arrived a week ago and i thought she would of calved now. Is there anyway I should be able to tell if she has calved before coming here. We havint been milking her and she looks perfectly fine walking around the place. I squirted out abit of milk and it didnt look like colostrum atal just normal milk. But she isnt leaking at the same time. I thought pins were half down at one stage. Might sound silly but if i put my hand in her what am i expecting to feel if calf is there or if not? Any other way i could safeley check without having to call the vet?

GrasstoMilk

straight wrote: »

Remember the cold weather in april/ may and the light 1st cuts. Them cold east winds and north winds.

Our first cut was as good as every other year

Cut 20% of MP in the first week of may at 5 bales per acre - it was second round grass we didnt finish and 3rd round grass that went ahead of the cows

Had 10% of the MP out at that time too

Grand year for grass here apart from the wet feb and March
We're stocked at 4 from early april

cosatron

GrasstoMilk wrote: »

Our first cut was as good as every other year

Cut 20% of MP in the first week of may at 5 bales per acre - it was second round grass we didnt finish and 3rd round grass that went ahead of the cows

Had 10% of the MP out at that time too

Grand year for grass here apart from the wet feb and March
We're stocked at 4 from early april

considering your horsing out 250 units of N i would be disappointed with any thing else or i'd be on to my fertilizer rep.

straight

GrasstoMilk wrote: »

Our first cut was as good as every other year

Cut 20% of MP in the first week of may at 5 bales per acre - it was second round grass we didnt finish and 3rd round grass that went ahead of the cows

Had 10% of the MP out at that time too

Grand year for grass here apart from the wet feb and March
We're stocked at 4 from early april

I'm expecting a stormy second half of September. A right strange year I think. Somebody said earlier in the year that it was strange weather because of el nino.

GrasstoMilk

cosatron wrote: »

considering your horsing out 250 units of N i would be disappointed with any thing else or i'd be on to my fertilizer rep.

Majority of dairy farms would be spreading the same I would say
I dont spread early in the spring unless the weather is right for it

GrasstoMilk

straight wrote: »

I'm expecting a stormy second half of September. A right strange year I think. Somebody said earlier in the year that it was strange weather because of el nino.

Could well be, no problem feeding a few bales if needed

cosatron

GrasstoMilk wrote: »

Majority of dairy farms would be spreading the same I would say
I dont spread early in the spring unless the weather is right for it

:eek: we're only putting out around 150 units a year on the paddocks but we have an 28 day rotation. Thats allot of N grasstomilk, that wouldn't be my cup of tea, im looking at ways of reducing N

whelan2

My miwadi wrote: »

Hi guys,
We bought in a incalf cow that was presumably hadnt calved. She looks full of milk every since she arrived a week ago and i thought she would of calved now. Is there anyway I should be able to tell if she has calved before coming here. We havint been milking her and she looks perfectly fine walking around the place. I squirted out abit of milk and it didnt look like colostrum atal just normal milk. But she isnt leaking at the same time. I thought pins were half down at one stage. Might sound silly but if i put my hand in her what am i expecting to feel if calf is there or if not? Any other way i could safeley check without having to call the vet?

If she's that close to calving you should be able to feel the feet down a bit. Do you have a due date or service date for her?

Sacrolyte

whelan2 wrote: »

If she's that close to calving you should be able to feel the feet down a bit. Do you have a due date or service date for her?

