All things Dairy

[Headless chicken]

Ours didn't even go out today. It's bulls**t. They're on the second round now and the fields are just too tender. It's bulls**t.

We’re attempting to clear out 60/70% over 3/4 hours then fetch in before making too much mess doesn’t always work out.

 

[som farmer]

offered a spring grazer some bales, bit of a mess, where they graze. Definite no, we do not feed the cows, once calved, period.

coming monday to see if we can agree a price on some grass, we have plenty, having cut the cows.

just wonder after this rain, if she has changed her mind, about the bales, and we wouldn't be stupid on price, no point in that.

went to look at a bunch of calves today, loads of water lying in fields, don't think there will be a spring flush, a small summer one, perhaps.

@Jdunn55 , cow price is good at the moment, it might be beneficial to pre-movement test a few, to sell now, rather than wait, and risk a whole herd test, and sell them 'not so fresh'.

we were pleased with our prices, but had had 4,000 litres of milk, av over the bunch, it does have an effect on prices.

 

[Cotlandfarmer]

Ours didn't even go out today. It's bulls**t. They're on the second round now and the fields are just too tender. It's bulls**t.

Out night and day here, no silage left so no choice.

 

[Beef farmer]

can confirm doing this
View attachment 1179676
To avoid this
View attachment 1179677
in may is absolute bulls**t.

second pic taken at the most forgiving angle. 279 cows were all huddled on that patch this morning in the pissing rain

Looking for the positives though my zero fossil fuel approach to min till has to score some points with the socks and sandals brigade

Perfect prep for sam3 to establish.

 

[Jdunn55]

Bloody knew today went too well!
Heifers out in next door
I despise electric fending as a boundary

 

[som farmer]

Bloody knew today went too well!
Heifers out in next door
I despise electric fending as a boundary

l used to rent 4.5 acres, could guarantee nothing, including wild sheep, would break out.

it had a 10ft high chain link fence all around it, plus 2ft dug in, the half acre also had 8 x 4 flat steel sheets, 6 ft up, to stop anything climbing over.

it was done years ago, in conjunction with Slimbridge, and Sir Peter Scot, as an external 'unit' to breed rare wildfowl, way before my time.

 

[Conrod96]

Feels weird reading comments like that usually it’s us guys over here struggling with the weather but we’ve had a nice spell last week and not to bad this week although most cattle only gone out in the last 10 days

 

[Will Blackburn]

Yeah, glorious day in NW England, need a smidge of rain to wash the fert in, first fertiliser on cutting ground, still too soft in places

 

[crashbox]

I've got a bulling heifer (never calved) who's in standing heat.

I'm going to ai her again now regardless but she was standing heat (and served) last Wednesday.

She was given estrumate around the 10th of April as she was 3 months incalf (by accident - had a bull escape for a few days and managed to get 6/20 incalf in that time) and I wanted her incalf to ai (one of my best heifers)

Thoughts on why or what? Shall I offer her to vet at next herd visit (end of month)

Heifer with fertility issues? Run with the beef bull.

These are not genetics for a future herd with good fertility.

 

[crashbox]

Bloody knew today went too well!
Heifers out in next door
I despise electric fending as a boundary

Check it's hot enough.

I despise the bills associated with "hard fence".

 

[TheRanger]

Feels weird reading comments like that usually it’s us guys over here struggling with the weather but we’ve had a nice spell last week and not to bad this week although most cattle only gone out in the last 10 days

Deserve it after the winter we've had. Cattle out here 3-4 days, but the grass has only just started turning green.

 

[Bert Jansch]

Deserve it after the winter we've had. Cattle out here 3-4 days, but the grass has only just started turning green.

Can’t believe how quick it’s improved here. Only a couple of weeks ago, I was on the verge of giving up. Still soft up and down, but on the whole I am amazed how the ground is standing up. Feel like I’m on a different planet, never mind different country!

 

[Bert Jansch]

 

[Conrod96]

Deserve it after the winter we've had. Cattle out here 3-4 days, but the grass has only just started turning green.

Yeah we got spring oats planted last week and 30 heifers turned out, turned the rest of them out yesterday cows have been out for a month on and off tho

 

[Blue.]

Can’t believe how quick it’s improved here. Only a couple of weeks ago, I was on the verge of giving up. Still soft up and down, but on the whole I am amazed how the ground is standing up. Feel like I’m on a different planet, never mind different country!

Yeah all it had to do was stop fûckin raining,grass is absolutely motoring now
Shame today’s forecast is heavy rain ☔️

 

[Bert Jansch]

Yeah all it had to do was stop fûckin raining,grass is absolutely motoring now
Shame today’s forecast is heavy rain ☔️

Bit of warmth has been great too. I’m not aching like I was. Makes a hell of a difference

 

[Martyn]

Mud on grass is my biggest issue, lots of paddock of grass but cows won’t eat as to blinking muddy🫣

 

[Jdunn55]

Bit more first cut whilst the weather allows!

 

[Jdunn55]

Heifer with fertility issues? Run with the beef bull.

These are not genetics for a future herd with good fertility.

Not sure, think her issue (assuming she has one) is probably more caused by me messing with her - she got incalf first service to the bull after all

Either way she's going to dairy

 

[Jdunn55]

Check it's hot enough.

I despise the bills associated with "hard fence".

View attachment 1179724

I have one but my little darlings managed to push the corner post over and make the line slack and a hop skip and a jump later in the neighbours they were