10 in 7 milking + summer diet

Headless chicken · Mar 17, 2022

It will only work if you change your mindset. Your working yourself to death.

if cups are on for 5am finishing at 5pm is plenty late enough.

my honest opinion ( from what you’ve told us on here and I can appreciate on the ground it might be different) but sell any stragglers. Get Jimmer or beefy to buy you some crossbreds. Milk them once a day all summer and take it easy. I disagree that barely with tank your solids. It’s high starch which is what you need to balance grass.

no matter what you do you need to find a way to get away from this constant tie and going out checking cows at silly times of night. You’ll end up a broken man.

ImLost · Mar 17, 2022

@Jdunn55 how much more cow capacity have you got?

som farmer · Mar 17, 2022

@Jdunn55 you make your money from milk, therefore that is where you need to prioritise, peeing about with relief's that may, or may not turn up, isn't doing you any good whatsoever, probably the opposite. It might be more profitable, and easier, to find some one to do the bulk of your outside work instead, leaving you freer to concentrate on producing milk, profitably. Many of us have been where you are, you cannot do it all, l tried, and ended up having a bad accident, 24 yrs on, i'm reg as disabled, and can't do much.
The best bit of advice l was given, after the doc failed to stop me milking again, was start later in the morning, because you will still work till dark, 6 months later, the cows had to go. 7 yrs later, they came back, son, but doing some milking for him, put me back in hospital, doc was right. Entirely my own fault, and l don't complain. Only posted that bit, to try and show you, you can miss out on so much of life/fun, at your age
But you really need to sort it out, and decide on one system, and stick to it. If your bank manager expects you to strictly stick to budget, it aint gonna happen, events have killed that off, but he may wish to keep a tight rein on you, and as frequently said, cash flow is king, a little reserve is extremely sensible, for little emergencies.
But l reckon you will be ok, just need to smooth a few corners off. Young and enthusiastic, is great, but needs a curb at times, like a bank manager !

Spudley · Mar 17, 2022

We're planning on doing 3 in 2 next winter once the cows come in. The plan is to milk at 5 and 4 one day and at probably 10 the next day. Cows will be stale so probably 1 kg of cake at each milking.

Jdunn55 · Mar 17, 2022

Right I'll try and reply to as much as I can, I won't lie, little bit disheartened by the response as I thought it would suit perfectly but seems not

@More to life unfortunately it's 'still' staff issues not again, they were never resolved. For instance, tonight, he turned up early again (quite frankly the least of my problems - just glad he showed up), told me he can't be here tomorrow because hes got dinner and dance for yfc which he will have known about for months but didnt tell me until the day before so have had to cancel all my plans for tomorrow. Anyway milked and pee'd off, I went to move the fence for tomorrow and found a cow in the field looking lost (he hadn't brought her in for milking), volume washer was left running and water was now hot, stallwork not washed off as per usual and I suspect there will be half a dozen not milked at all/fully in the morning because there normally is.

maybe it's me but I don't know. The first person i employed stayed with me for 6 months but dropped me in it with no notice and left to become herdsman for another farmer who has since lost his contract so I'll leave that as is. This one started off really well and then it seems contracting got busier and now I'm bottom of his list of importance which doesn't help me very much, and I have since been told that he has done this to lots of farmers, not just me.
@Happy at it I can't ask family to milk, my brother is too young to drive, my mum isn't from farming background and works full time as a nurse anyway and wouldn't be able to milk, dad would rather set himself on fire than milk, it's just the tie to the parlour that's the problem not the actual milking itself. It means someone needs to be here at x and y which causes me problems

Now regarding youngstock and yield aims, there's reasoning behind all this. I spent ages typing out a long winded answer but it was coming out wrong and don't want anyone thinking I'm bragging. My reasoning for not going flying herd will hopefully become clear soon, I don't really want to explain anymore than that on here. But all being well, long term, milk will eventually be a secondary income.

@ImLost theres cubicles for 156, and i have 97 cows at present with 4 to cull

Holsteinfriesian90 · Mar 17, 2022

Jdunn55 said:
Right I'll try and reply to as much as I can, I won't lie, little bit disheartened by the response as I thought it would suit perfectly but seems not

@More to life unfortunately it's 'still' staff issues not again, they were never resolved. For instance, tonight, he turned up early again (quite frankly the least of my problems - just glad he showed up), told me he can't be here tomorrow because hes got dinner and dance for yfc which he will have known about for months but didnt tell me until the day before so have had to cancel all my plans for tomorrow. Anyway milked and pee'd off, I went to move the fence for tomorrow and found a cow in the field looking lost (he hadn't brought her in for milking), volume washer was left running and water was now hot, stallwork not washed off as per usual and I suspect there will be half a dozen not milked at all/fully in the morning because there normally is.

maybe it's me but I don't know. The first person i employed stayed with me for 6 months but dropped me in it with no notice and left to become herdsman for another farmer who has since lost his contract so I'll leave that as is. This one started off really well and then it seems contracting got busier and now I'm bottom of his list of importance which doesn't help me very much, and I have since been told that he has done this to lots of farmers, not just me.
@Happy at it I can't ask family to milk, my brother is too young to drive, my mum isn't from farming background and works full time as a nurse anyway and wouldn't be able to milk, dad would rather set himself on fire than milk, it's just the tie to the parlour that's the problem not the actual milking itself. It means someone needs to be here at x and y which causes me problems

Now regarding youngstock and yield aims, there's reasoning behind all this. I spent ages typing out a long winded answer but it was coming out wrong and don't want anyone thinking I'm bragging. My reasoning for not going flying herd will hopefully become clear soon, I don't really want to explain anymore than that on here. But all being well, long term, milk will eventually be a secondary income.

