Dairy Chitchat 3

ozil10

mahoney_j wrote: »

ozil10 wrote: »

Current setup
will be milking 96 Cows in 6 unit parlour once all are calved
Spring based dairy system


Currently building new parlour. Cubicle shed and handling facilities
on greenfield site as current setup is too outdated and way too Labour intensive

Plan is to go to 140 Cows which would mean me buying in stock

All owned land
paddocks and water system are in place for 140 and Land is not a problem as i plan to phase out the beef enterprise but the build is taking longer than I expected

Realistically I reckon it could be end of May before I get milking in the new parlour etc
So just looking at what options are available
Buying in stock may/June is abit late with regards milk and getting them back in calf
Would I be better off Just sticking with my 96 Cows this year
Just looking for people's views
Thanks

Stick with 96 this year and have a serious think about going to 140 ,just cause you’ve land etc don’t mean it makes sense .140 will mean u will be stretched as a 1 man unit and need regular Labour .can u afford it ?? On top of repayements you won’t manage that number without it .

140 will be more than manageable once i have the facilities up and running
I don't doubt that for a second
That's what has been holding me back the last few years since I took over
Grass management is key on my farm and I know I can grow the grass to easily cater for 140
Still relatively young and parents still lend a hand so Labour is not a problem for the present moment
Current setup is a Lot more Labour intensive I can guarantee you that
6 unit parlour
30 cows in one loose yard with straw bedding
Rest in loose yard with cubicles for 50
Feeding in round feeders

Most of my morning is spent
Sorting out cows for milking
Milking then yard scraping etc
It's ideally a old setup for 50 Cows and I pushed the system well beyond its limit at 90+

mahoney_j

ozil10 wrote: »

140 will be more than manageable once i have the facilities up and running
I don't doubt that for a second
That's what has been holding me back the last few years since I took over
Grass management is key on my farm and I know I can grow the grass to easily cater for 140
Still relatively young and parents still lend a hand so Labour is not a problem for the present moment
Current setup is a Lot more Labour intensive I can guarantee you that
6 unit parlour
30 cows in one loose yard with straw bedding
Rest in loose yard with cubicles for 50
Feeding in round feeders

Most of my morning is spent
Sorting out cows for milking
Milking then yard scraping etc
It's ideally a old setup for 50 Cows and I pushed the system well beyond its limit at 90+

I think your seriously underestimating the workload of 140 cows especially in spring days and weeks fly by and hours are long then u are into breeding /silage etc the extra facilities will be a help but and extra 50 cows /calves etc will eat into your day lots of lads burning themselves out and watching life fly by .labour and the lack of it is hitting lads hard this spring money and hours on the building sites are at a level farmers can’t compete with and it’s hard to get a good person for only a few months in spring

straight

ozil10 wrote: »

140 will be more than manageable once i have the facilities up and running
I don't doubt that for a second
That's what has been holding me back the last few years since I took over
Grass management is key on my farm and I know I can grow the grass to easily cater for 140
Still relatively young and parents still lend a hand so Labour is not a problem for the present moment
Current setup is a Lot more Labour intensive I can guarantee you that
6 unit parlour
30 cows in one loose yard with straw bedding
Rest in loose yard with cubicles for 50
Feeding in round feeders

Most of my morning is spent
Sorting out cows for milking
Milking then yard scraping etc
It's ideally a old setup for 50 Cows and I pushed the system well beyond its limit at 90+

I wouldn't say 140 is 1 man job either. Careful your not reading too many articles from vested interests trying to push more work on farmers.

straight

Young farmer inspection next week at the height of the spring ffs.

whelan2

straight wrote: »

I wouldn't say 140 is 1 man job either. Careful your not reading too many articles from vested interests trying to push more work on farmers.

