All things Dairy

Repeat · Jun 30, 2023

I think Kay Carslaw recommended 9 inches / cow, and my 1980's ICI booklet I just dug out recommends at least 6 inches as long as there is 24 hr access.
Depending whether you have use for a lot of bedding muck , a set of kennels would be a cheaper and easier run than a straw yard I would think.
looking back at when we started milking here in the 70's our new 100 cow kennels made from second hand timber and tin sheeting ,cost us very little.
Dug a hole in front of the pit and kennels and scrape straight in , over the edge.

easy farming · Jun 30, 2023

Martyn said:
Thanks

Basically looking at the cheapest/simplest/low labour unit I can build on a grazing block of 107 acres.

Thinking one large shed, with parlour/collection yard on a lean too, and the rest a clamp/loose house.

Thinking of putting in small collection pit for parlour waste water - empty weekly upto other dairy unit large slurry laggoon, then a total straw based yfm system. Compost system onto arable/maize ground.

Basically milk one unit am one unit pm. Jersey would be best suited (small/light weight)but that doesn't suit our dairy beef system.

Remember going to see a farm which wintered on straw, they put about a metre of woodchip under the straw to drain liquid away, saved on straw and chips were composted and spread in the Autumn.

Headless chicken · Jun 30, 2023

Martyn said:
Thanks

Basically looking at the cheapest/simplest/low labour unit I can build on a grazing block of 107 acres.

Thinking one large shed, with parlour/collection yard on a lean too, and the rest a clamp/loose house.

Thinking of putting in small collection pit for parlour waste water - empty weekly upto other dairy unit large slurry laggoon, then a total straw based yfm system. Compost system onto arable/maize ground.

Basically milk one unit am one unit pm. Jersey would be best suited (small/light weight)but that doesn't suit our dairy beef system.

Planning to empty that often imo is madness. At very least you’d need a back up plan as to what you’d do if you couldn’t shift it. Things happen when your on your own and sometimes plans just don’t come together

som farmer · Jun 30, 2023

easy farming said:
Remember going to see a farm which wintered on straw, they put about a metre of woodchip under the straw to drain liquid away, saved on straw and chips were composted and spread in the Autumn.

years ago our cows were on straw yards, from a cowstall, never cleaned them till the spring, originally with 4 prongs ! But never had trouble with mastitis. Went back to straw yards, when the cows got to big for the cubicles, and found we had to clean them out every 6 weeks, or serious mastitis. Back to bigger cubicles now.

But is it a reflection of how the 'modern' cow, is less resistant to disease, such as mastitis ?

Martyn · Jun 30, 2023

Headless chicken said:
Planning to empty that often imo is madness. At very least you’d need a back up plan as to what you’d do if you couldn’t shift it. Things happen when your on your own and sometimes plans just don’t come together

To be honest contractor would empty it, & we would keep a spare capacity. Spring block I'm thinking dry Christmas Jan & Part Feb, so could pump out dirty water most of the time parlour is in action onto feilds.

DairyNerd · Jul 1, 2023

Todays rather poor offering but at least grass is still going in i guess.

sidjon · Jul 1, 2023

Martyn said:
@Beef farmer @Cows 'n grass

How big a shed would be required to loose house 60-75 spring calving Friesian cows?

How big would a self feed clamp be?

Simple OAD system cows out most of the year even just a few hours.

Asking for a friend.

Ours have 6 inches per cow, but only away from clamp for about 30 minutes a milking, so cows have good access to clamp, clamp can have full face of cows at times but mostly they would have plenty of room, so bulling cow's not a problem, also when we start calving, cow's would be out at least during the day so heifers can have a good feed.

Headless chicken · Jul 1, 2023

Mowing off some more bits for bales. Far from ideal stuff but hoping it will feed ok with grazed fodder beet to give some youngstock a bit of fibre. Batch done 2 days ago averaged 2.5 bales to the acre from 15 units of foliar fed n.

Martyn · Jul 2, 2023

How soft is sensible to go with wholecrop, historically we have always gone to dry, iv got grass ready to go and thinking sun towards middle of the week.
Definitely white but still cheesey

Conrod96 · Jul 2, 2023

I would have cut that at the cheesy stage probably at the start of last week but we always like ours abit greener

In the pit · Jul 2, 2023

Conrod96 said:
I would have cut that at the cheesy stage probably at the start of last week but we always like ours abit greener

Martyn said:
How soft is sensible to go with wholecrop, historically we have always gone to dry, iv got grass ready to go and thinking sun towards middle of the week.
Definitely white but still cheeseyView attachment 1121945 View attachment 1121946

Yes get it in the clamp

Martyn · Jul 2, 2023

First year nearly completed on oad milking, milk output has dropped 31% bf&p very little difference, cake fed dropped from 900kg to 220kg cow, currently running at 3890l per cow sold, hopefully get over 4k by dry off end of the month

easy farming · Jul 2, 2023

Martyn said:
View attachment 1121968
First year nearly completed on oad milking, milk output has dropped 31% bf&p very little difference, cake fed dropped from 900kg to 220kg cow, currently running at 3890l per cow sold, hopefully get over 4k by dry off end of the month

With labour, electric and cake savings, plus less stress, are you happy with a full year OAD?

coomoo · Jul 2, 2023

Our 10 year old greenfield dairy unit now has a 400 year old dwelling to finally call the farmhouse. Planning authorities couldn’t stop this one

New roads going in this week.

Sid · Jul 2, 2023

Martyn said:
To be honest contractor would empty it, & we would keep a spare capacity. Spring block I'm thinking dry Christmas Jan & Part Feb, so could pump out dirty water most of the time parlour is in action onto feilds.

Dirty water can not be pumped out in winter in NVZ.
It's classified as slurry now.

You maybe not be in one.

DairyNerd · Jul 2, 2023

Martyn said:
View attachment 1121968
First year nearly completed on oad milking, milk output has dropped 31% bf&p very little difference, cake fed dropped from 900kg to 220kg cow, currently running at 3890l per cow sold, hopefully get over 4k by dry off end of the month

You must be pretty happy with those figures. What do you feed as your winter ration?

pappuller · Jul 2, 2023

coomoo said:
View attachment 1122024Our 10 year old greenfield dairy unit now has a 400 year old dwelling to finally call the farmhouse. Planning authorities couldn’t stop this one New roads going in this week.

one youve bought ?

coomoo · Jul 2, 2023

pappuller said:
one youve bought ?

Yeah approached it privately and it’s all worked out in the end. Glad to be in and can finally walk to work.

Bald Rick · Jul 2, 2023

Oops ..

Spilled milk closes the M6 motorway after tanker crash

The M6 near Preston was closed for most of the day after milk spilled on to both carriageways.

www.bbc.co.uk

Sid · Jul 2, 2023

Bald Rick said:
Oops ..

Spilled milk closes the M6 motorway after tanker crash

The M6 near Preston was closed for most of the day after milk spilled on to both carriageways.

www.bbc.co.uk

No use crying.....

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