@ImLost theres cubicles for 156, and i have 97 cows at present with 4 to cull

Now you have lost me

I don’t know any other dairy farmer where the milk is a secondary income

Exfarmer · Mar 17, 2022

Jdunn55 said:
Right I'll try and reply to as much as I can, I won't lie, little bit disheartened by the response as I thought it would suit perfectly but seems not

@More to life unfortunately it's 'still' staff issues not again, they were never resolved. For instance, tonight, he turned up early again (quite frankly the least of my problems - just glad he showed up), told me he can't be here tomorrow because hes got dinner and dance for yfc which he will have known about for months but didnt tell me until the day before so have had to cancel all my plans for tomorrow. Anyway milked and pee'd off, I went to move the fence for tomorrow and found a cow in the field looking lost (he hadn't brought her in for milking), volume washer was left running and water was now hot, stallwork not washed off as per usual and I suspect there will be half a dozen not milked at all/fully in the morning because there normally is.

maybe it's me but I don't know. The first person i employed stayed with me for 6 months but dropped me in it with no notice and left to become herdsman for another farmer who has since lost his contract so I'll leave that as is. This one started off really well and then it seems contracting got busier and now I'm bottom of his list of importance which doesn't help me very much, and I have since been told that he has done this to lots of farmers, not just me.
@Happy at it I can't ask family to milk, my brother is too young to drive, my mum isn't from farming background and works full time as a nurse anyway and wouldn't be able to milk, dad would rather set himself on fire than milk, it's just the tie to the parlour that's the problem not the actual milking itself. It means someone needs to be here at x and y which causes me problems

Now regarding youngstock and yield aims, there's reasoning behind all this. I spent ages typing out a long winded answer but it was coming out wrong and don't want anyone thinking I'm bragging. My reasoning for not going flying herd will hopefully become clear soon, I don't really want to explain anymore than that on here. But all being well, long term, milk will eventually be a secondary income.

@ImLost theres cubicles for 156, and i have 97 cows at present with 4 to cull

What is your parlour?

Jdunn55 · Mar 17, 2022

Exfarmer said:
What is your parlour?

10:20 took me 100 minutes this morning for 74 coes with 7 out the tank (all fresh) including wash down, I dried off 3 and I fed the calves too which the relief doesn't do

Martyn · Mar 17, 2022

Just go OAD and be done with it, simple. No fuss, you will feel like a new man

gone up the hill · Mar 17, 2022

Would you not be better off and it would be a lot more fun as well if you got yourself a young girlfriend that is mad on cows and love's milking @Jdunn55 ??

O'Reilly · Mar 17, 2022

Martyn said:
Just go OAD and be done with it, simple. No fuss, you will feel like a new man

This, this, this. You got the grass, you got the contract, you just need the right cows. Not long ago someone told you to emulate @Manney . He's got friesians, so you could still play at pedigrees. From his photos on here, he has one of the tidiest farms in the country. You might also consider the matter of the profession of his life partner. That's not to say completely change your system overnight without further thought. I do think these other milking schedules complicate things terribly.

betweenthelines · Mar 17, 2022

Forget your pipe dream of being the Dairy genetics King of the World.

Sell everything that you can't milk and buy anything you can milk -black & white, cross bred, 3 quartered, ugly-as long as they give milk.

As soon as you have enough income employ someone -full time-who won't mess you about.

O'Reilly · Mar 17, 2022

As regards big yields, which @Jdunn55 professes to like, it's a case of perception. If you forget about the 70l Holsteins, you can concentrate on having the highest yields of solids from oad cows, or the highest CFP or some such.

O'Reilly · Mar 17, 2022

betweenthelines said:
Forget your pipe dream of being the Dairy genetics King of the World.

Sell everything that you can't milk and buy anything you can milk -black & white, cross bred, 3 quartered, ugly-as long as they give milk.

As soon as you have enough income employ someone -full time-who won't mess you about.

There are ways of saying things that don't make people feel like sh!t. Until you learn how to communicate in a more positive fashion, I suggest you keep your opinions to yourself.

Cowwilf · Mar 17, 2022

You're relief is taking the pee!

Have you tried looking for a replacement relief milker? I'd given up looking but my wife found me at lad last September he's been fantastic does what's asked of him to a decent standard in return he gets paid well and weekly and not shouted at if he's a little late. I'm doing 11 in 7 but the cows are still milked twice every day.