140 probably just about doable if everything goes your way. Throw in a bad spring or scour outbreak etc then you're fecked. But is there ever actually a 1 man show, poster said his parents help out

Timmaay

I'd be well tempted to split the difference and pickup 20 more cows right now ha. Spring well on its way, you surely have the milker's all out at the minute?, so the workload should be down on other year's?

ozil10

mahoney_j wrote: »

ozil10 wrote: »

140 will be more than manageable once i have the facilities up and running
I don't doubt that for a second
That's what has been holding me back the last few years since I took over
Grass management is key on my farm and I know I can grow the grass to easily cater for 140
Still relatively young and parents still lend a hand so Labour is not a problem for the present moment
Current setup is a Lot more Labour intensive I can guarantee you that
6 unit parlour
30 cows in one loose yard with straw bedding
Rest in loose yard with cubicles for 50
Feeding in round feeders

Most of my morning is spent
Sorting out cows for milking
Milking then yard scraping etc
It's ideally a old setup for 50 Cows and I pushed the system well beyond its limit at 90+

I think your seriously underestimating the workload of 140 cows especially in spring days and weeks fly by and hours are long then u are into breeding /silage etc the extra facilities will be a help but and extra 50 cows /calves etc will eat into your day lots of lads burning themselves out and watching life fly by .labour and the lack of it is hitting lads hard this spring money and hours on the building sites are at a level farmers can’t compete with and it’s hard to get a good person for only a few months in spring

Agree
Some part time Labour for spring is needed
As it can be hectic and if weather turns bad and can't get cows to grass
The workload mounts up
But I still don't see the workload being anymore than
Milking 90 plus
Keeping replacements
Selling cattle to mart/factory at 20-24 mts
And keeping most of the calves

Timmaay

whelan2 wrote: »

140 probably just about doable if everything goes your way. Throw in a bad spring or scour outbreak etc then you're fecked. But is there ever actually a 1 man show, poster said his parents help out

Who even wants to be a pure 1 man show? What motivates people to head towards 140 cows if its just going to increase your workload and tax bill at the end of the day. I'm a 120 cow farmer, with some family labour, and a 14k/yr part time labour bill, all that labour I could question do I need it, but it definitely improves my lifestyle and let's me pursue other goals in life, so it's absolutely worth it in my view.

whelan2

Timmaay wrote: »

Who even wants to be a pure 1 man show? What motivates people to head towards 140 cows if its just going to increase your workload and tax bill at the end of the day. I'm a 120 cow farmer, with some family labour, and a 14k/yr part time labour bill, all that labour I could question do I need it, but it definitely improves my lifestyle and let's me pursue other goals in life, so it's absolutely worth it in my view.

There are some who seem to want to push themselves, sure weren't you talking a few posts ago about buying in more cows

ozil10

whelan2 wrote: »

straight wrote: »

I wouldn't say 140 is 1 man job either. Careful your not reading too many articles from vested interests trying to push more work on farmers.

140 probably just about doable if everything goes your way. Throw in a bad spring or scour outbreak etc then you're fecked. But is there ever actually a 1 man show, poster said his parents help out

No such thing as a one man show imo
You need part time help whether it's help with calving or milk relief.
Plus you have contractor for slurry speeding bulk fertiliser spread in spring and for silage etc
Remember ye discussing the article from farm Ireland about lad who was running a 220 cow herd on his "own" lol

Buford T. Justice XIX

Carbery spending a few Bob in moving from cheddar to mozzarella cheese production.
https://twitter.com/SouthernStarIRL/status/1098973570363990019?s=19

Timmaay

whelan2 wrote: »

There are some who seem to want to push themselves, sure weren't you talking a few posts ago about buying in more cows

Oh yeh I'm very easy going haha, if it makes sense and the right partnership rocked up on my doorstep I'd be very comfy going to 180cows in the morning, however I absolutely wouldnt be arsed going up in cow numbers if it meant more work for me haha.

Timmaay

ozil10 wrote: »

Agree
Some part time Labour for spring is needed
As it can be hectic and if weather turns bad and can't get cows to grass
The workload mounts up
But I still don't see the workload being anymore than
Milking 90 plus
Keeping replacements
Selling cattle to mart/factory at 20-24 mts
And keeping most of the calves

I can guarantee you the overall workload of 140 compact calving grass cows will be a hell of alot less that the system that you described above, and probably generate nearly double the profit.

