Northern Ireland Milk Price Tracker

[clem dog]

Did anyone ever hear of "The Hoof Fairy"!
Good job I found it with the last cow. Grinders,knives and Bush don't mix.View attachment 799080

What's this all about? Buy a box of cow slips get a free bottle of Bush?

 

[yin ewe]

You'll be more unique if you haven't got your silage in by show time this year!
When did you sow and how much just for interest?

It got about 80 units at the end of the first week of April. Would have been on a bit earlier but the sower pigged in the first field and had to look about a new one. Spoke to quite a few yesterday who hadn't silage in.

 

[Wee Willy]

What's this all about? Buy a box of cow slips get a free bottle of Bush?

Yes. That picture is playing tricks...it's only a 50 ml bottle.

 

[Aircooled]

Grass is still a bit green. Neighbour lifting grass last night that looked a bit black. If any of this stuff gets rained on it won't make silage.

 

[it's not over]

I'm to mow tomorrow but rain forecast sat and sun. Contractor will be on the phone because he needs lifting grass on Monday. Have to put him off. I don't think they care as long as it goes up the spout

 

[Borney92]

I don't mind having the radio on, but I can't drive with the back window closed, l like to hear what's going on and and get her stopped before that knock turns into a bang.

Always keep the window closed or you might have a surprise.

 

[it's not over]

Weather has changed .dry on Saturday.do your head in

 

[crabbitfarmer]

Weather has changed .dry on Saturday.do your head in

I’d leave mowing it to Monday

 

[The Agrarian]

I don't think it'll amount to anything more than what I'd call nuisance rain. Rain that's a nuisance to you, and no good to me. Humidity is to be higher over the weekend and into next week though. Delay him to Monday if you can. If not, kick on Monday and lift Tuesday.

 

[Cowcorn]

I’m no expert but is maize not better than barley for energy.?
I really don’t care what’s in the nut at this time of the year. They’re getting from 2 kg to 4 kg. It’s not going to make a big difference. Winter feedings different. If I had the sphericals I’d love to pull them down to 1 kg but old habits die hard. My Da used to feed 10 kegs at grass.

Maize is every bit as good as barley for energy but not better or as palatable . As im also an arable farmer i have to feather my own nest by encouraging the use of native grain over imported maize . There is a lot of carryover barley from last harvest still in store and will affect prices this harvest. The millers have favoured maize meal over barley for price but have not really passed on the saving on the nut price. And Willy dont worry about the sphericals the will grow as the milk price falls !!!!!

 

[Wee Willy]

Maize is every bit as good as barley for energy but not better or as palatable . As im also an arable farmer i have to feather my own nest by encouraging the use of native grain over imported maize . There is a lot of carryover barley from last harvest still in store and will affect prices this harvest. The millers have favoured maize meal over barley for price but have not really passed on the saving on the nut price. And Willy dont worry about the sphericals the will grow as the milk price falls !!!!!

Brilliant!
But I don’t think you know the northern men. Totally addicted to meal. With some grass is only there for roughage.

 

[Agrifool]

Maize is every bit as good as barley for energy but not better or as palatable . As im also an arable farmer i have to feather my own nest by encouraging the use of native grain over imported maize . There is a lot of carryover barley from last harvest still in store and will affect prices this harvest. The millers have favoured maize meal over barley for price but have not really passed on the saving on the nut price. And Willy dont worry about the sphericals the will grow as the milk price falls !!!!!

I tend to disagree
Maize is different starch and is more available as "bypass starch" which means it bypasses the rumen and gets absorbed in the intestine. The major bonus here is the fact it doesn't contribute to Acidosis in the Rumen and cause stomach upsets to the same level as Barley or wheat ( wheat is the worst due to rapid fermentation ) Even when no visible signs of Acidosis is present a cow can still suffer from Sub acute Rumen acidosis (SARA for short)

Cereal based starch in diets are fine but need to be very carefully balanced, Maize will still be the number 1 choice for my cows.

 

[Cowcorn]

I tend to disagree
Maize is different starch and is more available as "bypass starch" which means it bypasses the rumen and gets absorbed in the intestine. The major bonus here is the fact it doesn't contribute to Acidosis in the Rumen and cause stomach upsets to the same level as Barley or wheat ( wheat is the worst due to rapid fermentation ) Even when no visible signs of Acidosis is present a cow can still suffer from Sub acute Rumen acidosis (SARA for short)

Cereal based starch in diets are fine but need to be very carefully balanced, Maize will still be the number 1 choice for my cows.