Stuart1 · Mar 17, 2022

Jdunn55 said:
Right I'll try and reply to as much as I can, I won't lie, little bit disheartened by the response as I thought it would suit perfectly but seems not

@More to life unfortunately it's 'still' staff issues not again, they were never resolved. For instance, tonight, he turned up early again (quite frankly the least of my problems - just glad he showed up), told me he can't be here tomorrow because hes got dinner and dance for yfc which he will have known about for months but didnt tell me until the day before so have had to cancel all my plans for tomorrow. Anyway milked and pee'd off, I went to move the fence for tomorrow and found a cow in the field looking lost (he hadn't brought her in for milking), volume washer was left running and water was now hot, stallwork not washed off as per usual and I suspect there will be half a dozen not milked at all/fully in the morning because there normally is.

maybe it's me but I don't know. The first person i employed stayed with me for 6 months but dropped me in it with no notice and left to become herdsman for another farmer who has since lost his contract so I'll leave that as is. This one started off really well and then it seems contracting got busier and now I'm bottom of his list of importance which doesn't help me very much, and I have since been told that he has done this to lots of farmers, not just me.
@Happy at it I can't ask family to milk, my brother is too young to drive, my mum isn't from farming background and works full time as a nurse anyway and wouldn't be able to milk, dad would rather set himself on fire than milk, it's just the tie to the parlour that's the problem not the actual milking itself. It means someone needs to be here at x and y which causes me problems

Now regarding youngstock and yield aims, there's reasoning behind all this. I spent ages typing out a long winded answer but it was coming out wrong and don't want anyone thinking I'm bragging. My reasoning for not going flying herd will hopefully become clear soon, I don't really want to explain anymore than that on here. But all being well, long term, milk will eventually be a secondary income.

@ImLost theres cubicles for 156, and i have 97 cows at present with 4 to cull

I’ve been chasing genetics & numbers hard this past number of years, the reality is an extremely small number of herds globally only ever make it. Only thing I’ve got so far to show for it is empty pockets

it’s an addiction. Im with others, buy cows fill the bull tank and chase the dream when your more settled.

Jdunn55 · Mar 17, 2022

Stuart1 said:
I’ve been chasing genetics & numbers hard this past number of years, the reality is an extremely small number of herds globally only ever make it. Only thing I’ve got so far to show for it is empty pockets it’s an addiction. Im with others, buy cows fill the bull tank and chase the dream when your more settled.

I really don't want to say too much, but I'm just waiting for some genomic results to come back and all being well something could be leaving the farm in the next couple of months

Beef farmer · Mar 17, 2022

Your 4 culls?

pappuller · Mar 17, 2022

Jdunn55 said:
I really don't want to say too much, but I'm just waiting for some genomic results to come back and all being well something could be leaving the farm in the next couple of months

Bertha bulling again ???

Dead Rabbits · Mar 17, 2022

Jdunn55 said:
Right I'll try and reply to as much as I can, I won't lie, little bit disheartened by the response as I thought it would suit perfectly but seems not

@More to life unfortunately it's 'still' staff issues not again, they were never resolved. For instance, tonight, he turned up early again (quite frankly the least of my problems - just glad he showed up), told me he can't be here tomorrow because hes got dinner and dance for yfc which he will have known about for months but didnt tell me until the day before so have had to cancel all my plans for tomorrow. Anyway milked and pee'd off, I went to move the fence for tomorrow and found a cow in the field looking lost (he hadn't brought her in for milking), volume washer was left running and water was now hot, stallwork not washed off as per usual and I suspect there will be half a dozen not milked at all/fully in the morning because there normally is.

maybe it's me but I don't know. The first person i employed stayed with me for 6 months but dropped me in it with no notice and left to become herdsman for another farmer who has since lost his contract so I'll leave that as is. This one started off really well and then it seems contracting got busier and now I'm bottom of his list of importance which doesn't help me very much, and I have since been told that he has done this to lots of farmers, not just me.
@Happy at it I can't ask family to milk, my brother is too young to drive, my mum isn't from farming background and works full time as a nurse anyway and wouldn't be able to milk, dad would rather set himself on fire than milk, it's just the tie to the parlour that's the problem not the actual milking itself. It means someone needs to be here at x and y which causes me problems

Now regarding youngstock and yield aims, there's reasoning behind all this. I spent ages typing out a long winded answer but it was coming out wrong and don't want anyone thinking I'm bragging. My reasoning for not going flying herd will hopefully become clear soon, I don't really want to explain anymore than that on here. But all being well, long term, milk will eventually be a secondary income.

@ImLost theres cubicles for 156, and i have 97 cows at present with 4 to cull

The genetics game is something I’ll never get. But it’s clearly a long term game that does not provide short term cash flow in year one. My opinion is that it’s too similar to a pyramid scheme.

You should do what you like and are interested in for sure But if your business plan is based on selling milk, why not start with maximizing milk from grass and strategic use of capital to buy as many cows as you can to do that?

10 in 7 milking + summer diet

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