Jdunn55
Member
- Location
- Helston, cornwall
Knowing me they'll probably be here a few months yetYour 4 culls?
Knowing me they'll probably be here a few months yetYour 4 culls?
Still safely in-calf, not long to go nowBertha bulling again ???
our herd was not pretty, when we went back into milk, 3/4, big bags, old cows, xbeef, at one stage we had 17 different x's/pure. But they were cheap, they put milk in the tank, with the added advantage of a buyer that only complained about cc when it went over 1000 in the tank, not that fussy over b/s either. We were never anywhere near those figures, but some were, and when they stopped, transferred us to another processor, who point blank refused to take some on. But it was a cheap ( very ) way to get back in, dearest 'proper' cow bought to start, was £800. Moooved a long way since then, but the cheaper the cost of milk, into tank, the better it is.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.
We wait with baited breath, I'm sure it will be another chapter in your story.Still safely in-calf, not long to go now
So which do you do?So many obsessed with "yield"
What matters is if you make money. 150 scrub cows averaging 5000(or solids equivalent) litres may well be easier and more profitable than trying for 8000 (or solids equivalent)litres with 100 "thoroughbreds"
So which do you do?
And is it profitable?
Regarding barley, it's higher energy and higher starch which is what cows need at grass, ideally with fibre which it doesn't have grantedSo many obsessed with "yield"
What matters is if you make money. 150 scrub cows averaging 5000(or solids equivalent) litres may well be easier and more profitable than trying for 8000 (or solids equivalent)litres with 100 "thoroughbreds"
Edited to add. Why do you think grass has a lower feed value than barley? It's certainly a lot cheaper!
option one is bonkersSo spent today thinking about this more, realistically I have 2 options
Option 1:
Involves me raising capital and buying 60ish Jersey x cows and being able to justify a full time General farm worker. I'm guessing £75,000 for the cows and then £30,000 for the workman + holiday, sick pay, national insurance so probably £40,000 total?
I'm less convinced on this option as I have 60 acres grazing to reseed this year at some point so could make things tight
Option 2:
Cutting yield back and trialling milking 10 in 7 on 12-18-18 split.
Regarding yield I did some maths whilst milking this morning, please tell me if any of the below is wrong:
15kgdm of grazed grass at 12% me = 180mj
4.5kg barley (maximum - would be 4kg one day and the day with 2 milkings would be an extra kg in the afternoon) at 13%me would give another 55mj
180+55=235mj total
235-70mj (maintenance) = 165mj
165÷5.5mj/litre of milk = 30 litres?
If I could do 5000 litres in the first 200 days and then another 1500 litres for the last 100 days (with maybe only a kg of cake to entice them in the parlour) that would be 6500 litres from a maximum of 1t of cake?
I would be more than happy with that for now if its achievable? I don't want huge yields (yet) big yields are something I want to aim for in the future but right now I am happy with a bit less milk if it cuts back on my work and if it saves on expenses too then it's win-win as far as I'm concerned
Thoughts on the above?
Didn't expect anything else than a useless answer from you .Let the next generation have their head.
While I man the clipboard.
Regarding barley, it's higher energy and higher starch which is what cows need at grass, ideally with fibre which it doesn't have granted
Yield wise I just want to get the most I can from both, myself, my cows and my land, there's obviously an efficiency and a sweet spot, I'm trying to work out what mine is. I learnt most of what I know from a herd of pedigree holsteins who are averaging 12000 litres of good quality milk, that's not what I'm going for right now but it's where I get my influence from. Especially when I have dad and grandad in my head with their cows and what they did as well
I just don't think there is anyone wanting to do itCould you not just keep going as you are but search for a new reliable relief milker?
I would have thought a full time staff member would be easier to find than a decent relief milker? But I see your point, same with the increasing debt. My cows are currently on track to do 7500l average based on predicted yields (but obviously that can change)option one is bonkers
so that leaves option2 but I cant see you making 7000 litres though I may be wrong.
one is bonkers because it increases your debt at a time of rising costs and interest rates. I also think you are no more likely to find a good full time member of staff than a good relief. If you loose the member of staff you have no hope of coping.
When you finally start to make money you will wean yourself off of this so called great cow obsession and yields
But it's the same for any position.I just don't think there is anyone wanting to do it
He's cancelled on me again tomorrow morning too