Dairy Chitchat 4, an udder new thread.

Kerry2021

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121993440#Comment_121993440

Ya I thought the exact same thing. He completely risked his life and his health over a calf. Calves are a dime a dozen this year, he himself would have been irreplaceable.

older by the day

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121994073#Comment_121994073

LOL. You would not want to be opening knots on a binder twine, with her after you.

I think the only mistake he made, was pulling the calf. If she lay down and spent an hour pushing, she may have been more relaxed.

Reminds me of my father long ago, checked each cow about 40 times an hour to see her progress. And usually ended up pulling each calf.

daiymann 5

Whats everyones worst spring this year is bad but 2013 and 2018 were 10 times worse.Good weather is coming next week its mild and loads of grass in fields well all be at silage in a month

mahoney_j

farming in my own right since 2010 and along side my dad years before that ….this spring /autumn /winter and the constant rain along with all the outside things we’ve now to deal with (nitrates /dero costs etc etc)is by far the worst I’ve gone thru and I’m on a lucky position I’ve loads of feed and got slurry moved when I could

awaywithyou

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121994932#Comment_121994932

i think the problem isnt so much the weather the last few weeks… its that the weather has been in general crap since 1st july last year…. i would say 2013 was the worst… the fighting between farmers at the local creamery for the bales of hay that came from england was shocking… we had less stock in 2013 due to TB so ended up selling a good bit of silage.. actually more than a good bit.. my brother in law was out in february and we fed his herd for 2 months solid… we had fellas begging for silage…. we obviously couldnt give it to everyone but there was farms and cattle were literally starving to death…

this year there does seem to be plenty of fodder around… so i dont think the same panic is there as what was There in 2013…

kevthegaff

Ya brother said he stopped using the diet feeder in de middle of May that year. I remember I had a bunch of dries that broke into government felled forestry, it saved a nice bit on silage... this year silage is around, it's just de weather and inputs so High, land availability also a big problem

older by the day

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121994977#Comment_121994977

I agree, bales are still for sale around here. To be honest the straw is a bigger problem down here.

I think it is the low moral and uncertainty caused by our current government. No one knows what they will think of next.

Another big thing this year is the calves, there is a massive difference for anyone that is used of sell the fr bulls off young and making room for more. Its terrible to carry four week old calves to the mart and leaving them there for 20 to thirty euro. Besides the amount of milk, time and energy it takes.

straight

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121995344#Comment_121995344

Why are the farmers journal always talking up the price of calves? I can understand Marts doing it but the Ifj/jack seem to live on a different world when it comes to reporting the real story on calf sales.

The calf cheques are not much use anyway. I kept some fr bulls and Angus heifers again this year. Might keep all the Friesians next year.

K.G.

Got caught for feed in about 2004 but haven't been caught since.i had alot of rented ground planted with kale which failed which resowed with rape which also did poor and to compound it the rats attacked the bales in the fields. Have been ok since but I nearly always be buying away too if its offered. Our problem this year is we don't have any silage fit for milking left since Patrick s weekend.2018 was a bitch on the calf front for us,scared me for life

straight

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121995101#Comment_121995101

Alot of the problem in 2013 was caused by the absolute lack of a summer in 2012. I just hope this year isn't going to be another 2012.

ginger22

Was at an ICMSA meeting last night. Full house and not a word out of them. Normally at these things there would be some few lads complaining about something, but not a word. Are lads so worn out they are giving up the fight.

green daries

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121995981#Comment_121995981

Ya Cos early 12 was no where near as bad as this year is around here

cosatron

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121996033#Comment_121996033

worn out sums it up. the appetite is gone on allot of the farmers.

jaymla627

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121993816#Comment_121993816

As it stands their 2.4 cent a litre behind lakeland on base-price if they up base price to match lakeland for March and give a 3 cent top-up than fair play, if they don't their just using it as a pr stunt, liquid milk and fixed milk suppliers will be delighted in fairness

Castlekeeper

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121996049#Comment_121996049

There was a few good weeks in April 2012 but the second half of 2011 had been bad like last year in the west which is what compounded 2013.