Go in the poo poo hole,not the baby hole

GrasstoMilk

cosatron wrote: »

:eek: we're only putting out around 150 units a year on the paddocks but we have an 28 day rotation. Thats allot of N grasstomilk, that wouldn't be my cup of tea, im looking at ways of reducing N

Yep lot of N but if I'm growing the grass is it an issue?
We would be 18-20 day round up until late august
We are looking at changing the tanker and getting one with a T shoe to make better use if slurry but I dunno if slurry behind cows all the time is the answer either

This paddock is grazed 14 days, no N in about a month and it got 22 units that time.
Our farm is ex tillage farm, it's a big turn around from what it was 16 years ago when we bought it.
It was ran down and had no reserves of any nutrient in the soil

cosatron

GrasstoMilk wrote: »

Yep lot of N but if I'm growing the grass is it an issue?
We would be 18-20 day round up until late august
We are looking at changing the tanker and getting one with a T shoe to make better use if slurry but I dunno if slurry behind cows all the time is the answer either

This paddock is grazed 14 days, no N in about a month and it got 22 units that time.
Our farm is ex tillage farm, it's a big turn around from what it was 16 years ago when we bought it.
It was ran down and had no reserves of any nutrient in the soil

fair play, surprisingly enough we have similar grass with no N in about a month time, so its as much and much. you use more N on a tighter rotation and we use less N on a longer rotation.

My miwadi

whelan2 wrote: »

If she's that close to calving you should be able to feel the feet down a bit. Do you have a due date or service date for her?

I was told she was 8.5 months incalf when she came here 10 days ago but also had ones that was told 8 months incalf that have calved already so im not to sure.

alps

cosatron wrote: »

:eek: we're only putting out around 150 units a year on the paddocks but we have an 28 day rotation. Thats allot of N grasstomilk, that wouldn't be my cup of tea, im looking at ways of reducing N

Usage can only be considered high when the yield of grass does not correspond with what was applied.

If a farmer grows 14 tonnes or more..I.e. it equates to about 10 grazings of 1500 cover followed by 10 applications of 25 units..

I know today's logic tends towards 1 unit per day, so on a 20 day rotation, that 20 units, but it's a world removed from 40 units that were being applied 10 and years ago.

alps

Massive reductions can be achieved by not throwing fertiliser away in the Spring time. Background N will easily feed early growth rates and in most cases until the plant has been stimulated with a grazing.

Follow this by turning off the spinner while passing exits, water troughs, and lie back areas, or any area where any congregation occurs and you can easily cut down from a 25 units spread rate to an actual 20 units used rate.

Over a year..it quiet significant.

atlantic mist

grandfather used to put out 300 weight back in the 60s and 70s, thats per spreading, he makes out we grow nothing like what they used to in the country, hes often giving out about the little butty grass all over the place

Timmaay

It would be interesting to know the nitrogen use per kg of milk solids out the gate also, would be easy for a lad stocked at 2cows/ha to be using alot less bag nitrogen than a chap at 4cows/ha and sending out 550kg/cow, however the 2nd chap might be ahead on the nitrogen per kg ms. And yep you do need to factor in how much extra bought in feed the chap with the 4cow/ha needs and the nitrogen use here.

Siamsa Sessions

Timmaay wrote: »

It would be interesting to know the nitrogen use per g of milk solids out the gate also, would be easy for a lad stocked at 2cows/ha to be using alot less bag nitrogen than a chap at 4cows/ha and sending out 550kg/cow, however the 2nd chap might be ahead on the nitrogen per kg ms. And yep you do need to factor in how much extra bought in feed the chap with the 4cow/ha needs and the nitrogen use here.

Thru the QA scheme, Bord Bia would have a lot of the info needed to work out that ratio across the country

Mooooo

Scanned today. Cow's 8% empty after 13 weeks, heifers 2 out of 34 empty. Pity as those two were scanned in calf back in June so lost the pregnancies.
Must put in the figures to see the calving pattern yet but still too many due in April, a couple in early May. left the bull in the extra 10 days as easier to manage in the herd test when with the cow's. Still once they are saleable they are better than empty cows I spose.

mahoney_j

Mooooo wrote: »

Scanned today. Cow's 8% empty after 13 weeks, heifers 2 out of 34 empty. Pity as those two were scanned in calf back in June so lost the pregnancies.
Must put in the figures to see the calving pattern yet but still too many due in April, a couple in early May. left the bull in the extra 10 days as easier to manage in the herd test when with the cow's. Still once they are saleable they are better than empty cows I spose.

