10 in 7 milking + summer diet

[Jdunn55]

My opinions on calf sheds for block calvers has been aired before.

That's my plan for next year, straw pens inside the silage clamp, I can't use it atm because the floor is broken up and there is pools of water all of the shed

I just need to muddle through this year and then life will better.

For instance strip grazing takes way too long atm, in the fields I have paid to have fenced it takes me roughly 5 minutes to do a front fence and a back fence, the other fields take bloody ages but I have a grant to get them fenced so once done hopefully an extra 15 minutes minimum spare per day

Calf feeding is a pita right now, next year it shouldn't take anywhere near as long as it currently does, or even this autumn all being well

I could go on about all these things that are taking too much of my day up but most of them will be sorted over the next few months so as time goes on it will be easier to farm here and I'll have more time available
But that relies on me having time to get things sorted which is why I was wondering wether cutting back on Milking would help but I'm second guessing myself anyway and from the above it doesn't seem like a good idea anyway

 

[Beef farmer]

That's my plan for next year, straw pens inside the silage clamp, I can't use it atm because the floor is broken up and there is pools of water all of the shed

I just need to muddle through this year and then life will better.

For instance strip grazing takes way too long atm, in the fields I have paid to have fenced it takes me roughly 5 minutes to do a front fence and a back fence, the other fields take bloody ages but I have a grant to get them fenced so once done hopefully an extra 15 minutes minimum spare per day

Calf feeding is a pita right now, next year it shouldn't take anywhere near as long as it currently does, or even this autumn all being well

I could go on about all these things that are taking too much of my day up but most of them will be sorted over the next few months so as time goes on it will be easier to farm here and I'll have more time available
But that relies on me having time to get things sorted which is why I was wondering wether cutting back on Milking would help but I'm second guessing myself anyway and from the above it doesn't seem like a good idea anyway

Does JV help on the farm?

 

[Jdunn55]

Does JV help on the farm?

No busy doing cameras atm, lots applied and recieved them on the grant

 

[Happy at it]

Been at home full time for around 15 years, and without any help now for about half of it. I wouldn't have believed how much help someone can give just being around the parlour at milking times to let new calves be fed, cows sorted for ai feet etc or wash down etc, until that help was no longer there. I get why you're finding it difficult. That's why I can't understand why the likes of your father couldn't be coaxed into giving you an hour 3 or four times a week to help speed you up and keep your heart up?

As beef farmer said, there is such a big difference between the theory of milking cows and the reality. On owned farms around here it's something a few of the new entrants seem to struggle with, after the novelty of building sheds/parlours,buying cows etc the grind of looking after them doesn't seem to appealing and they're gone in a few years.

Is the amount time money and effort you seem intent on spending on a short term rented place really sensible?

 

[Jdunn55]

Been at home full time for around 15 years, and without any help now for about half of it. I wouldn't have believed how much help someone can give just being around the parlour at milking times to let new calves be fed, cows sorted for ai feet etc or wash down etc, until that help was no longer there. I get why you're finding it difficult. That's why I can't understand why the likes of your father couldn't be coaxed into giving you an hour 3 or four times a week to help speed you up and keep your heart up?

As beef farmer said, there is such a big difference between the theory of milking cows and the reality. On owned farms around here it's something a few of the new entrants seem to struggle with, after the novelty of building sheds/parlours,buying cows etc the grind of looking after them doesn't seem to appealing and they're gone in a few years.

Is the amount time money and effort you seem intent on spending on a short term rented place really sensible?

It is just that extra bit of help that's needed tbh dad helps me when I beg him to, but he works away from the farm doing building work
I wouldn't trust dad to do things like calves, he has lots of good points but he does cut corners and thinks a lot of what I do is a waste of time - before anyone jumps on here and says maybe he's right, he doesn't see the point in spraying calves naval and would just let the calves suck from the cows etc

I don't know what to do now tbh

 

[BELOWAVERAGE]

That's my plan for next year, straw pens inside the silage clamp, I can't use it atm because the floor is broken up and there is pools of water all of the shed

I just need to muddle through this year and then life will better.

