Farmer Focus: Time-saving milk cart eases bulging calf sheds
Ewan McCracken © Steffan Hill Six weeks since the start of calving, and it’s definitely been a whirlwind as we hit 70% calved within four weeks.
Like everything in life, though, the good times don’t last. Just when you think you’re on a speedrun to finish calving, a few stragglers ruin the party.
Achieving the 90% calved in six weeks is definitely easier on paper, but without cheating by getting rid of our May calvers, we will be satisfied with 84%.
See also: Benefits of ad-lib milk feeding for calves
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As encouraging as tight calving blocks are, they are only as reassuring as the ability to offload beef calves from the farm.
Last year, we had enough negative TB tests to afford us a full year’s pass from them. However, because of the TB reactor bureaucracy affecting cattle we sold last summer and autumn, we have been closed up again.
With only 30 calves sold, the next few months may look a lot different than we had imagined if this next test does not go our way.
However, if there’s anything to be optimistic about, it is the current calf labour situation. We decided to make an upgrade in terms of a milk cart.
For the past 15 years, we have been using Dad’s home-made 50-gallon milk tank jig.
Made with spare box tubing, a donated milk tank and a Lidl water pump, it definitely topped the leaderboard for lowest depreciation and best return on investment in the machinery department.
Nevertheless, the time required to feed 5 litres/day to 180-plus calves soon adds up. The new Wydale cart can hold 620 litres in one go, allowing us to feed an entire calf shed housing 120 calves in about 25 minutes, cutting feeding times by two-thirds.
If the worst-case scenario happens and we have to raise all calves to weaning, this newest investment will definitely earn its keep.
Although we are only days away from starting our second round of grazing, recent weather has been hindering grass across the platform.
Growths have been reduced as a result of cold temperatures – despite 35kg/ha of nitrogen over the whole platform.
Dehorning, castrating, weaning and my mood will all be determined by next week’s results.