For the most part, the cows on Greenfield Farm in Kilkenny are in the topless cubicles and eating the purchased baled silage that is landing down from Donegal at €45 per bale, with 40 bales coming in each lorry load. This is supplemented with 5kg of 18% protein nut in the parlour.

There were over 106,000 litres (11,000kg of milk solids) supplied in November and up to date about 30,000l (3,000kg of milk solids) in December.

In November, last year (2017) there were 77,000l supplied (8,000kg of milk solids) with another 15,000l in December (1,600kg of milk solids).

Back end

The excellent October really set the tempo for a good back end and it will really help with supply and revenue for 2018.

In the last week on 2 December, the collection was 11,000l (about 1,100kg MS). Milk in December is bonus territory for Greenfield given the fact that the cows are a good bit of the time on the topless cubicles.

The protein held the same at 4.27% (previous collection 4.29% protein). The fat again held similar at 5.59%, down slightly from 5.66% fat at the previous collection.

Cell count

The latest cell count again was the same at 122 which was pretty much the same at the previous collection at 127 SCC. The TBC took a spike to 196 up from 16 TBC and 4.72% lactose. Remember, the diet is more or less round baled grass silage and 5kg of meal in the parlour with grazing on the dry days when it’s possible.

There are only a couple of grazings left but the rain in the last couple of days similar to the rest of the country has been pretty stormy.

Parlour feeders in Greenfield Farm, Kilkenny .