GrasstoMilk

whelan2 wrote: »

140 probably just about doable if everything goes your way. Throw in a bad spring or scour outbreak etc then you're fecked. But is there ever actually a 1 man show, poster said his parents help out

Not far off that number here this year. Not on my own, have mam and dad here. Tough atm with all the scour but managing okay. We milked 90 through a 6 unit before we put on another 6 units. It's not the length of the milking that's the problem its the waiting around but if it was me in the OPs situation I'd be buying. Its only a few weeks really.
We also had cows split between 4 different sheds and young stock 7 miles away in a shed there. All cows in one shed this winter and young stock were at home too. Made a massive difference to our winter and our spring
Our heifers are heading to a contract rearer this year , itll make our life alot simpler and possibly leave room for more cows...........

ozil10

Timmaay wrote: »

ozil10 wrote: »

Agree
Some part time Labour for spring is needed
As it can be hectic and if weather turns bad and can't get cows to grass
The workload mounts up
But I still don't see the workload being anymore than
Milking 90 plus
Keeping replacements
Selling cattle to mart/factory at 20-24 mts
And keeping most of the calves

I can guarantee you the overall workload of 140 compact calving grass cows will be a hell of alot less that the system that you described above, and probably generate nearly double the profit.

That's the plan anyways and the figures show it

mahoney_j

ozil10 wrote: »

Agree
Some part time Labour for spring is needed
As it can be hectic and if weather turns bad and can't get cows to grass
The workload mounts up
But I still don't see the workload being anymore than
Milking 90 plus
Keeping replacements
Selling cattle to mart/factory at 20-24 mts
And keeping most of the calves

As I said earlier and no insult to u I think u are underestimating it ,from start of calving u will need help 7 days a week for at least feb through to April and at very least a dependable relief Milker for rest of year then things like testing ,dosing etc .u may as Whela said manage if everything goes well but things like sick calves at that number can rake up a large chunk of your day there’s way more to life than work ....I love dairying and all it’s chalkenges but I’m at the circa 100 cow mark and steeped to have a really good dependable guy 5/6 mornings a week for 5 hours and then 4/5 milkings a week during summer

ozil10

mahoney_j wrote: »

ozil10 wrote: »

Agree
Some part time Labour for spring is needed
As it can be hectic and if weather turns bad and can't get cows to grass
The workload mounts up
But I still don't see the workload being anymore than
Milking 90 plus
Keeping replacements
Selling cattle to mart/factory at 20-24 mts
And keeping most of the calves

As I said earlier and no insult to u I think u are underestimating it ,from start of calving u will need help 7 days a week for at least feb through to April and at very least a dependable relief Milker for rest of year then things like testing ,dosing etc .u may as Whela said manage if everything goes well but things like sick calves at that number can rake up a large chunk of your day there’s way more to life than work ....I love dairying and all it’s chalkenges but I’m at the circa 100 cow mark and steeped to have a really good dependable guy 5/6 mornings a week for 5 hours and then 4/5 milkings a week during summer

I don't think I am but time will tell.
Of course there are times when things don't run smoothly and prob more so in dairy farming but that's part of the course

mahoney_j

Timmaay wrote: »

I can guarantee you the overall workload of 140 compact calving grass cows will be a hell of alot less that the system that you described above, and probably generate nearly double the profit.

Have u tried calving that number without significant help over 10/12 weeks Tim .the workload is massive for a few weeks and **** will hit fan when things go wrong which they do every spring in some way .double the profit u say but will if u cost every hour worked which should be done it’ll tell different ,geneuine question ....I can see a lot of guys suffering with mental health issues ,exhaustion burn out bad backs hips knees etc down the road

Timmaay

mahoney_j wrote: »

Have u tried calving that number without significant help over 10/12 weeks Tim .the workload is massive for a few weeks and **** will hit fan when things go wrong which they do every spring in some way .double the profit u say but will if u cost every hour worked which should be done it’ll tell different ,geneuine question ....I can see a lot of guys suffering with mental health issues ,exhaustion burn out bad backs hips knees etc down the road

I've said in 2 previous posts tonight that I've no interest in going to them numbers without extra labour, for me significant labour would be help for one milking per day from say mid Feb to late March, which I basically done here the last 2yrs now calving nearly 120 in around 12/14wks, alongside the usual making sure I have no other unnecessary farm work this month, fert is out, contractor is doing slurry etc etc. On balance I have come from a system that was Ayr calving with 80 HO cows, alongside some beef etc, that was basically the workload I have now during the spring, except for 10months of the bloody year, that system absolutely was costing me my mental health etc, what I'm at these days, I happily call myself a lazy f##ker by dairyfarmer standards ha.

older by the day

I'm only a 50 cow farmer, but its a fine thing to watch 4 or 5 cows calving than to be watching one and it spread out for months,

Never wrestle with pigs

ozil10 wrote: »

