Part time farming - Time saving techniques

smallbeef

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120929981#Comment_120929981

They'll get used to you pretty quick when giving them meal or fresh grass every few days. There are always a few pets that show the others you're not a threat.

Mind you you can get the odd psycho but they will stay with the herd anyway so no hassle moving etc.

Cavanjack

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120929844#Comment_120929844

Agree with the bucket of meal. Run groups of bulls 25-30. When they go out in the spring for a few days I rattle a bucket of meal and throw it on the ground. They follow me like babies for the rest of the year.

farawaygrass

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120928588#Comment_120928588

I saw pictures of that myself but would have a fear of a sheep breaking them during lambing. Probably totally irrational fear 🙈

farawaygrass

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120929981#Comment_120929981

this is my last year having sucklers too. I bought in young stock the last few years too. The cows were great for knowing the run of the place. They’d head straight for the yard when I want to bring them in whereas young stock haven’t a clue where they need to go.

another timesaver I though of in the meantime is a bad habit really, procrastinating, especially on the phone. I often found when I park the tractor or am getting nuts filled for stock, I might take out the phone for a quick look and next thing 20 minutes have passed. Tik Tom is a devil for it.

Siamsa Sessions

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120930337#Comment_120930337

I'm guilty of that too. Can't remember how many times I was making a bit of lunch and waiting on something to heat up under the grill. I'd take out the phone to pass a few seconds, then 5 mins later wonder where the smell of burning was coming from.

jfh

Great to see a bit of positivity in this forum and fair play to the op for starting this thread .seldom see lads revealing that it's possible to have it easy !

a question for the op,would you have even save even more time getting rid of the sucklers and going all dairy beef since you have the auto feeder ?

reason I'm asking is I'm thinking of going that direction myself ,sucklers on the way out and hear good things about the auto feeders .

Lime Tree Farm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120930506#Comment_120930506

Relax, get an air fryer with a timer

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Daewoo-Self-Cleaning-Adjustable-Temperature-Accessories/dp/B07S1D9VJY/ref%3Dmp_s_a_1_1?adgrpid=88959730496&hvadid=410733795357&hvdev=m&hvlocphy=1007850&hvnetw=g&hvqmt=b&hvrand=15065811395757762641&hvtargid=kwd-360443130409&hydadcr=21199_1749500&keywords=goodmans%2Bair%2Bfryer&qid=1691001023&sr=8-1&th=1&psc=1

dmakc

In winter always roll back the pit cover the day before rather than the day of. Nothing worse than being caught having to do it in a storm

jfh

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120931839#Comment_120931839

do you cut it as you go or roll back ? I try to roll back every year but about half way through ,it starts to get very difficult and usually falls back down and ends up with holes through it

massey 265

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058307498/part-time-farming-time-saving-techniques

Been part time farming here for best part of 40 years and i would say that stocking the farm at its correct stocking rate is very important as over stocking can lead to many issues both financially and mentally.Agree with lots of your points but bought a two wheeled barrow 2 yrs ago as u mentioned and Bull Mcabe wouldnt steer it.Tis a mad yoke ,seems to have a mind of its own.Kill a small pony it would.

dmakc

Used to roll until a couple years ago now I just cut. Its quicker, less stress and easier on the back when it gets to the heavy end as you say

mr.stonewall

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120932046#Comment_120932046

Feed the pit opposite way to filling. Gravity helping is an idea.

mr.stonewall

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120931994#Comment_120931994

On concrete it's a pleasure and quick.

I will agree on the stocking rate, finding the sweet spot is the key.

mr.stonewall

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120931724#Comment_120931724

Thanks for the compliment, we are all trying to tweek our own systems, and seeing an idea that could suit you and maybe trying it could help. That was the theme of the thread. Having calves being born on the farm is a huge thing I enjoy, like many others. Breeding decisions and what direction you wish to take is like a drug. Most of the time they go well, buts it's not always a bed of roses with either sucklers or bucket fed calves. Have a bucket fed down with pneumonia at the moment

Breeding is years and years of work combined, even generations. The sucklers here started as calves of the dairy herd and that has breeding going back over 5 human generations. That something you would take pride in.

By calving later this put weaning to later in the year and I do it in the shed calves stay under the cows until January and have creep pen ( slats, no bedding) beside the cows get them onto meal and a week or so before weaning them start closing them off the cows at night. Just give the meal they all run in shut the creep gate and open in the morning when turning off lights. Works really well. No messing with meal in field in the back end.

Auto feeder has been a serious time saver once calves are on it. Bit of work for the first 3 days getting calves trained. I put the 1st batch on it on a Saturday evening and it was still a bit of work on the Monday morning and less the Monday evening. The next 2 batches I put them on it on a Friday evening and most of the hassle was sorted by Sunday evening

mr.stonewall

Another small thing I do and this would suit part timers and full timers, is to leave a big fertiliser bag outside the door of feed passages, or calf shed. It's quick to put the netting in as you go. I dropped on agitation point and at the side that you get in and out of the tractor the most.

mr.stonewall

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120927711#Comment_120927711

That's something I keep meaning to do is to have a supply of emergency consumables, like water fittings, ballcocks etc on the shelf,

I ll have to make a list this winter and top it up, it won't go out of date and will be used

mr.stonewall

A pair spare hydraulic hoses and couplers on the shelf, it's always on the grab on a Sunday morning that they would go.

Albert Johnson

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120931994#Comment_120931994

A father and son team locally who haven't really progressed since about 1975 were in the CoOp one morning when I called in. The father was arguing with the lad behind the counter and I eventually figured out he was looking for a refund on one of those fancy 2 wheel barrows.

