All things Dairy

som farmer · May 6, 2022

su

In the pit said:
I think p&k is very easily overlooked in the growing of grass
Nitrogen provides a very quick blast but p&k take the long way round

sulphur makes a big difference here, tried half fields first year, clear difference, included ever sjnce.
odd to think the cleaning up of the atmosphere, has led to sulphur shortages in soil.
perhaps they might open up some coal generators again, with the Russian embargo

upnortheast · May 6, 2022

som farmer said:
su

sulphur makes a big difference here, tried half fields first year, clear difference, included ever sjnce.
odd to think the cleaning up of the atmosphere, has led to sulphur shortages in soil.
perhaps they might open up some coal generators again, with the Russian embargo

Never had any bother with trace element shortage when Consett iron works was just over the hill.

vantage · May 6, 2022

lazy farmer said:
I’m sorry that is beyond shambolic. I would have told where to get off by now plus I’d be billing them for lost income.

100%. Lorry did turn up at 4.45pm, mill had broken down and driver didn’t leave until 11am. Had my order halved to 9t as someone on the way had run out. Normally you’d wave goodbye, but another £70t hike doesn’t appeal, one hopes they will pull their standards up to where they were only 6 months ago.
Yes, will be billed.

frederick · May 7, 2022

som farmer said:
he's producing the goods, we will have heavy 1st main cut, with 1/3 of usual fert
the day he doesn't, will be the day he goes, grass for us, is critical.
To be honest, this spring, l think we have some of the largest amounts of grass, l can remember, over the last 50 yrs.
Its the why, l haven't worked out. l would hate to think that l might have wasted several 100 tons of fert over that time, if it could have grown, without it, like this year.
There is a theory, from work done in Australia, that has deduced, that grass becomes reliant, on fert, to grow, and can be 'weaned' off it. Sounds daft, but you never know.

I think I would be very careful with second cut.
Nitrogen isn't just an immediate effect. This winter and spring has been dry soil n levels will be higher and the slurry may have been more effective. But also if you've applied a third of the n you've probably only a third of the sulphur.

The soils N could be fairly depleted now and without moisture getting the next dose in could be tricky.

I may be completely wrong but I wouldn't rely on future growth for the rest of the year remaining as high in a third of the n all the way.

BELOWAVERAGE · May 7, 2022

vantage said:
100%. Lorry did turn up at 4.45pm, mill had broken down and driver didn’t leave until 11am. Had my order halved to 9t as someone on the way had run out. Normally you’d wave goodbye, but another £70t hike doesn’t appeal, one hopes they will pull their standards up to where they were only 6 months ago.
Yes, will be billed.

I know you're milk will probably have dropped a bit, but after taking the saving in cake into account would you not actually be better off, just normally works like that here when (not if)I run out. (I do appreciate I am below average though)

crashbox · May 7, 2022

Any people using silage additive with this good dry weather?
Esp. For red.clover leys?

Headless chicken · May 7, 2022

crashbox said:
Any people using silage additive with this good dry weather?
Esp. For red.clover leys?

Yes will always use additive

organicguy · May 7, 2022

crashbox said:
Any people using silage additive with this good dry weather?
Esp. For red.clover leys?

Always

vantage · May 7, 2022

BELOWAVERAGE said:
I know you're milk will probably have dropped a bit, but after taking the saving in cake into account would you not actually be better off, just normally works like that here when (not if)I run out. (I do appreciate I am below average though)

I’ll see the affect, probably not a jot on autumn cows, as they only have a dribble, spring probably more, I’ve a fair few Holsteins, not extreme, but more likely to take a hit than the Xbreds.

Martyn · May 7, 2022

organicguy said:
Always

What do you use out of interest?

Tirglas · May 7, 2022

BELOWAVERAGE said:
I know you're milk will probably have dropped a bit, but after taking the saving in cake into account would you not actually be better off, just normally works like that here when (not if)I run out. (I do appreciate I am below average though)

I agree at certain times of the year when forage quality is good! Seem to get a good response on the first 2kg here or at least a more noticeable drop if we go below 2kg on the fresher cows even now. Would love to go grass only though just not quite brave enough an even higher feed cost might make me braver though

In the pit · May 7, 2022

Used to feed 4 kgs cake and get 26/27 lts of milk
Grass had to be grazed at 2800/2900 cover because if I want over 3000 there was always a drop in milk and residuals just looked awful

pine_guy · May 7, 2022

After last year, nice to be one of the guys with rain and grass on here……for now

Happy at it · May 7, 2022

How could you put a price on the ball ache of having to milk a herd of cows used to getting meal, whilst they're getting milked ? Maybe it just mine, but it just wouldn't work without it..

vantage · May 7, 2022

Happy at it said:
How could you put a price on the ball ache of having to milk a herd of cows used to getting meal, whilst they're getting milked ? Maybe it just mine, but it just wouldn't work without it..

All the cows came in as usual, the first two rows fidgeted a bit, but noticeable how little sh!te was deposited. Only one heifer played up, she was once a day that day! Used to have no feeders so I know cows don’t need feeding in parlour, it’s a convenience thing.

som farmer · May 7, 2022

frederick said:
I think I would be very careful with second cut.
Nitrogen isn't just an immediate effect. This winter and spring has been dry soil n levels will be higher and the slurry may have been more effective. But also if you've applied a third of the n you've probably only a third of the sulphur.

The soils N could be fairly depleted now and without moisture getting the next dose in could be tricky.

I may be completely wrong but I wouldn't rely on future growth for the rest of the year remaining as high in a third of the n all the way.

ground is very dry, that is worrying,
2nd cut, will receive slurry, and N+S, probably 40units again,
for this cut, grass nitrate levels were high, last week, where the clover is thickest, hopefully down by now. But we are later than normal, cutting, just as things worked out, like an earlier cut, as, if things dry out, we stand a better chance of a decent second one.
though weather forecasters say dry, likely the opposite will happen.

som farmer · May 7, 2022

crashbox said:
Any people using silage additive with this good dry weather?
Esp. For red.clover leys?

yes
insurance, not so sure we should though.

organicguy · May 7, 2022

Martyn said:
What do you use out of interest?

Genus livesystem, either a home brew or got instant this time.
Relatively cheap insurance , never had a clamp the cows wont eat!

organicguy · May 7, 2022

3 young boys just turned out. They may be drawing straws at the end of the summer as to who goes and who stays, got 6 on farm at present and only need 3!

Jdunn55 · May 7, 2022

Knew it was too good to be true, would have been 2 weeks today without anything dieing on me!
Still alive atm but I've got about 0 hope

Extra frustrating as this one was born outside and dam had rotavec

been having parafor, started scouring day before yesterday, drank 3l yesterday morning tubed with 2l of water yesterday lunch and drink 3.5l of milk last night, yesterday's temperatures were 38.7, 38.8 and 38.7 and had metacam day before yesterday for scour

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