Scanned here too ,not good but along expected lines 16 empty (including 7 planned culls ).sub fertile bull did damage all heifers will be calved within 10 days due to very good hit on ftai.calving wrapped up by late March .4 really good cows gone .fook it anyway but is what it is ...nothing obvious wrong one cow with cyst did few blood samples few weeks back nothing major up .will most likely buy back in 5/6 young cows /heifers

Buford T. Justice XIX

mahoney_j wrote: »

Scanned here too ,not good but along expected lines 16 empty (including 7 planned culls ).sub fertile bull did damage all heifers will be calved within 10 days due to very good hit on ftai.calving wrapped up by late March .4 really good cows gone .fook it anyway but is what it is ...nothing obvious wrong one cow with cyst did few blood samples few weeks back nothing major up .will most likely buy back in 5/6 young cows /heifers

I'll tell Mike to prepare a bigger overdraft so:D

cosatron

mahoney_j wrote: »

Scanned here too ,not good but along expected lines 16 empty (including 7 planned culls ).sub fertile bull did damage all heifers will be calved within 10 days due to very good hit on ftai.calving wrapped up by late March .4 really good cows gone .fook it anyway but is what it is ...nothing obvious wrong one cow with cyst did few blood samples few weeks back nothing major up .will most likely buy back in 5/6 young cows /heifers

wouldn't happen to the ones that sh*ts in parlour or has 3 teats or is full awkward.

Mooooo

mahoney_j wrote: »

Scanned here too ,not good but along expected lines 16 empty (including 7 planned culls ).sub fertile bull did damage all heifers will be calved within 10 days due to very good hit on ftai.calving wrapped up by late March .4 really good cows gone .fook it anyway but is what it is ...nothing obvious wrong one cow with cyst did few blood samples few weeks back nothing major up .will most likely buy back in 5/6 young cows /heifers

Always the way. Have 2 with bad feet went in calf the day the bull went in I'd say. Empty cow's are all fine bar being empty so will see how yields are going may milk on with the late calvers, well if this covid craic is still around as there'll be nowhere to go anyway! If I could find Feb calvers may buy and then sell the late ones but shir that's what every fella will be looking to do. Will put everything in and see how the calving pattern goes first anyway

mf240

mahoney_j wrote: »

Scanned here too ,not good but along expected lines 16 empty (including 7 planned culls ).sub fertile bull did damage all heifers will be calved within 10 days due to very good hit on ftai.calving wrapped up by late March .4 really good cows gone .fook it anyway but is what it is ...nothing obvious wrong one cow with cyst did few blood samples few weeks back nothing major up .will most likely buy back in 5/6 young cows /heifers

See Lads selling scanned empty cows for milking on. What kind of money are they making

Sacrolyte

mf240 wrote: »

See Lads selling scanned empty cows for milking on. What kind of money are they making

Traditionally between 550 and 750

kevthegaff

With milk prices only nay, probably best option to move them now

mahoney_j

kevthegaff wrote: »

With milk prices only nay, probably best option to move them now

Lots of high solids milk to be produced for next 3.5 months I’ll milk all mine on till then and try shift the better ones on then if I can as milkers if not tube them and sell as culls end jan

Mooooo

If sr is ok I'd milk on, if it's tight I'd sell em on now to help build a bit of cover. Ok here so will milk on. Not sure what to do with the two empty heifers tho

Farmer2017

Milking some my planned culls oad and kill late Oct. empties milking nd will dry off mid dec nd outwinter. Sell as culls early feb

Buford T. Justice XIX

Letter from Kerry in the post just now that all milking machines will have to be washed by chlorine free detergents from next Feb 28th. It'll be interesting as the local Delaval store isn't currently stocking any chlorine free powders.

awaywithyou

Buford T. Justice XIX wrote: »

