Cows 'n grass
Member
- Location
- Modbury, South Devon
Tasty bit of Jersey x blue. Hard too judge scale from the photo but that board is 30 x 50cm. Wife and I barely ate half.
All things Dairy
- Thread starter Cows 'n grass
- Start date
Looks a nice bit of steak. Reckon I could force it down on my own but I am a fat barsteward!
- Location
- Wormingford, Essex
We did our first Jersey steer back in November, was a bit sceptical but it was very nice. Sold it through our shop and got a lot of good feedback too. Downside was there wasn't much of it.
Doesn't look like it, c&g got a whole one on a chopping board
Cows 'n grass
Member
- Location
- Modbury, South Devon
This chap was pushing 40months and 700 kg.
Plain steer
Member
Are you pleased with your decision to going into milk you must have a few cows if you have a herdsman
Or regrets his decision enough to need 1
- Location
- somerset
was told today, it's unlikely for any new herd/farmer to get a milk contract down west, for spring calving herds, no idea if true. We had to have some autumn calvers when we switched buyers this year. It's a no, for all spring calvers looking for a new contract with our buyer.
But seasonality has always been a 'problem' for processors, they want even supply, seasonality payments are geared to that, but obviously not working, so, no doubt more harsher seasonality will appear.
But seasonality has always been a 'problem' for processors, they want even supply, seasonality payments are geared to that, but obviously not working, so, no doubt more harsher seasonality will appear.
pine_guy
Member
- Location
- North Cumbria
No regrets. Come a long way, but plenty to do. We milk 125 at peak this year. Scope to increase numbers a bit, but length of milking time would be a concern. Had a unique way in and not sure if I’d like to do it with a different milk buyer (price).
I don’t mind milking cows but we currently are running all last years young stock some bits and pieces from the old beef enterprise and 350 sheep as well. And I find it much easier to manage the different enterprises working on the yard than 4 hours a day in the pit. My herdsman is AI trained, feet trained and a lot of experience with cows. Have a second employee who also has a lot of dairy experience, but sickened himself milking 7 hours a day 12 on 14 off 13 hour days in his last job. He is happy as on the yard, but capable of all jobs if needed apart from AI. Two big wages to find, but both priceless. We are trying to keep as much work in house as already have most kit Including the arable side. Forage box is on my wish list but may have to take a back seat this year as I want to upgrade the old 3CX for a 5-8 ton tracked machine, as my stewardship scheme was approved this week which includes 1050m of cow track, 1220m2 of concrete in the yards and 6250m of fencing (plus a lot of mains hot wire for grazing). Oh yeah and I do all the paperwork for the business, and find I am now able to have days off and spend time with the family.
watching your new setup with interest....... the entrepreneur in me really enjoys the set up bit the most
lazy farmer
Member
- Location
- som/dor border
100 is not that ambitious
BELOWAVERAGE
Member
I find it funny (and I might be wrong) how you criticise others, but then put on here how you have to teat seal your heifers as your cubicle management is so poor.
frederick
Member
- Location
- south west
We will allow 300 on the last recording as long as the rest of lactation was sub 200.
frederick
Member
- Location
- south west
Lazy to his cost has had issues with mastitis in freshly calved heifers. He has found a method that will get his incidence down to really good levels that works for him. He's shown you photos of heifers lieing backwards in cubicles which will unfortunately never be a great starting point.
Now he has removed the vagaries of cubicle management and the effect that a damp spell might have and reliably achieves good results at a financial cost he regards acceptable.
BELOWAVERAGE
Member
Forgive me if I'm wrong, but I'm sure he said his cubicle management was poor because no one was there during January, presumably because he/they are off on jolly's to find out how to make more money, while he neglect's what's at home, so therefore actually costing/loosing money instead, I find it ironic to criticise others when you are neglecting your own at one of the most critical times of the year.
- Location
- somerset
got to start somewhere, but drying cows off, to go out on kale/mud, without tubes, ,doesn't appeal much, 1 cow lost, more money than the tubes. Drying aut block off, going out on to dry clean ground, totally different. Years ago, the system was milk x1 day, for a week, then we went to dry/off, straw and water only, today tube and out, perhaps we should look at those 'old' ways again. Even with the lower yielding spr calving cows, it's suprising how udders bulk up on some.
- Location
- somerset
years ago we had a really bad time with summer mastitus, in roughly a 100 i/c hfrs, vet advised us to tube them with drying off tube, 1/2 were ours, the others my cousins, agreed he would do his, i would do ours, he went first, definitely not something to try, it was stupidly dangerous, and only the 1 was partially done. We then used liquid colodyon, better known as liquid skin, dead easy to put on, and very effective. Looked on the net for some recently, could only find very small bottles, at a ridiculous price. But, using it after tube/seal, would keep the teat end hygienically sterile, and serve as a stronger seal, for the 'danger' period, straight after tubing.
But animal husbandry, is looking out to your stock every day, somethings very wrong if you have udder problems in housed cattle, above is different, you know the cause, and treat.
How much summer mastitus do we see these days, we haven't seen any for years, fly spray seems to have sorted it out, in past years, we would not put hfrs/dry cows in well sheltered fields, they would be up in the open, to reduce fly risk, would seem modern science has 'cured' that.
Last edited:
frederick
Member
- Location
- south west
Antibiotic dry cow tubes are far more limited in preventing mastitis Than a sealant. Their use should really only be for clearing up an infection and a sealant and management practices should stop the infection in the dry period.
- Location
- somerset
i know, but brought up in a time a/b dry cow tubes, were an absolute must, the magic cure ! Really don't like the thought of them walking through the muddy bits. Will get there in the end. Read an article that seemed sensible a few years ago, basically saying, in the high yielding holstiens, by the time the udder had 'dried' completely out, it was starting to prepare for the next lactation, thus not allowing the cows natural ability to overcome the mastitus.
lazy farmer
Member
- Location
- som/dor border
Don’t have issues with just sealing cows with a cell count below 200. That was my point. Very very rarelyDo we get fresh infections at the point of calving. So I know the value of sealing. Hence why we now seal heifers.
Didn’t really see what I posted as criticism and iM a sensitive soul.
Sorry I make no apologies for having time away. Im rather enjoying my week off right now In fact. Shame there isn’t more to do !
But safe in the knowledge that a new protocol is being followed at home which should see healthier heifers enter the herd
Have a good day
Last edited:
- Location
- somerset
original post looked like bad management, glad to hear it's not.
enjoy your time off, calm before the storm,
enjoy your time off, calm before the storm,