Milking parlours

Podge no offense but it sounds like you are breaking the kiss rule! (keep it simple). Why can you not milk the fresh cow in whatever order she comes in, and dump the milk into a bucket from the jar, very quick wash out if the jar by shoving the hose in each cluster and suck up abit of water is all that is needed afterwards. In any case trying to separate cows in the holding yard is definitely not safe and sustainable, is there any easy way to draft them as they leave? All that is needed is a simple drafting gate, and pin or race that stretches to the back of the parlour where they can go back in to be milked lasted. The likes of that which if you don't have now shouldn't cost more than a grand or so would be a hell of alot more useful and important to do rather than sinking massive money into a new parlour if your existing parlour is suitable otherwise.
 
I know Tim I am all for keeping it simple and no what you are saying about taking of the milk into a bucket because that's what we do now but lugging milk out of the pit and washing jars is slow nd tedious too.how do the rest of ye deal with fresh cows?
 
I know Tim I am all for keeping it simple and no what you are saying about taking of the milk into a bucket because that's what we do now but lugging milk out of the pit and washing jars is slow nd tedious too.how do the rest of ye deal with fresh cows?
Milk them separately at the end after taking the pipe off the tank. Milk goes into a jfc milk kart with a pump on it. Why don't you just keep the fresh ones separate for the few days. Tried the dump buckets a few times but that's hardship pulling off pipes and hauling it around. No way. Have an electric milking machine if I need to milk one on her own for beestings or if a heifer is tough at the start.
 
6600 to milk them sepetrealy at the end we would have to divide them out of the other cows to do that which is what I am trying to get away from.
How do you collect milk and deal with fresh cows so keverland?
 
6600 to milk them sepetrealy at the end we would have to divide them out of the other cows to do that which is what I am trying to get away from.
How do you collect milk and deal with fresh cows so keverland?
Don't have them in with the rest of the milers until they're going to the creamery. You're going to have to keep their milk for the calves anyway.
 
6600 to milk them sepetrealy at the end we would have to divide them out of the other cows to do that which is what I am trying to get away from.
How do you collect milk and deal with fresh cows so keverland?
fresh cows milked last and take pipe out of the tank ,treated cows marked with spray also have voice assist in the parlour,drum and sub pump in the pit as well in the spring when we have a lot to dump
 
6600 we can't keep them on there own as I have said before the way the sheds are we can't put a dividing gate in them.calved and none calved cows have no choice only stay in the same shed.
 
Milk them separately at the end after taking the pipe off the tank. Milk goes into a jfc milk kart with a pump on it. Why don't you just keep the fresh ones separate for the few days. Tried the dump buckets a few times but that's hardship pulling off pipes and hauling it around. No way. Have an electric milking machine if I need to milk one on her own for beestings or if a heifer is tough at the start.

Would mixing the beastings from the fresh calvers in a tank like you say cause Johne's disease?
 
Would mixing the beastings from the fresh calvers in a tank like you say cause Johne's disease?
They get beestings from their own mother for the first day, suppose it's a risk you take when feeding whole milk. The cows are tested for it when bought.
 
Sure the calves have to get milk from there mother's for the first 3 r 4 days anyway.is the sub pump not dangerous inside in the pit?
 
I'm not a dairy farmer but for 9.5k why not put up a simple shed for this batch, a solid floor with straw bedding or a few extra cubicles in it. Surely a 45ft would hold 15 cows which would suit you and whst you were quoted would put up the shed anyway and then milk them at the end.

:scratchhead:
 
....calved and none calved cows have no choice only stay in the same shed.
Have you got dry cows and milkers all in one group in one shed? Best spend money as Nash has said on another shed before spending on the parlour.
 
Fair point Nash but I have being talking to a good few dairy farmers that have a separate house like that now for the fresh cows but they also have a dumpline.
Yes paw I have all cows dry nd calved in the 1 shed.
 
Your asking them the wrong question . Which would they have if they only had one is what you should be asking.
As the lads have said seperate shed for milkers and dry cows would be my preference . No dumpline in work on a 20 unit parlour . Milk all taken out of the pit in buckets . But if choice was dumpline or trying to sort cows before each milking . I'd be sorting the cow housing first .
 
We keep them in 2 lots when practical. Milking cows in main cubicle shed and the out of tank cows on straw. Dry cows are separate again. I’d imagine it’s very dodgy to have dry and milking cows together, what happens if the marker fades or falls off and she goes into the tank? Re-configuration head space and cubicles would be where I’d start personally. It cuts out the separating twice a day and also means the out of tank cows can be milked and milk pumped out to the dairy room and taken away from there, no dragging anything up out of a pit. 9k would do a nice bit of reorganizing.
How do you manage to feed dry cow minerals?
 
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Sort out the housing situation first. Anything else is pissing in the wind and making work for yourself while dry cows and milkers are in one group.
 
Well they are fairly compact calving, so we have 36 cows in the first shed I don't mind dividing them out of the none calved ones because it's only for a short period and as Well we would be bringing out cows from that house for calving anyway.its when the fresh cows are out and we have to divide them again is the big problem.
 
Have a pen here beside the collecting yard that holds 5 cows. It's 15 by 20. Any antibiotic or fresh ones go there in the spring and milked last. If I had one or two during the year I try keep them out till the last row. They're plastered with red spray. Never really gave the dump buckets a chance but they take as much time as sorting them. I might think about a dump line but they are probably more suited to big herds where you can't sort.
 
So just to go back a bit over what I have been talking about before.
I have a 12 unit dairymaster parlour with jars,cashman air operated fedders in the parlour I have now, the thing is I want to put in a standalone dumpline and I need a new feeding system as well. Not sure should I just go away and put in dumpline and feeding system into the parlour I have or should I be thinking about a new parlour and feeding system?
 
So just to go back a bit over what I have been talking about before.
I have a 12 unit dairymaster parlour with jars,cashman air operated fedders in the parlour I have now, the thing is I want to put in a standalone dumpline and I need a new feeding system as well. Not sure should I just go away and put in dumpline and feeding system into the parlour I have or should I be thinking about a new parlour and feeding system?
Are you eligible for a 60% tams grant?
 
An individual cow feeding system will cost about €12-14k plus the vat. Batch system will cost roughly half this. If you need troughs they will be around 5k. You can get the 40% grant and the vat back. If applying for the grant get the application in by 7th December otherwise you will have to wait another 3 months to be approved. https://www.agriland.ie/farming-news/application-deadline-looming-for-current-tranche-of-tams-ii/

If you're happy with your parlour and where it is you are probably better off upgrading it and putting in a few things to make life easier. Things like the feeders, autowash and a better wash down system take the drudgery out of the job. Maybe even a dump line
 
What I can get is the 40% grant. All in the feeding system will cost around €20,000 that's feeders auger, bin vat.
Well if I was putting in a new parlour it would be going in the same place as the old 1.
 
The milking parlour I have at the moment is fine but there is always 2 of us milking.so should I be thinking about cluster removers for the future when there maybe only 1 milking?
 
The milking parlour I have at the moment is fine but there is always 2 of us milking.so should I be thinking about cluster removers for the future when there maybe only 1 milking?


Yes!

Didn't have them in our 14/14 and hated it,had them in every one since (12/24 24/24 15/30 and 32/64) wouldn't milk without them,certainly not with 1 man.
 
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