Dairy Chitchat 4, an udder new thread.

I don't know where you think I said anything about worthless calves. Until recently, the push was for milk traits and law of averages then mean a % will be male. I find it hard to believe that no one puts value on them and it's a sad state that our beef industry processors wouldn't at least cover costs for even a free calf. Every calf has a value of course, even in dairy as without the calf you don't have milk. The dairy lads may need to suck it up but even dairy are receiving, or are close to receiving below cost of production for milk. Again, the primary producer, no matter what they are producing are being rode.

I'll agree that there is no plan for the absence of live exports, and why would there be as it's not gone yet. But I've a feeling minds are going to be focused on it after this airs tonight.

The people who should be and will be most outraged by this will be farmers. Those who take steps to ensure high levels of care for their calves. They should make their voices heard on this, no room for excuses. So.e of the staff you see working at marts are pretty brutal.

By the way, bad practices at marts have been going on for years; it is a separate issue to dairy expansion bit looks like it will be conflated to suit other agendas.

Exactly. Heads need to role and the farm orgs should be front and centre looking for that

Marts and hauliers bearing the brunt of the issues. Even if the farmers reduce bull calf numbers those issues would still be happening.

You're not going to get many lorry drivers wanting to do those runs.

Didn't define how many lorries they seen that were compliant. Gave the impression that all were at it. Maybe it is, but they should have spelt it more clearly.

That was a harrowing watch. Scandalous to think the department oversees all of this (approving companies for transport etc etc and not doing on spot checks while they’re in transit) and how in the name of god there isn’t 10+ department officials at the calf marts in gortatlea/castle island to name a few when they know there’s a couple of thousand calves coming through daily in the spring. Tough for every one of us here that take pride in our animals and do everything we can to keep them alive at birth to see how they’re treated!

Whole premise of the show was worthless dairy bull calves, yet the truck they followed had mostly Angus. Which passed off without comment. Didn't fit the agenda I suppose.

I often wonder how inspections take place in marts. As much time as I've spent in marts and abatoirs around the country I've never seen a department inspector. Do they rock up with a high viz and make themselves known so everyone is on good behaviour? I presume it's probably like how every other inspection in this country is done, from education, to hospitality, to healthcare, Advanced notice is given by inspectors so everything can be in decent order.

it's only right and proper that all animals should be treated properly.

it can't be good for people mentally to just throw away calves for nothing

Stop talking shite about something you obviously know f all about like a good lad

See they said 20% of fish kills were caused by agriculture. Fair going I thought for 80% of fish kills not to be caused by agriculture considering the huge land area.

Can't catch a calf by ear or tail. Ha - Good luck with that.

It sounds to me you grew up on a farm buts that’s about as much as you know

I’ve siblings and cousins who I would class in the same group as you.

They know a bit and claim to know alot more till they open there mouth

If that’s the worst footage they had……:The had to show the old French footage multiple times to try add some drama.

Funny enough what lads take out of something

this is the reality of rearing calves to weaning and selling.

A pure loss making operation, that’s why dairy farmers don’t do it. The only hope you have would be to bring them all the way to finish

Majority of dairy farmers have no interest in that unless they have the spare sheds, land and labour available and more often than not it’s down to land available

dairy is way more profitable and creates a viable full time job

Not AA but AAX

(the X being a modern freisean/Holstein)

There's a big difference.

Easy calving small Angus bulls are the go to for first timers in the dairy herd.

The resulting difference between a traditional butty Angus calf or continental cross and the some/many modern dairy AAX's is stark.

A good long muscular Angus/Hereford bull crossed with a square tall traditional British freisean made a grand calf in general. It's continuously getting harder to find such calves these days.