I don't think I am but time will tell.
Of course there are times when things don't run smoothly and prob more so in dairy farming but that's part of the course

I think you are. If you ever get time to find a wife, she won't stick around to long minding kids etc if you think you can do 140 cows by yourself. Listen to the lads here that have and are doing it.

whelan2

mahoney_j wrote: »

As I said earlier and no insult to u I think u are underestimating it ,from start of calving u will need help 7 days a week for at least feb through to April and at very least a dependable relief Milker for rest of year then things like testing ,dosing etc .u may as Whela said manage if everything goes well but things like sick calves at that number can rake up a large chunk of your day there’s way more to life than work ....I love dairying and all it’s chalkenges but I’m at the circa 100 cow mark and steeped to have a really good dependable guy 5/6 mornings a week for 5 hours and then 4/5 milkings a week during summer

I am getting to the stage now we're I realise what's the point in killing yourself working. There's more to life than milking cows. The kids will only be young for a few years and what's the point busting yourself on the farm and missing out on them growing up. There is a line and reading some posts people haven't realised it yet. Will be at 165 cows here this year split with autumn calvers. 2 distinct blocks. Calving interval of 371. Finished here 95% of the time by 6 pm. Saturday and Sunday are free during the day.

ozil10

As I said time will tell if that system is doable with one person and the favillities that i have put in place.
I'm well aware that i will need part time Labour for the spring time as parents are pushing on . Getting in relief Milker for some weekends and making better use of the contractor.
Bar a few positive people on here ye same to very negative on that it can't be done.
Calving must be taking it's toll lol

whelan2

ozil10 wrote: »

As I said time will tell if that system is doable with one person and the favillities that i have put in place.
I'm well aware that i will need part time Labour for the spring time as parents are pushing on . Getting in relief Milker for some weekends and making better use of the contractor.
Bar a few positive people on here ye same to very negative on that it can't be done.
Calving must be taking it's toll lol

Fair play for expanding etc what you are planning on doing is probably very doable but at what cost to yourself after a few years. I'm lucky here have oh, my dad, eldest lad and a lad a few mornings a few to make it all work. But if I get sick the wheels fall off everything. I could easily have 200 cows here on my milking block but if we get a wet year I'd be fecked

mahoney_j

ozil10 wrote: »

As I said time will tell if that system is doable with one person and the favillities that i have put in place.
I'm well aware that i will need part time Labour for the spring time as parents are pushing on . Getting in relief Milker for some weekends and making better use of the contractor.
Bar a few positive people on here ye same to very negative on that it can't be done.
Calving must be taking it's toll lol

We’re not negative we’re realistic and telling u how it is based on experience ,u don’t want to take it on board so be it go to 140! As u wish and try manage as u say more or less 1 man show on year like last year and report back to us .good facilities will be a help but your unrealistic as to workload involved that the extra stock will bring at punch points of year and another thing try and get Labour as u describe that’s not simple either that has to be paid for and u have to get your head around managing that too .......

alps

Never wrestle with pigs wrote: »

I think you are. If you ever get time to find a wife, she won't stick around to long minding kids etc if you think you can do 140 cows by yourself. Listen to the lads here that have and are doing it.

The lads here are no example....


They have time to spend on boards and Twitter and watch matches and take family places and loads of other life wasting stuff....

whelan2

alps wrote: »

The lads here are no example....


They have time to spend on boards and Twitter and watch matches and take family places and loads of other life wasting stuff....

Was amazed when I did the poll thing on here about going on a holiday the amount of people that don't take one is fairly high.

Buford T. Justice XIX

ozil10 wrote: »

As I said time will tell if that system is doable with one person and the favillities that i have put in place.
I'm well aware that i will need part time Labour for the spring time as parents are pushing on . Getting in relief Milker for some weekends and making better use of the contractor.
Bar a few positive people on here ye same to very negative on that it can't be done.
Calving must be taking it's toll lol

Ah no, a lot of posers here have experience of a large workload and what can and does go wrong at exactly the wrong time.
A lad near me expanded rapidly after the quotas went, put up sheds, himself and his father, bought land, rented land, new parlour, the whole shebang.


