All things Dairy

[Beef farmer]

Please,please delete all mention or pictures of the above.This is a public forum and many different sections of society view it and our industry has no need of unfavourable public perception.

Disagree. Sorry. Its often for everyone saftey

 

[Blue.]

I'd say remove the cow pic.

 

[paddler]

Disagree. Sorry. Its often for everyone saftey

I see your point of view but I know DEFRA ,Red Tractor and various dairies and supermarket chains view this forum. Not to mention animal rights activists,vegans and similar sorts all wishing to curtail and regulate our industry.

 

[yin ewe]

I see your point of view but I know DEFRA ,Red Tractor and various dairies and supermarket chains view this forum. Not to mention animal rights activists,vegans and similar sorts all wishing to curtail and regulate our industry.

Genuine question- what do DEFRA/ RT advise on restraining a cow/heifer that kicks in the parlour?
Animal rights activists and extreme vegans have already made their mind up about farmers anyway and will distort or make up stories to suit their own agenda.
We used kick bars when we milked in the parlour and I have to say that clips look to be much more civilised!

 

[paddler]

I do not know what the advice is on milk cow restraint but I do know if officialdom are not aware of a particular method they are unlikely to ban it.

 

[Martyn]

Daft question but why are your heifers kicking, Iv never used kick bars or clips, the odd one I rub there udder and talk to them but soon settle within 2/3 milkings. It must be stress, or breeding?

 

[Dead Rabbits]

Is there anything worse than small heifers on a rotary? They can see you and bait you through the rump bar by standing all the way forward. Then they strike with precision.

 

[kill]

All scrapped and feed, robots rebooted and back into the office for a coffee as it's only 4 am . Pushing on today as TB testing at 9am. Cows happily being pened infront of robots and then most walking themselves in.

Cant resist their favourite item

 

[pine_guy]

View attachment 775392
All scrapped and feed, robots rebooted and back into the office for a coffee as it's only 4 am . Pushing on today as TB testing at 9am. Cows happily being pened infront of robots and then most walking themselves in. View attachment 775394 Cant resist their favourite item

TB testing a few days after going to the robots. Put some pressure on yourself!?

Are you feeding bale silage?

 

[Barmyfarmer]

I'd say remove the cow pic.

Cow picture removed

 

[kill]

TB testing a few days after going to the robots. Put some pressure on yourself!?

Are you feeding bale silage?

With out any doubt but it's a double today as Gama blood was postponed a month ago by the ministry as no lab space that day and managed to get our TB testing vets to do the skin test at same time to save extra handling.
Our robots were getting close to the start deadline to run and if it was postponed any longer it would have meant a derigation from our organic body as we have to start grazing as soon as ground conditions allow for both them and our milk contract.

Yes it's baled silage and sprinkled with mineral powder.
Hopefully today is easier than yesterday as we had a power cut at 9am and my backup generator wasn't installed even tho it's been here since before Xmas and tanker arrived at 9.30am and tank couldn't be opened as is on a air/ electric valve do phone calls to dairy engineers and pulling controller off etc and thankfully milk was taken.
Later when electric returned and everything was rebooted we had issues!!!! Tank valve played up badly sending out loads of error codes and not allowing tank wash. Robot company help line said I'd put it back wrongly and had to refit a quarter of a turn off which done and when washed tank had 200 litres of wash water still in it.
Phoned helpline again and between us ( mainly me) decided compressor hadn't switched back on so repeated wash and another 200 litres sat in tank. 3rd time lucky as took valve off and reset to my original position and rewashed to check and finally restarted milking after 6 hour delay. The joys of milking with robots!!!!!!

 

[pine_guy]

With out any doubt but it's a double today as Gama blood was postponed a month ago by the ministry as no lab space that day and managed to get our TB testing vets to do the skin test at same time to save extra handling.
Our robots were getting close to the start deadline to run and if it was postponed any longer it would have meant a derigation from our organic body as we have to start grazing as soon as ground conditions allow for both them and our milk contract.

Yes it's baled silage and sprinkled with mineral powder.
Hopefully today is easier than yesterday as we had a power cut at 9am and my backup generator wasn't installed even tho it's been here since before Xmas and tanker arrived at 9.30am and tank couldn't be opened as is on a air/ electric valve do phone calls to dairy engineers and pulling controller off etc and thankfully milk was taken.
Later when electric returned and everything was rebooted we had issues!!!! Tank valve played up badly sending out loads of error codes and not allowing tank wash. Robot company help line said I'd put it back wrongly and had to refit a quarter of a turn off which done and when washed tank had 200 litres of wash water still in it.
Phoned helpline again and between us ( mainly me) decided compressor hadn't switched back on so repeated wash and another 200 litres sat in tank. 3rd time lucky as took valve off and reset to my original position and rewashed to check and finally restarted milking after 6 hour delay. The joys of milking with robots!!!!!!

Neighbours robots dumped his milk one day for no apparent reason!! Thankfully only half a days.

 

[coomoo]

Neighbours robots dumped his milk one day for no apparent reason!! Thankfully only half a days.

I’m told you should get lely, not affect me tho.

 

[dinderleat]

With out any doubt but it's a double today as Gama blood was postponed a month ago by the ministry as no lab space that day and managed to get our TB testing vets to do the skin test at same time to save extra handling.
Our robots were getting close to the start deadline to run and if it was postponed any longer it would have meant a derigation from our organic body as we have to start grazing as soon as ground conditions allow for both them and our milk contract.

Yes it's baled silage and sprinkled with mineral powder.
Hopefully today is easier than yesterday as we had a power cut at 9am and my backup generator wasn't installed even tho it's been here since before Xmas and tanker arrived at 9.30am and tank couldn't be opened as is on a air/ electric valve do phone calls to dairy engineers and pulling controller off etc and thankfully milk was taken.
Later when electric returned and everything was rebooted we had issues!!!! Tank valve played up badly sending out loads of error codes and not allowing tank wash. Robot company help line said I'd put it back wrongly and had to refit a quarter of a turn off which done and when washed tank had 200 litres of wash water still in it.
Phoned helpline again and between us ( mainly me) decided compressor hadn't switched back on so repeated wash and another 200 litres sat in tank. 3rd time lucky as took valve off and reset to my original position and rewashed to check and finally restarted milking after 6 hour delay. The joys of milking with robots!!!!!!

Have you still got the milking bail? Or has mat had it back?

 

[kill]

Have you still got the milking bail? Or has mat had it back?

It's still currently here but taken out last week. Think it maybe heading off downwards by the north coast

 

[Milkcow365]

No fert on silage ground yet, looking at weather it’s well into next week before it’s worth putting any on

 

[Moorlands]

View attachment 775516 No fert on silage ground yet, looking at weather it’s well into next week before it’s worth putting any on

Looks like what’s there could do with snipping off first?

 

[upnortheast]

View attachment 775516 No fert on silage ground yet, looking at weather it’s well into next week before it’s worth putting any on

Talking to a customer today who has just been up your way this weekend . Could not believe the amount of grass in the fields

 

[Bald Rick]

Out with the old
View attachment 774416
..and in with the new, fresh from Anglesey yesterday.
View attachment 774418
Hard to believe but the new one is nearly twice as big as the old.

Good buy that ....

 

[holywell farmer]

First sniff of grass,good job they're only on 20kg to startView attachment 773454View attachment 773456

Do ever supplement the fresh grass with cattle cake ?