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VG85

Registered: 05-2004
Posts: 50
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Future of the Breed???


Cattle throughout the world are improving. Pedigrees have never been developing more. But have to ask, are there going to be people to work with these cows anymore?? It is visible that the decline of young farmers is alarming not to mention interest in our beloved holsteins. Is this a dying breed?? Love to hear opinions...
18/6/2004, 23:25 Link to this post PM via Email   PM via Forum
 
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Ex97
True Scarlet


Registered: 11-2003
Posts: 1329
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Re: Future of the Breed???


True there are fewer, and fewer dairy farms, and before too long, there will only be 1/2 as many again, probably regardless of where you live. I do feel though that the ones that stick around, are the keenest of the lot, would have to say here anyway the young farmers are more educated, and buissness orientated, then ever before, and if they are not interested, they won't last long. Hopefully that bodes well for the future. As for the breed, thats another thing alltogether, think it will be fine for the forseeable future, but a lot can change, in a short period of time. DNA testing for many differant things, could lead to some breed changing ideas, would be nice to have a crystal ball.
19/6/2004, 0:11 Link to this post PM via Email   PM via Forum
 
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GP84

Registered: 05-2004
Location: Llandewi Breffi
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Re: Future of the Breed???


i'm not worried about the shortage of labour, but the future of breed. the holstein is going the wrong way. They are being bred too extreme. they are too delicate and will be knackered by the third lactation. Therefore, for me,there is a shortage of good cows available. What i call a good cow is something that is non-extreme and will LAST. This is such an issue that we're even considering buying an odd Shorthorn (sorry die hard holstein men). believe me, there are a heck of a lot of people going from holsteins over to shorthorns.
  As for the shortage of younger labour, round here it isn't such an issue, but is elsewhere. I'm actually 15 years old, and have milked cows every morning and night for years, and hope to do so in the future. In fact, most small, non-pedigree herds have lads that are interested. But the big, high genetic merit herds are the ones without a next genreation interested in cows. It is a shame as these herds cotain some of the best genetics. Perhaps the lads from these bigger herds are more spoilt and don't want to do the work? I don't know. But what i do know is that there are many lads interested but are continually discouraged by things such as MTR. I also feel strongly that the holstein i being bred in the wrong way. Will, these £20,000 calves still be going in five years time and if they are, is that without continuous 'pampering'????
         
       regards


---
60 cows, 4.26% fat, 3.3% protein, supporting two families on a low cost system
19/6/2004, 19:29 Link to this post PM via Email   PM via Forum
 
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Cowtalk Staff

Registered: 06-2003
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Re: Future of the Breed???


Yacker, its absolutely marvellous to be young and keen at 15, and I hope you continue to be so.

The problem comes once somebody leaves school, and it comes down to money. Most young people can earn more labouring on a building site or stacking shelves in Tescos, or just about anything else you care to mention, and without the antisocial hours or the manure.

The other problem is whether the farm can earn enough to support another staff member, even if its family. And the small farms are where this bites hardest.
19/6/2004, 22:22 Link to this post PM via Email   PM via Forum
 
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Ex 97 2E

Registered: 06-2003
Location: Close to a pub
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Re: Future of the Breed???


quote:

yacker wrote:

i'm not worried about the shortage of labour,




There is no labour for less than £10 an hour round here ... not even to sit a bum on a tractor seat.


quote:

yacker wrote:

 Perhaps the lads from these bigger herds are more spoilt and don't want to do the work?




 Disagree .. they want to do the work but who wants to leave a bar at 10pm to get up at 5am when all your mates are out on the beer pulling lasses ??


quote:

yacker wrote:


This is such an issue that we're even considering buying an odd Shorthorn (sorry die hard holstein men). believe me, there are a heck of a lot of people going from holsteins over to shorthorns.





Brown Swiss would be a much wiser decision.
  


---
100 cows North East UK ... no staff employed.

8500kgs 4.30% fat 3.33% protein 82 points average on type.

Current sires Lucente,Principal,Jojoba, Selected young bulls.
19/6/2004, 23:59 Link to this post PM via Email   PM via Forum
 
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Ex97
True blue dinky-di maverick


Registered: 06-2003
Location: southern,oz
Posts: 2938
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Re: Future of the Breed???


Oh you poor young ones!
I remeber ,as does my husband, well coming home early in the morning and then going straight to milk.
When we were calving I used to check em at 8 on my way out the door, mum would check em at midnight , then onmyin I would do the 3am and then she the 6am while I got cows in.
Im convinced the young ones to day have gotton soft!!!
We still have late nights ,even with the monster entow,and get home at 2 am for a 6am start!
regarding wages its not the cost of wages that is the problem its the price received for milk not covering costs!
20/6/2004, 3:07 Link to this post PM via Email   PM via Forum
 
smous Profile
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Cowtalk Staff

Registered: 11-2003
Location: South Africa
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Re: Future of the Breed???


What does MTR mean?

Yacker, I agree with Will there are far better options than Shorthorns, if you want a red cow rather look at the Scandinavian breeds.

---
WWS-SA
20/6/2004, 6:35 Link to this post PM via Email   PM via Forum
 
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Cowtalk Staff

Registered: 11-2003
Location: South Africa
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Re: Future of the Breed???


Future of the breed is very different to future of dairy farming. As long as the latter exists the Holstein will always be there in one form or other.

The breed/breeders/AI companies are on dangerous ground:

When a programs end product is a show heifer.

When assisted births become the norm.

When herds have such heavy cull/ loss rates they are incapable of organic growth.


 

---
WWS-SA
20/6/2004, 6:48 Link to this post PM via Email   PM via Forum
 
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Cowtalk Staff

Registered: 06-2003
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Re: Future of the Breed???


Smous, MTR is a review of the way subsidies are payed in the EU, and there are major changes going on which affect us all in the UK.




Polite request to all. Let's keep this one to the farmer/labour side please. The different types of cows we all like gets done plenty enough, and we are never all going to agree.
20/6/2004, 9:06 Link to this post PM via Email   PM via Forum
 
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Ex97
Cyborg


Registered: 01-2004
Location: Northern Ireland
Posts: 2203
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Re: Future of the Breed???


Labour is a struggle where I am. As my local contractor said recently, 'You can't even get an idiot to cart grass.' (not that you'd want one on todays roads). There is only a smatter of farmers under forty in my locality. The industry is being depressed so much that no-one wants to do it.

I attended a local meeting recently, on which the topic was Dairy Simmental. Apparently, in Austria, 80% of cows are Simmental. Herd size averages 18 cows and there are lots of herds of 3-4 cows. These are alpine cows required for 'landscaping' purposes. Owners require trouble-free cows which allow them to get on with their full time jobs in town.

My point is not to discuss Dairy Simmental, but to highlight one European situation where dairy breeding has an entirely different direction where Holsteins are not the answer. (Like it or not, we are also being pushed in that direction). Holsteins can be whatever we want them to be. But what we want them to do is personal.
20/6/2004, 11:42 Link to this post PM via Email   PM via Forum
 


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