He's down to 70 cows now as the father and mother weren't able to keep going due to illness. While you're young and will be able for it, the others that you rely on mightn't.

straight

Plenty numbers men out there. Alot would have as much out of half of them if the concentrated on them.

wrangler

Buford T. Justice V wrote: »

Ah no, a lot of posers here have experience of a large workload and what can and does go wrong at exactly the wrong time.
A lad near me expanded rapidly after the quotas went, put up sheds, himself and his father, bought land, rented land, new parlour, the whole shebang.


He's down to 70 cows now as the father and mother weren't able to keep going due to illness. While you're young and will be able for it, the others that you rely on mightn't.

I see it all around too, they can't get their head around the fact that after sixty there's a high risk of illness, both parties are guilty of that

whelan2

straight wrote: »

Plenty numbers men out there. Alot would have as much out of half of them if the concentrated on them.

A good bit of it is trying to be better than Tommy over the road. Feck it, worry about what I have inside my boundary and let them work away

ozil10

I appreciate the comments and are grateful of them as some of ye have more experience than myself
Labour is something I def will have to look going down the road
But I will still be stocked at just over 2.5cows/ha on the milking platform with 140 Cows

Was lucky enough to find stone on the land so roadways are in place
Paddocks set up for mostly 36hour grazing. Rest 24 hour
Plenty access points and water in place
I think spring is by far the most difficult period of the year.
I don't quite see the panic with regard to silage season.
And there are options of contract rearing out there.
I don't know the costs involved I admit
Once a day calf feeding etc

but I see the positives
Milking time will be halved and milking more cows
Making more profit per ha

Its a substantial cost and undertaking I have done but this has been four years in the planning and I have the figures to back up the expansion.
It course it won't be plain sailing but it is def the right course 0f action

jaymla627

wrangler wrote: »

I see it all around too, they can't get their head around the fact that after sixty there's a high risk of illness, both parties are guilty of that

Should mandatory that if little Johnny wants to milk a heap of cows he should be made go and work for a year in a operation where they’re basically running 150 plus odd cows to a labour unit and 16 hour plus days are compulsory, had to run a 700 cow unit for a month one time with just a relief Milker for help as 3 other staff members where out of action with illness, you don’t be long learning your own capabilities and limits at that craic and the beauty of it is you don’t have a couple of 100k borrowed before it dawning on someone that it wasn’t such a good idea

Mooooo

ozil10 wrote: »

I appreciate the comments and are grateful of them as some of ye have more experience than myself
Labour is something I def will have to look going down the road
But I will still be stocked at just over 2.5cows/ha on the milking platform with 140 Cows

Was lucky enough to find stone on the land so roadways are in place
Paddocks set up for mostly 36hour grazing. Rest 24 hour
Plenty access points and water in place
I think spring is by far the most difficult period of the year.
I don't quite see the panic with regard to silage season.
And there are options of contract rearing out there.
I don't know the costs involved I admit
Once a day calf feeding etc

but I see the positives
Milking time will be halved and milking more cows
Making more profit per ha

Its a substantial cost and undertaking I have done but this has been four years in the planning and I have the figures to back up the expansion.
It course it won't be plain sailing but it is def the right course 0f action

You have it planned put and driving on now. As you say improving the facilities will make a big improvement as you have the land already. Going forward seeing as you have experience of things the other way just remember to keep it simple. Keep an ear to the ground for labour and see if you can get lads in the odd day, and plan for the time when the parents want to step back completely.
're your original post about the cows I would buy in calved, they'll be paying for themselves straight away and come the time the parlour is running you'll be motoring

einn32

Mooooo wrote: »

You have it planned put and driving on now. As you say improving the facilities will make a big improvement as you have the land already. Going forward seeing as you have experience of things the other way just remember to keep it simple. Keep an ear to the ground for labour and see if you can get lads in the odd day, and plan for the time when the parents want to step back completely.
're your original post about the cows I would buy in calved, they'll be paying for themselves straight away and come the time the parlour is running you'll be motoring

Using a few lads for labour this spring. Seems to workout where at least one is available at different times. It was impossible to find a person fulltime for the spring.

Mooooo

einn32 wrote: »

Using a few lads for labour this spring. Seems to workout where at least one is available at different times. It was impossible to find a person fulltime for the spring.

