Farmer Writes: a much needed milk price boost

Grass is still very good here in Abbeyleix, with our average farm cover last week up to 1,033kg DM/ha, with a growth of 54kg DM/ha.

Pre-grazing yield has increased to 1,900kg DM/ha and we have 74% grazed. I am surprised with how cover has increased, usually I find at this time of year grass disappears quicker than it should.

But in the last few paddocks I have been getting an extra grazing more than I thought I would – I think the grass must be much higher in dry matter than it usually is at this time of year.

This has been a great relief, as it was looking like it was going to be a very long winter for us when we had to start feeding strong in early September.

Cows are doing 15-16 litres at 5.67% and 4.44% protein on the last collection, still on two bales of silage per day and 3kg of nuts.

It is a great boost seeing the milk price get a good increase and getting a good back end for grazing. We got 65c/l for September milk, and hopefully these prices will continue into next year and through the peak months, as it is very much needed after a tough two years.

We will be doing our final milk recording this week ahead of drying off our first batch of first lactation cows next week, leaving them dry for 12 weeks. We have five sets of twins due next spring, and these cows will also be dry for 12 weeks.

Luckily we have only one thin cow that needs the 12 weeks. We have to have all cows dried off by the first week of December this year, as we are extending the collecting yard tank and we want to have it done before Christmas. We will be drying off two rows per week (24 cows) for the next five weeks.

Over the last few weeks we also got all our machinery washed, oiled and put away for the winter.

Building

For our new storage/machinery shed, we got the concrete pads poured for the pillars last week and hopefully we will get the pillars stood and the frame up this week.

We are putting this up ourselves with the help of our digger man.

The heifers are still out. With the dry weather last week they were very content, and I let them out over the whole area, so they had plenty to keep picking at.

If this week stays dry I might keep them out a while longer by feeding them silage – when the conditions are suitable they are better out.

On my TAMS applications, my farm safety claim for the portable crush and penning, head scoop and safety rail on the silage wall, were approved and paid last week.

For my solar application , we had an inspection and had to send in the hard copy originals of all the paperwork that was submitted with the claim.

The inspector said payment should issue within three to four weeks if everything is in order, which it is. We still have no progress on our Women Farmer Capital Investment Scheme claim.