I have never eaten at a Michelin Star restaurant. However, I am sure that the food served in such establishments does not compare to the taste sensation of an Ulster fry in Kilrea market during your first visit after the lifting of TB restrictions.
Being able to sell again came as a massive relief and saw us wave goodbye to 56 head of stock, with a combination of weaned calves and Angus stores sold across Kilrea, Ballymena and Armoy marts.
It was interesting to see the quite dramatic difference in prices for calves that were weaned and those still on milk.
Clearly, the price increase of powdered milk has had an impact on buyers’ preference to purchase weaned calves.
Field work
As the field work season begins, those with a passion for horse-power will be looking forward to the sight of beacons flashing and slurry splashing.
I have no such excitement for shiny equipment, although by no means do I dislike tractor work. However, my preference is for soil, grass and livestock management, and my desire for machinery goes only as far as what it can do to help improve soil structure, reduce compaction, enhance sward quality or make better forage.
Technology
The technology that I would find hardest to do without is electronic heat kits. Over the years, we have used many heat detection aids, including tail paint, kamars and scratch cards, but in my opinion, none compare to the effectiveness of the electronic alterative.
We installed a Heat Time system in 2009 and have since undated to its SenseHub successor. Both systems are simple to operate, collars are easy to transfer between cows, data is clearly presented and both milking and heifer groups can be grouped separately, but operated though the one system.
At this time of year, when so many animals are coming into heat at once, it would be impossible to identify which cows are on heat and which have just ‘got caught up in the moment’.
Having said that, I do occasionally get frustrated at the system when it tells me that a top-performing cow, who I had hoped was in-calf to sexed semen, is now back in heat.
Crosses
As winter has progressed, I have been incredibly impressed with how our Fleckveih crosses have matured. Those in their third lactation have matched their Holstein counterparts for production, while maintaining a significantly higher body condition.
While picking bulls for the new breeding season, I was surprised and disappointed to see how few proven Holstein bulls fulfilled my breeding priorities (high fat/protein percentages with excellent udders, legs, feet and wide chest and rumps).
Therefore, along with the highly proven Holstein bull Delaberge Pepper, I reluctantly bought 20 sexed genomic Holstein straws to use on heifers and cows that I couldn’t inseminate with Pepper due to inbreeding issues.
However, after seeing how well the mature crosses have performed this lactation, I am now also using sexed Fleckveih semen (Hokuspokus) across suitable Holstein heifers and cows that can’t go to Pepper.
Potentially, this could lead us down the route of all out crossbreeding in the near future, with all pure Holsteins being served with Fleckveih and all crosses being served back to Holstein.
With a future of uncertain milk prices, calf and cull cow values must always be a consideration
I realise that by standing in the middle of the road you will get hit by traffic on both sides and I am probably upsetting pure breeders of both the Holstein and Fleckveih variety.
I have a great appreciation for both breeds and realise that their pure forms have a place in many systems. But I have found the crossbreed to be a fantastic cow for us, producing a robust, productive, easily managed animal.
As we are using beef semen on a higher proportion of the herd, we have also seen the benefit of Angus calves off Fleckveih crosses. They are significantly bigger, and with better conformation, than those with a Holstein dam.
I know that some may criticise this as I am breeding a dairy not a suckler herd, but with a future of uncertain milk prices, calf and cull cow values must always be a consideration.
Ultimately, a good cow is a good cow regardless of breed – it is up to an individual to define what ‘good’ is.