Lad here is 2/3 days with me and 3 days with the neighbour. It means between the 2 of us we can give him full time work but to hold on to him it needs to be year round really.

kerry cow

working with large numbers brings with it other problems that you don't have with manageable numbers ,
you run risk of higher health problems in the animals ,definitely more mental stress on the farmer when things go wrong ,
when they go wrong in a big set up ,they go spectacularly wrong .

alps

ozil10 wrote: »

I appreciate the comments and are grateful of them as some of ye have more experience than myself
Labour is something I def will have to look going down the road
But I will still be stocked at just over 2.5cows/ha on the milking platform with 140 Cows

Was lucky enough to find stone on the land so roadways are in place
Paddocks set up for mostly 36hour grazing. Rest 24 hour
Plenty access points and water in place
I think spring is by far the most difficult period of the year.
I don't quite see the panic with regard to silage season.
And there are options of contract rearing out there.
I don't know the costs involved I admit
Once a day calf feeding etc

but I see the positives
Milking time will be halved and milking more cows
Making more profit per ha

Its a substantial cost and undertaking I have done but this has been four years in the planning and I have the figures to back up the expansion.
It course it won't be plain sailing but it is def the right course 0f action

Great strength yo have the platform and facilities to milk 140 cows. I would concentrate solely on the cows. At that scale any distractions and complications will multiply to big problems.

Simple would be

140 cows,
Buy in calved replacements in Feburary.
No AI, beef stock bulls
Arrange a calf buyer to collect weeklyfrom 10 days, or even free if he'll come and feed them.

Nothing you can do can make as much for you as milking a cow.

Team up with someone to supply 25 calved heifers each February and pay him strong, €200 above market value. Avoiding losses at calving, 3 titters, mastitis, first milkings etc, will be well worth it.

There would be an absolute sweet simple living to be made from 140 cows if you could stay clear of the other baggage.

whelan2

alps wrote: »

Great strength yo have the platform and facilities to milk 140 cows. I would concentrate solely on the cows. At that scale any distractions and complications will multiply to big problems.

Simple would be

140 cows,
Buy in calved replacements in Feburary.
No AI, beef stock bulls
Arrange a calf buyer to collect weeklyfrom 10 days, or even free if he'll come and feed them.

Nothing you can do can make as much for you as milking a cow.

Team up with someone to supply 25 calved heifers each February and pay him strong, €200 above market value. Avoiding losses at calving, 3 titters, mastitis, first milkings etc, will be well worth it.

There would be an absolute sweet simple living to be made from 140 cows if you could stay clear of the other baggage.

I don't know part of the love of dairy farming is seeing progeny coming through year after year from your good cows

ozil10

alps wrote: »

ozil10 wrote: »

I appreciate the comments and are grateful of them as some of ye have more experience than myself
Labour is something I def will have to look going down the road
But I will still be stocked at just over 2.5cows/ha on the milking platform with 140 Cows

Was lucky enough to find stone on the land so roadways are in place
Paddocks set up for mostly 36hour grazing. Rest 24 hour
Plenty access points and water in place
I think spring is by far the most difficult period of the year.
I don't quite see the panic with regard to silage season.
And there are options of contract rearing out there.
I don't know the costs involved I admit
Once a day calf feeding etc

but I see the positives
Milking time will be halved and milking more cows
Making more profit per ha

Its a substantial cost and undertaking I have done but this has been four years in the planning and I have the figures to back up the expansion.
It course it won't be plain sailing but it is def the right course 0f action

Great strength yo have the platform and facilities to milk 140 cows. I would concentrate solely on the cows. At that scale any distractions and complications will multiply to big problems.

Simple would be

140 cows,
Buy in calved replacements in Feburary.
No AI, beef stock bulls
Arrange a calf buyer to collect weeklyfrom 10 days, or even free if he'll come and feed them.

Nothing you can do can make as much for you as milking a cow.

Team up with someone to supply 25 calved heifers each February and pay him strong, €200 above market value. Avoiding losses at calving, 3 titters, mastitis, first milkings etc, will be well worth it.

There would be an absolute sweet simple living to be made from 140 cows if you could stay clear of the other baggage.

Just wondering with facilities in place. All owned land etc
How many cows would it pay to have a full Labour unit besides yourself
The cow numbers seem to be going up and up to justify it

Gawddawggonnit

alps wrote: »

Great strength yo have the platform and facilities to milk 140 cows. I would concentrate solely on the cows. At that scale any distractions and complications will multiply to big problems.