Letter from Kerry in the post just now that all milking machines will have to be washed by chlorine free detergents from next Feb 28th. It'll be interesting as the local Delaval store isn't currently stocking any chlorine free powders.

are ya sure....?? does Richard call to ya??

well wear and best of luck with ur new machine..... will make jobs like cleaning calf sheds and calving boxes easier!! what can it lift?

awaywithyou

Mooooo wrote: »

If sr is ok I'd milk on, if it's tight I'd sell em on now to help build a bit of cover. Ok here so will milk on. Not sure what to do with the two empty heifers tho

inseminate them.. calve next June and sell?? lads up north with robots that milk ayr would snap them up

cosatron

awaywithyou wrote: »

inseminate them.. calve next June and sell?? lads up north with robots that milk ayr would snap them up

we had 4 good young cow not go in calf 2 years and we inseminated them in feb 2019 and they all calved in november 2019 and now they are all back in calf and should be calving in our regular pattern. Now for the big bonus they all had heifer calves

jaymla627

cosatron wrote: »

we had 4 good young cow not go in calf 2 years and we inseminated them in feb 2019 and they all calved in november 2019 and now they are all back in calf and should be calving in our regular pattern. Now for the big bonus they all had heifer calves

You'd be thrown out of some discussion groups for advocating that type of carry-on, if you have a good solid cow doing 700kgs ms plus yearly with no underlying issues like feet/mastitis/temperament the cost of carrying here over is minuscule compared to calving down heifers, that are a lucky dip at the best of times as how they will turn out

Mooooo

cosatron wrote: »

we had 4 good young cow not go in calf 2 years and we inseminated them in feb 2019 and they all calved in november 2019 and now they are all back in calf and should be calving in our regular pattern. Now for the big bonus they all had heifer calves

If I was going at that craic I'd have stayed in winter milk. An option alright but looking to tighten up the spring to have the time off Xmas

Buford T. Justice XIX

awaywithyou wrote: »

are ya sure....?? does Richard call to ya??

well wear and best of luck with ur new machine..... will make jobs like cleaning calf sheds and calving boxes easier!! what can it lift?

2.7t iirc and a 4m boom. Should make cleaning much easier as I can use the tractor and trailer to carry it away after throwing it outside the shed. I can go up in height on the silage pit next year as well so saves on an extension to the pit for another while as well.

I hope herself enjoys her wedding anniversary present:D

Edit: Called into the shop last month and they had no plans to get in chlorine free powders then. I imagine that's changed now.

whelan2

Mooooo wrote: »

If I was going at that craic I'd have stayed in winter milk. An option alright but looking to tighten up the spring to have the time off Xmas

Was there any reason why they didn't go in calf?

GrasstoMilk

jaymla627 wrote: »

You'd be thrown out of some discussion groups for advocating that type of carry-on, if you have a good solid cow doing 700kgs ms plus yearly with no underlying issues like feet/mastitis/temperament the cost of carrying here over is minuscule compared to calving down heifers, that are a lucky dip at the best of times as how they will turn out

That suits if you milk year round, we'll have 80% calved here by the end of feb and last one by the 10th of april
Theres very few we could milk past the middle of December if we want to give them a decent dry period

mf240

Mooooo wrote: »

If I was going at that craic I'd have stayed in winter milk. An option alright but looking to tighten up the spring to have the time off Xmas

Christmas is cancelled this year. Santy is cocooning.

Mooooo

whelan2 wrote: »

Was there any reason why they didn't go in calf?

The 2 heifers were incalf just lost the pregnancies. 3 of the 10 cows weren't cycling, should have prob gotten them checked but they slipped thru the cracks in may/june. 6 cows then cycling like clockwork just not holding and another cow served in early may came up empty so I assume embryo loss at some stage.

Before the scanning I had 2 cow's down as empty due to activity but they turned out 3 months in calf and had 2 as in calf that turned up empty so i think its worth it. Hopefully there will be no more losses now.