All things Dairy

while it's correct to aim for high quality silage, what you end up with, is what you have to feed, and to late to alter -forget the aim, work with what you have.
One of the advantages of the holstien, is they keep milking, whereas xbreds and fr type, tend to dry themselves off, esp hfrs. In some breeds, the semen reps will tell you it takes to the 3rd lac, to really get going, but that is the risk of xbreds, they don't always perform, as expected.
As to your yield, quite sure a sales' nutritionist/rep, would be happy to run through the ration with you, probably try and sell you 'something' - be careful of that !
Im very very very very very happy with our yield thank you.
 
Went a bit wild at the south west dairy event.
New steam cleaner and did a deal on the ex display race from hoofcount but not stretched to their footbath yet. Need to hang a gate this afternoon and ordered some Joudain non return fingers from Teemoore to stop them going back in.

And after 5 months wait my Jimmer mobile has arrived. Little tractor for little farm. I’m in love with it already 😍
Got big plans for my little tractor!

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Jdunn55

Member
while it's correct to aim for high quality silage, what you end up with, is what you have to feed, and to late to alter -forget the aim, work with what you have.
One of the advantages of the holstien, is they keep milking, whereas xbreds and fr type, tend to dry themselves off, esp hfrs. In some breeds, the semen reps will tell you it takes to the 3rd lac, to really get going, but that is the risk of xbreds, they don't always perform, as expected.
As to your yield, quite sure a sales' nutritionist/rep, would be happy to run through the ration with you, probably try and sell you 'something' - be careful of that !
Had my rep out on Wednesday and ran through a couple of diets to see what we can do, I'm not convinced there's much to be done now as I think once a cow goes stale putting milk back on her is nearly impossible
Regarding the selling something, luckily the 2 reps I use both dislike bits and pieces like megalac which is good as it means I can say things without feeling like I'm going to have an overpriced product rammed down my throat

Just using it as a lesson for next year, I'm really, really excited for calving got lots of plans regarding nutrition which I'm laying the framework out for now so hopefully the girls will fly next year 🤞🤞🤞 also excited for lots of heifer calves, should have 60 due to sexed semen I think 😍
 

som farmer

Member
Livestock Farmer
Location
somerset
Had my rep out on Wednesday and ran through a couple of diets to see what we can do, I'm not convinced there's much to be done now as I think once a cow goes stale putting milk back on her is nearly impossible
Regarding the selling something, luckily the 2 reps I use both dislike bits and pieces like megalac which is good as it means I can say things without feeling like I'm going to have an overpriced product rammed down my throat

Just using it as a lesson for next year, I'm really, really excited for calving got lots of plans regarding nutrition which I'm laying the framework out for now so hopefully the girls will fly next year 🤞🤞🤞 also excited for lots of heifer calves, should have 60 due to sexed semen I think 😍
just a word of caution, young stock are great to have, unfortunately, they tie up a lot of cash, and impact on cash flow, especially in your first few years.
There is always the debate between rearing your own replacements, and a flying herd, and which is the best way, and, no doubt, on here would be cited, that both ways are the best, and apart from the 'health/tb' aspect, l would probably say flying, certainly in the early years of a farming career.
 

In the pit

Member
Livestock Farmer
Location
Pembrokeshire
Had my rep out on Wednesday and ran through a couple of diets to see what we can do, I'm not convinced there's much to be done now as I think once a cow goes stale putting milk back on her is nearly impossible
Regarding the selling something, luckily the 2 reps I use both dislike bits and pieces like megalac which is good as it means I can say things without feeling like I'm going to have an overpriced product rammed down my throat

Just using it as a lesson for next year, I'm really, really excited for calving got lots of plans regarding nutrition which I'm laying the framework out for now so hopefully the girls will fly next year 🤞🤞🤞 also excited for lots of heifer calves, should have 60 due to sexed semen I think 😍
Grass and cake in spring are all you need
Fancy rations = ££££££££
 
Location
southwest
Had my rep out on Wednesday and ran through a couple of diets to see what we can do, I'm not convinced there's much to be done now as I think once a cow goes stale putting milk back on her is nearly impossible
Regarding the selling something, luckily the 2 reps I use both dislike bits and pieces like megalac which is good as it means I can say things without feeling like I'm going to have an overpriced product rammed down my throat

Just using it as a lesson for next year, I'm really, really excited for calving got lots of plans regarding nutrition which I'm laying the framework out for now so hopefully the girls will fly next year 🤞🤞🤞 also excited for lots of heifer calves, should have 60 due to sexed semen I think 😍


that's the bit you need to remember-they are sales reps, not nutritionists. Their job is to sell feed, your job is to make money. If you don't (make money) you won't be keeping cows in five years time.
 

SFI - What % were you taking out of production?

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  • 50-75%

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  • 75-100%

    Votes: 3 1.6%
  • 100% I’ve had enough of farming!

    Votes: 6 3.2%

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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