I'd say it'll clear before the end of the month …

green daries

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121996639#Comment_121996639

Ya agree it all started in second half of eleven 12 was a right off and then when the pressure was on in 13 the weather turned in April and May. Edit just to say I still think we got better stretch of weather to get slurry and stuff done

Neddyusa

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121995981#Comment_121995981

It won't. March April was our summer in 2012. I'm always wary of those really kind, mild springs, as we generally pay for it with a crap summer.

So I reckon we're almost guaranteed a 2013 or 2018 style summer, if we can knock a few more weeks out of the monsoon!

kevthegaff

Im into second rotation with 20 bales left, light covers. Was looking at paddocks for day and night from Friday, would 15 day rotation be too short

daiymann 5

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121996653#Comment_121996653

13 was dry at times but the wind burnt all in late spring.I remember doing a long days work and going looking for feed at night it got that bad i ended up buying 2000 small squares at 4 euro each il never forget 13 and handling those bales

mr.stonewall

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121996639#Comment_121996639

2012 did the damage for the spring of 2013. I remember well as we were building the house. Blocks were laid in march and may. The block layers lost only 1 day to weather. April was cold. And then the summer was a disaster trying to roof it.

First cut was split from the end of may. The remainder of the 1st cut was a smash and grab of pit at the end of july. It was like wire, but cattle ate it and it saved me in 2013

green daries

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121997360#Comment_121997360

I'll never ever forget 13 ran out of feed on the 20th of May and still had to get silage was very lucky a friend gave me 20 middling bales and some pit silage it was enough roughage to keep them going with a heap of meal and a pluck of grass did some ploughing of the place them years

Wildsurfer

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121997250#Comment_121997250

I hope we get the growth rates you're expecting! Even to go back into covers of 1200 needs a growth rate of 80 every day.

jaymla627

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121997250#Comment_121997250

would you not try and source seem good feed with the fodder scheme after been announced, you likely have a good % of paddocks that need to be left recover and build covers, going in on them now and churning them up could screw you for the year

Coolcormack1979

nice day here in mid tipp.good drying and was surprised when I took a load of water from parlour out.going to hang tough on letting them back out as I’m ok for silage.paddocks that are grazed not looking too bad.lucky I got out urea on last Saturday of January and had nearly 1/2 re done again

ginger22

Was talking to the lad from Samco today. Maize seed orders are gone ballistic. Apparently a lot of tillage guys are planing to grow it this year as well.

Castlekeeper

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121997250#Comment_121997250

That's not so much a rotation as a vortex!

mahoney_j

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121997787#Comment_121997787

tillage boys up here going for maize ..beet and even cover crops ….they’d want to be well covered as regards payment and guarantee any customer that want it will take it ….straw looking to be a major problem

20silkcut

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121997419#Comment_121997419

As far as I recall 2011 was a dull wet summer but was a great year for silage yield. I recall getting 88 bales off a 7 acre paddock at one stage. And I remember the bales to the acre yield being a talking point on here for many. There was a very short mild winter that year. Christmas Day 2011 was 20 degrees warmer than Christmas Day 2010!! . I remember talking to a guy who was confidently predicting he wouldn’t need to make silage in 2012!!! Such was his surplus. There was good growth and some cattle were grazing around here in Feb/march . However From April onwards it all went downhill. The summer that year was an absolute **** show. 2013 there was a dry cold east wind the entire spring. Growth was absent but ground was dry. That’s the big difference this year. No two fodder crisis are the same. This one is probably more similar weather wise to the 1985/86 crisis. Wet summer followed by a wet extended winter/spring. Although the tillage situation this year was probably never as dire.

whelan2

From vet Stock update

Estrumate - due to production error it will be out of stock until July / August

Wildsurfer

Questions for lads with Maize... what size pit would be ideal for 15 acres? Any what kind of covering does it need, 2 sheets plastic and mesh/netting to keep off birds?

visatorro

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122001312#Comment_122001312

I was thinking something similar. Iv a river near the yard. Id just fear I wouldn't be able to keep the rats out of it.

straight

That was an interesting trial growing the beans with maize. It doesn't seem to raise the protein by much but it might help to cut down on the nitrogen.

ginger22

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121999154#Comment_121999154

The thing is with the nitrates restricting stocking rates you would wonder where there should be any need to buy in maize. Lads should have enough land to grow the feed for their allowed stock numbers.

ginger22

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122001408#Comment_122001408

A few ferral cats should do the job.