For instance strip grazing takes way too long atm, in the fields I have paid to have fenced it takes me roughly 5 minutes to do a front fence and a back fence, the other fields take bloody ages but I have a grant to get them fenced so once done hopefully an extra 15 minutes minimum spare per day

Calf feeding is a pita right now, next year it shouldn't take anywhere near as long as it currently does, or even this autumn all being well

I could go on about all these things that are taking too much of my day up but most of them will be sorted over the next few months so as time goes on it will be easier to farm here and I'll have more time available
But that relies on me having time to get things sorted which is why I was wondering wether cutting back on Milking would help but I'm second guessing myself anyway and from the above it doesn't seem like a good idea anyway

If strip grazing is taking too long don't bother, just chuck them in,when they've finished that field move them on to the next.

 

[Jdunn55]

So tanker has been, any guess for how many litres per cow I'm down?

 

[Tirglas]

So tanker has been, any guess for how many litres per cow I'm down?

15-20%?

 

[Jdunn55]

15-20%?

0.5 litres per cow down maybe I'll keep going for a bit longer after all...

 

[Holsteinfriesian90]

0.5 litres per cow down maybe I'll keep going for a bit longer after all...

Wouldn’t it take a while to take affect not just 2 days?

 

[Jdunn55]

Wouldn’t it take a while to take affect not just 2 days?

Probably but it's encouraging to say the least, feeling a bit better about carrying on with it now

Considering that's with 1/4 less cake and not being milked at all last night I'm taking that as a win, still early days mind but I was expecting 4 litres per cow gone minimum

 

[frederick]

0.5 litres per cow down maybe I'll keep going for a bit longer after all...

What that definitely tells me 13 milkings is the absolute maximum you should do even if you return to tad.

 

[Jdunn55]

What that definitely tells me 13 milkings is the absolute maximum you should do even if you return to tad.

I agree, drop the Sunday afternoon and milk late Sunday morning

 

[frederick]

Now some calves are getting older 10 minutes twice a day is all it should be taking to feed 20 of those calves. Ditch the buckets and get some 5 or 10 teat feeders.

 

[Jdunn55]

What that definitely tells me 13 milkings is the absolute maximum you should do even if you return to tad.

It's also telling me regardless if wether I milk 10 in 7 or twice daily the cake can be cut back

 

[frederick]

It's also telling me regardless if wether I milk 10 in 7 or twice daily the cake can be cut back

I'm not sure you can work on the fact that yesterday's cake makes today's milk. Three weeks would be needed to truly reflect on a diet change.
However even if a long term change to 10 in 7 drops milk the change to 13 will have minimal effect because the cows are given the other 6 days to recover.

This is all very tempting but as an autumn calver shed has to be scraped twice a day and unfortunately fed twice a day which means the buggers probably ought to be milked as well whilst everything else is going on.

Will have to be given more spring summer consideration but cost saving are more difficult with a herdsman that may welcome more free time but might not appreciate a pay cut.

 

[Stuart1]

why hide, its actually quite solid advice.
the problem, is he has a tenancy, and they are extremely difficult to get, and would he get another chance ?
I think there may be more tenancies about, the sheer cost of feed fert etc, is going to force some 'inefficient' farmers, esp sucklers, out. Dairy land around here to rent, is around £200 acre, no sfp. Driven by the pink trouser brigade, looking to maximise their commission, on short term fbt, the result, the land is basically raped, which as we know, eventually lowers the rent, because its screwed.

We were lucky enough to pick up 56 acres, very close to home, 3 people claimed they 'had' it because they tendered the highest rent. We had been asked, if we would like, signed and sealed, weeks before the above, and at less than half, that some tendered, one chap was quite upset, he had drawn up his plans for organic conversion, and bought seed for it. He's stopped putting his hand up, when we pass.

Land for rent is running between £300-£400 for cutting & grazing around me in Northern Ireland, count yourself lucky.

 

[Tirglas]

Effect won't show till you get an average and even when the drop looks big they should adjust and recover. Don't think the cake feeding level has had a chance to work through either myself. All encouraging though and agree an easy Sunday every week at the very least

When and if you do get a significant drop in yield, don't panic. If you get a spike in cell count/mastitis, give them time to adjust. Panic slowly or not at all and keep calm and enjoy farming

 

[coomoo]

Effect won't show till you get an average and even when the drop looks big they should adjust and recover. Don't think the cake feeding level has had a chance to work through either myself. All encouraging though and agree an easy Sunday every week at the very least

When and if you do get a significant drop in yield, don't panic. If you get a spike in cell count/mastitis, give them time to adjust. Panic slowly or not at all and keep calm and enjoy farming

I’m panicking now reading through this morning’s updates

 

[Tirglas]

I’m panicking now reading through this morning’s updates

Don't think enough time has passed to draw any conclusions yet