The store man was having none of it and said it wasn't up to then to take back used items when the purchaser changed there mind. The farmer said it was no addition to him and that 3 men wouldn't push that hoor of a thing down the fields to spread dung.

Who2

Theres a sight of auto feeders being bought around me and most are lads pulling out of sucklers. Are lads that confident that the dairy crosses will pay their way and not be dropped when Theres a lack of suckler bred stock available and a flush of dairy crosses. I myself think Theres going to be a lot of disappointment with the outcome.

fire away it’ll keep the good continental suckler bred animal being paid for but between extra lads buying calves selling then at the one time it’ll be easy pickings for the likes of bass to pick up stock at handy money.

sorry for going off on a tangent on the thread but it’s something I think is coming down the line.

anthony500_1

As a part time suckler man, the Camera in the calving shed has been my best time saver for me. On a day to day basis, during calving season it saves easily I'd saves 2hrs daily in time spent travelling home and back to work on my break and even getting up in the middle of the night.

I fitted an under water sink heater and sink last year in the yard. Just stuck a normal plug on it very simple set up, didn't cost the earth, when I land in the yard if I know I'm going at some bit of rooting I'll plug it in, might only get used once a month but it's there. had vet out recently and if nothing else it was nice to be able to offer a warm bit of water to wash his paws

And ordering stuff either by phone or on line, and getting it delivered. For a tenner you would have most stuff left to the door to yea. And not spending an hour each way travelling to a co op plus your fuel costs on top

Anto_Meath

@Who2 it like anything if to many lads get into it then the market will fall out of it. The best way to make money on dairy beef is go all the way to the hook. It's a long time for a return plus the expense & hard work is in the first 12 months. That's why I keep a mix of sucklers & dairy beef. As I can sell good Lmx cattle any day & get their value. Doesn't always happen with the AAx Fr.

Iodine1

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120932202#Comment_120932202

Have only 3/4" piping everywhere, thus only have to keep one size of spare fittings.

mr.stonewall

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120932798#Comment_120932798

Killer when it's old style mixed with new stuff, have 1/2", 3/4" and the large chunk of the main lines in 1". Any upgrading has moved to 1" and 3/4".

mr.stonewall

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120932732#Comment_120932732

Would agree 💯% there is only margin for one person in the lifetime of a beast. Folks thinking of doing calf to store are flying into dangerous gamble. Factories are slowing moving to reduce the moves down to 1. Just look at the sustainability scheme Larry is running

mr.stonewall

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120932535#Comment_120932535

It comes down to the simple thing of time. Reducing the number calving helps save time, It's always easier manage a group of bucket feed calves as you are scaling up the efficiency due to numbers. I found it took not much extra time to rear 40 calves over 10 on the day to day tasks. Just a bit more time on one off jobs such as dehorning etc. Even on moving them or dosing. It still took the same amount of time to get 10 or 40 or 60 calves to the yard. The dosing time wasn't really that much extra maybe an extra 20 mins

On the sucklers side it has to be compact calving For time saving. After 6 weeks you start to get wrecked and the last few can drag it out. For the past few years I have used some FTAI on heifers and 25% of the cows. This has helped hugely . Only breeding replacements from cows that calves as close to 365 days and go in calf generally to first serve.

Cavanjack

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120933347#Comment_120933347

Just go into hardware and pick out a few of everything you think you need, tee’s joiners valves ballcocks, incerts etc. and put them in the small blue totes . You’ll soon realise what you forgot (when you need it 🙄).

Also fencing gear. I keep a few new rolls of new temporary wire, insulators, a new pack of pigtails etc. if I see something is getting used I write it on notes in my phone and when I’ve a few things together I’ll order them up.

Same for machinery stuff. Try and keep filters oil etc on hand all the time. You’d never know when you’d have a spare wet hour and decide to change tractor oil and filters. At least it’s there waiting for you.

its a few pound the first day stocking up but after that it’s simple and it’s great comfort.

emaherx

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120932535#Comment_120932535

How confident are we in any farming enterprise at the moment?

Our farm has changed enterprises many times and no doubt will change again in the future, nothing stopping a return to sucklers in future if needed.

Personally I've a few reasons to get out of sucklers now. Cost of replacement bulls, I can't see AI being practical on a fragmented farm, safer for the younger farmers with no bulls or cows with calves, yards 2KM from house so not going to miss running over and back at night during calving. When I took over the farm after dad passed we were rearing dairy beef and suckling, I went with just the sucklers while working full time as they more or less look after themselves once let out in spring and because we were in the BDGP scheme.

patsy_mccabe

On labour saving , a quick list;

- keep a Kanban system for consumables. ( A fancy term for keeping spares.) Grease cartridges, fencing staples, water fittings, calf electrolytes, pourons, calf tags etc etc

- train all cattle to meal. A small bit keeps them keen to come when you call.

- make hay ( or silage) when sun shines. Same for slurry, spread early in year when ground allows.

- be proactive with fencing and dosing. Less work longterm.

Nekarsulm

I have an old JCB 3cx that does all the feeding and shifting/moving here.

A flat wheel is a major ball-ache, as they have a high ply rating and are hard handled to remove a tyre and fix a puncture.

So I've finally got around to having a spare wheel/tyre standing by for both front and back

50HX

As above supply of water fittings, light bulbs, grease oils & fencing supplies

Always buy a pair of wellingtons when on sale at a decent price....keep in the box out in the shed

Yards well lit up

In winter whatever machine used for feeding has to start 1st tip all the time

Decent wet gear & a place to hang them for drying without getting bawled out of it at home😄