Siamsa Sessions

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122001530#Comment_122001530

And make sure those cats "have an appetite" as the experts say about cows going out to grass in this weather 😀

mahoney_j

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122001527#Comment_122001527

agree but this bullshit 80% rule if your in dero needs changing

Kerry2021

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122001710#Comment_122001710

we’re just gone in to dero as well now this year. What’s the 80% rule?

GrasstoMilk

80% of your land has to be in grassland each year

going to grow an extra 10 acres of maize here this year to build up a good fodder bank. Those 10 extra acres are in stubble any way abd wouldn’t grow a whole lot of forage after being reseeded in comparison to a maize crop.

cosatron

F**k this weather....... that is all

mahoney_j

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122003006#Comment_122003006

yep finally got to me 😀….**** day Monday cows in at 11 staid in Monday night …in again tonight warm soft wet rain falling most of day ……I’ve a fairly dry farm but it’s fair wet …I see the promised improvement has been shoved out to next week now 🥲🥲

Gawddawggonnit

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122002314#Comment_122002314

WTF?

Who came up with that reg? I’m supposing it’s the greens?

Totally ridiculous..other than satisfying the 3 crop rule, you should be allowed grow whatever you want.
When the dero goes farmers will be totally focused on eliminating bought -in feed. Having to keep 80% in grassland could make that impracticable..works into the hands of feed importers and merchants though.
The IFA needs to get its ass in gear and kill this 80% rule before it gets bedded into long term regs. It goes against everything that Irish dairy should be aiming for.

Gawddawggonnit

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122003006#Comment_122003006

Patience.
Stopped raining here yesterday morning and nothing for the foreseeable. About time too because it’s the equivalent to the end of May with you. Silage to cut Monday if ground is trafficable.

Patience.

GrasstoMilk

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122003793#Comment_122003793

it wasn’t really an issue till now till you needed more land for the same cows and you could spread 250kg n

Lads could grow lots of grass and under 1t of nuts was fine because it was a simple enough system

Now we have this extra land so the focus has changed a bit to see can we reduce bought in feed a bit

I know a man with a serious herd of Holsteins not far from your home place that just ended up taking more land to get out of dero so he could get away from the 80% rule

Injuryprone

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122003793#Comment_122003793

It doesn't really go against everything Irish dairying is aiming for, seeing as Irish dairy is marketed as being predominantly grass-fed

Bass Reeves

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122001707#Comment_122001707

Cats are natural born killers. Mistake a lot of lads is not feeding them. Cats will kill more or less for the pleasure of it. A strong fit younger cat is always hunting.

On rats the best way is a bait system. You need to have it in place 2-3 weeks before the maize comes in. Blocks on wire in tubes are the best and keep them topped up. Getting them killed as they enter the yard is much more efficient than trying to eliminate after they enter and breed.

Cats are an issue with bale silage, they climb on and damage the bales. Another issue with maize is if the field is near you. Amount 4-7 days after harvesting rats will migrate out of the field and try to find new feed sources as the grain spilled at harvest will have been used up.

mahoney_j

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122003793#Comment_122003793

it’s ridiculous …I wanted to grow 15 acres barley mainly for the straw and can as it will take me over the 20%

Bangoverthebar

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122004101#Comment_122004101

Who would know, say nothing

Siamsa Sessions

I'm assuming people have watched this before but I went on something of a farm walk last night and found it useful.

https://youtu.be/4XxsdFqFbRg?feature=shared

It's a Grasstec video about a cubicle shed with Vince Dorney from O'Donovan Engineering.

I won't be doing anything on this scale (180 cows) but I picked up a few bits and pieces all the same.

straight

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122004101#Comment_122004101

I was going to grow 6 acres spring barley like we always did but it would just cost too much for the benefit. The sprays are the expensive part. 80% rule doesn't affect me. Also considering maize but think my fields are too open to the wind and maize would get knocked over. Will concentrate on silage quality.

straight

Sure wicklow calf company doesn't buy from the marts. Everybody knows that like. 😉

https://www.facebook.com/share/p/vaRi1JfJuH9Qv3GX/