All things Dairy

Is anyone else finding grazing grass quality is really dropping back fast, our cows are getting stubborn and discontent on some paddocks.not helped by some cows balling at the gate for calves.
I'm thinking with so many fresh we will have them in by night by the end of the month.

I've been purposely building covers for the last month so everything we go into is now 3500+ but in the last 10 days the brown rust has just exploded and we've lost 2 litres. Solids have actually gone up though so production is still exactly the same at 1.6 ks ms.

I've got a fortnight of turnips and rape left and then I'll be feeding silage.
 

Martyn

Member
Location
South west
I've been purposely building covers for the last month so everything we go into is now 3500+ but in the last 10 days the brown rust has just exploded and we've lost 2 litres. Solids have actually gone up though so production is still exactly the same at 1.6 ks ms.

I've got a fortnight of turnips and rape left and then I'll be feeding silage.
We have good covers just like the cows have had enough, they won't crawl any slower on the cow tracks. Am thinking maby leave the covers and aim for early turn out.
 
Another 75 ready for the off.
20210914_111524.jpg
 

Tim G

Member
Livestock Farmer
We used to use a powder when I was a boy, think it was citric acid. Whatever you use, be careful not to gas yourself. When I got my second hand bull tank, I just steamed cleaned it

Avoid it at all cost, I hate brushing the tank !

Alternate between an acid and alkaline spray.
Main product is an acid base iodine spray.
The important thing in my opinion is to rinses the tank really well each day before using any chemical and don’t let anything dry on.

Can’t remember the last time we use a brush. 2 open top tanks, no in place cleaner nozzles, just power hose with V small nozzle and hand spray.

I use a stainless steel cleaner, think it's called vatkleen from griggs but I'm sure others sell it (I know venture do) it's a powder which you mix with water to make a paste, apply it to all surfaces with a brush and then rinse with water starting with where you did first, seems to work ok

Personally prefer klinadine (not sure on spelling!) for outside the tank though which I've used in the past which is an iodine mix, does a beautiful job BUT I wouldnt like to be inside of the tank using it as it's pretty harsh on the eyes and back of 5he throat

This powder wet the tank Chuck it all about leave it a bit then give a good scrubbing
Thanks all. Unfortunately we don't have an auto wash or anything like that yet, this would have to be a daily task rather than a extra clean if you see what I mean.
 

Whitewalker

Member
200 gallons (was built before the metric system was invented!)
Could you drill a hole on the lid and put a washer in with the spinners that do the job . I’d be concerned with chemical mist . We power hose ours but after it’s rinsed . Gets an odd brush but very rarely. One spinner would probably cover the lot
 
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Tirglas

Member
Location
West wales
Yes, all the aber mixes are trying to go brown but cows seem content and theres no way I'm willingly going to bring spring calvers in by choice in the autumn, especially as I have loads of grass atm as I couldn't get any contractors here to do my reseeding (wasnt a small amount either had 50 acres here and 30 acres at dads place planned - even got all the seed and spray here that's paid for 🤬 )
Interestingly they're eating less buffer feed now than a month ago, despite having less cake and the grass quality being worse than a month ago
I can relate to the issues with aber varieties. Best you can do is graze asap and as tight as possible, and a light tactical N application can also help i know its getting late.

Looks like your well set up for autumn with plenty of grass. Add as many days to your rotation length as you can now and you may have grass going into the cows till Christmas!!

Struggling to build our average cover here growth is just at demand so will have to buffer soon to set up the last round to last.
 

SFI - What % were you taking out of production?

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Red Tractor drops launch of green farming scheme amid anger from farmers

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As reported in Independent


quote: “Red Tractor has confirmed it is dropping plans to launch its green farming assurance standard in April“

read the TFF thread here: https://thefarmingforum.co.uk/index.php?threads/gfc-was-to-go-ahead-now-not-going-ahead.405234/
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