Doctors differ, the cow dies!!! It really depends on what level of of meal feeding. Summer meal fed at 3 to 4 kilos when cows have good grass a cheap barley based mix is not going to upset any stomachs . But if you are feeding large volumes of meal thats a different scenario and a different system . I completely agree that meal makes milk but does it make money ? Weather is the big variable when the good lord sends us good grass growing and grazing weather why not take full advantage and save on the meal bill .

 

[Cowcorn]

Update on meal price;
16% nut ,1st ingredient maize,then maize gluten,,then soya hulls. Will be costing me £209.
From the South. The company we’re with 40+ years charging £235.
I’m now milking cows I bought in the republic.
Feeding them meal from the republic.
Eating grass grew with fertiliser from the republic.
And their milk will be heading down south in the morning to the republic.
Right boys,I’m away to bed....Lodge meeting tomorrow night. No Surrender.

With all that shopping south of the rio grande willy i think its more " up the republic " than no surrender with ye
There are a few NI contractors renting ground around here for maize silage to sell up north so more northern cows will be giving green tinged milk !!!!

 

[Agrifool]

Doctors differ, the cow dies!!! It really depends on what level of of meal feeding. Summer meal fed at 3 to 4 kilos when cows have good grass a cheap barley based mix is not going to upset any stomachs . But if you are feeding large volumes of meal thats a different scenario and a different system . I completely agree that meal makes milk but does it make money ? Weather is the big variable when the good lord sends us good grass growing and grazing weather why not take full advantage and save on the meal bill .

Doctors differ, the cow dies!!! It really depends on what level of of meal feeding. Summer meal fed at 3 to 4 kilos when cows have good grass a cheap barley based mix is not going to upset any stomachs . But if you are feeding large volumes of meal thats a different scenario and a different system . I completely agree that meal makes milk but does it make money ? Weather is the big variable when the good lord sends us good grass growing and grazing weather why not take full advantage and save on the meal bill .[/QUOT

Grazed grass is a cheap feed but good quality grass will only support about 20-21 litres of milk ( less as the season goes on) Feeding concentrates above this milk level does pay and thats a well known fact. The secret is to feed to yield and not just randomly batch feed as most of R.O.I. will do. Fresh Lush grass can also induce acidosis so even a lower yielding cow getting 3-4 kilos is still at high risk of acidosis which will depress milk solids, so even at low concentrate feeding levels for me maize meal is still king over barley any day.

 

[lazy farmer]

Grazed grass is a cheap feed but good quality grass will only support about 20-21 litres of milk ( less as the season goes on) Feeding concentrates above this milk level does pay and thats a well known fact. The secret is to feed to yield and not just randomly batch feed as most of R.O.I. will do. Fresh Lush grass can also induce acidosis so even a lower yielding cow getting 3-4 kilos is still at high risk of acidosis which will depress milk solids, so even at low concentrate feeding levels for me maize meal is still king over barley any day.

That’s me buggered then. Wot with my 4.3 bf and 3.62 protein on that terrible green stuff. There really is some “interesting” stuff said about grazed grass. The welfare of my cows and making a descent ROC are my drivers and feeding to yield would be the last thing I would do. Production is only part of the equation.

 

[it's not over]

With continuing low milk prices the cutting edge of dairying is grazing cows. Reseeding is the secret but not always practical depending on size of grazing platform. And of coarse favourable weather

 

[Turboman]

That’s me buggered then. Wot with my 4.3 bf and 3.62 protein on that terrible green stuff. There really is some “interesting” stuff said about grazed grass. The welfare of my cows and making a descent ROC are my drivers and feeding to yield would be the last thing I would do. Production is only part of the equation.

4.3 BF and 3.62 protein as a % of what ? What litres are they doing?

 

[it's not over]

As far as overfeeding is concerned,remember you're overfeeding your own cows not the next door neighbours. The pets always get an extra one, put that in your auto id feed to yield,out of parlour feeders

 

[yin ewe]

With continuing low milk prices the cutting edge of dairying is grazing cows. Reseeding is the secret but not always practical depending on size of grazing platform. And of coarse favourable weather

Trying to get into a routine of reseeding 4 or 5 acres of cow grazing every year, but really needs to be burnt off at the start of August in case the weather turns wet, which can leave us tight for grass for the rest of the season. Get more out of it the next year though and the cows always rise a bit in milk when they go into the reseeded fields.
What are the silage plans this week?