Seán Callan

Farming Dairy, Beef & Crops on the family farm. Callarose & Phochain Herds🌱🐄🥛🐮🌽🌾
Dairy Farm Advisor & Breeding Advice

[Seán Callan @CallansCows]

@AWStweet @lelyrobotman Yes, one 6 robot farm with compact spring calving with 280-300 days at grass. Other farm is 4 robot with 50:50 split spring and autumn. Autumns are fully housed from September calving to February/March. Even during summer months that farm gets min 30% of their feed from TMR

[Seán Callan @CallansCows]

10 years on and in goes the tenth. Been a good ten years with @lelyrobotman, plenty of learnings and improvements in the herd, all going well the next ten years bring similar improvements 🤞 onwards and upwards we go🥛🐄

[Seán Callan @CallansCows]

Pre breeding is off, Collars on Friday, heat alerts by Monday 👌 3 weeks out from AI now 🐂🐂

[Seán Callan @CallansCows]

After 10 yrs on Robots weve upgraded our old ID only collars to a full Heat and Health collar. Autumn cows all got their new jewelry yesterday ahead of breeding in 3 wks👌 no more late nights watching cows! Great to have more info on our cows to keep them healthy and productive.

[Seán Callan @CallansCows]

Not exactly hay but we'll still make it while the sun shines ☀️ last and final outing for the harvester thank God 🙈 grass normally wrapped up well before the maize is cut, not this year, maize in nearly 3 weeks and all ploughing and sowing finished 👌

[Seán Callan @CallansCows]

@ArableSam @DarraghScott @mervyn_bailey @lelyrobotman AD plants definitely have a place in this country to help with energy. If only the general public was a little more open to the idea of them.

[Seán Callan @CallansCows]

Frosted tips are back in fashion!

[Seán Callan @CallansCows]

@DarraghScott @ArableSam @mervyn_bailey @lelyrobotman Need to move to a heavily housed system to make biomethane or the sphere to work effectively but the benefits are definitely there. Cows can be pushed more too by leaving higher feed residuals which can be fed to AD as a feed stock. Not pure waste

[Seán Callan @CallansCows]

@plumbdarmody @kierangalvin88 Easier managed too. Well know more at the end of 2028 after the 1st lactation if we get much more out of them as heifers ��

[Seán Callan @CallansCows]

Definitely will be doing the same next year, calves kept in on TMR after weaning. Put to grass only in July & housed now. We grew more silage for 2nd cut than they had eaten & definitely better quality. True cost of keeping them in definitely reduced because of that. No setbacks

[Seán Callan @CallansCows]

@padraig_breen @kierangalvin88 It was a concern alright, it was part of our reason in letting them out for the few months to get some exposure. Last thing we wanted was naive cattle during breeding season next year

[Seán Callan @CallansCows]

This year's stroke of madness 🤪 can't have enough hardship about the place!

[Seán Callan @CallansCows]

@TrevorFarrell12 Not so bad you can keep them out until then 👍 what way are you mealing them? Always found it a messy job once stock went out.

[Seán Callan @CallansCows]

@TrevorFarrell12 We thought about keeping them in altogether tbh but wanted them out to get trained to wires etc. how long do you plan on keeping them out for?

[Seán Callan @CallansCows]

@kierangalvin88 That's what we had them on before turning out. I'd say weights are just short of 300kg. 280-300. Plan is to get all weighed next week 🤞

[Seán Callan @CallansCows]

@sprinkles785 Appreciate the honesty 😂 I think I might get shot if I suggest that next spring round here tho 😂

[Seán Callan @CallansCows]

Sometimes multi species doesn't go well 🙈 it's definitely multi species but I think docks are the majority shareholder 🫣 jury is out on whether to spray it or just go for a full reseed again 🙈

[Seán Callan @CallansCows]

@sprinkles785 We wouldn't normally go with the light till and a second spray tbh. We would do a till and spray ahead of crops alright for weed pressure but rarely on Grass. Maybe that's where we're failing 🤔 turnaround time big factor 😬 how long do you let it sit for 2nd spray?

[Seán Callan @CallansCows]

@SeanMoy98947674 Saw that alright, think I'll skip that process, trying to get rid of them not just graze them down.

[Seán Callan @CallansCows]

@Walsh50Brendan 4 weeks if growth is good. Could be longer at times

[Seán Callan @CallansCows]

Clover! post emerg clover sprays not working well and a lot more expensive than non clover safe. We've been using plenty of r&w clover over the last 4-5 yrs and love them. Problem is weeds, 2 paddocks sprayed before the docks/thistle take over completely. I feel more will follow.

[Seán Callan @CallansCows]

@Walsh50Brendan Getting out as soon as possible. Waiting on clovers to get the trifoliate stage and then going. Want to take out plants before they get roots down