Simple would be

140 cows,
Buy in calved replacements in Feburary.
No AI, beef stock bulls
Arrange a calf buyer to collect weeklyfrom 10 days, or even free if he'll come and feed them.

Nothing you can do can make as much for you as milking a cow.

Team up with someone to supply 25 calved heifers each February and pay him strong, €200 above market value. Avoiding losses at calving, 3 titters, mastitis, first milkings etc, will be well worth it.

There would be an absolute sweet simple living to be made from 140 cows if you could stay clear of the other baggage.

+1.
Went flying herd a few years back and wouldn’t go back unless replacements go to €1500. You’d be amazed at how many man-hours are wasted on young stock.
I always buy fresh calved stock that are fully tested, parlor and cubicle trained, and straight into parlor with them.
The first bought stock are now starting to be culled at around €900/head and were bought for an average of €850...after producing over 40k litres.
Average price for a freshly calved heifer now is €1000 and 2nd lactation is €800.
I always buy with a return policy if they’ve issues like slow milkers etc.

You’ll get a name as a buyer after a while. The Coop are the best source for upcoming herd sales.

Edit. It’s also simple to adjust herd size quickly. I’d hassle getting dairy staff last year and started to destock rapidly, now we’re back to a full team I’m buying hard again...it gives great flexibility to duck and dive.

einn32

Gawddawggonnit wrote: »

+1.
Went flying herd a few years back and wouldn’t go back unless replacements go to €1500. You’d be amazed at how many man-hours are wasted on young stock.
I always buy fresh calved stock that are fully tested, parlor and cubicle trained, and straight into parlor with them.
The first bought stock are now starting to be culled at around €900/head and were bought for an average of €850...after producing over 40k litres.
Average price for a freshly calved heifer now is €1000 and 2nd lactation is €800.
I always buy with a return policy if they’ve issues like slow milkers etc.

You’ll get a name as a buyer after a while. The Coop are the best source for upcoming herd sales.

Edit. It’s also simple to adjust herd size quickly. I’d hassle getting dairy staff last year and started to destock rapidly, now we’re back to a full team I’m buying hard again...it gives great flexibility to duck and dive.

I think breeding is a big interest for most people farming in Ireland but at big numbers with unreliable labour something has to give to make the workload manageable

ozil10

When buying in stock
What are you looking from a health point of view
Would all animals have to be vaccinated for ibr. Salmonella etc
We operate a closed herd here
Only vaccinate for lepto
As never had ibr or salmonella show up in the milk disease screening

stretch film

einn32 wrote: »

I think breeding is a big interest for most people farming in Ireland but at big numbers with unreliable labour something has to give to make the workload manageable

Isn't contract heifer rearing the answer to this so . Give the €200 mentioned earlier to the rearer and why not give his beef calves to the person who'll raise his sucks , closed unit etc
Now that we're all in the thick of it the value of labour is clearer than ever.
Over paying for these vital jobs would be money well spent if he's gonna be a one man unit and ensure he has the best herd going forward.

On the op.
He's saying he's well set up and talks about a sensible stocking rate imo at 140 cows . He should by stock now if he has grass and if he is confident his parlour will be up and running .
If the parlour is the last piece of the jigsaw then he must have alot of payments to make as it is.

K.G.

cant belive nobody has said about the financing of 50 cows at a time when you are in the middle of a.building project.i d be inclined to sort the parlourand stuff first a d then see where you are

ozil10

K.G. wrote: »

cant belive nobody has said about the financing of 50 cows at a time when you are in the middle of a.building project.i d be inclined to sort the parlourand stuff first a d then see where you are

I have allowed for the buying in of stock in my plan

ozil10

K.G. wrote: »

cant belive nobody has said about the financing of 50 cows at a time when you are in the middle of a.building project.i d be inclined to sort the parlourand stuff first a d then see where you are

stretch film wrote: »

einn32 wrote: »

I think breeding is a big interest for most people farming in Ireland but at big numbers with unreliable labour something has to give to make the workload manageable

Isn't contract heifer rearing the answer to this so . Give the €200 mentioned earlier to the rearer and why not give his beef calves to the person who'll raise his sucks , closed unit etc
Now that we're all in the thick of it the value of labour is clearer than ever.
Over paying for these vital jobs would be money well spent if he's gonna be a one man unit and ensure he has the best herd going forward.

On the op.
He's saying he's well set up and talks about a sensible stocking rate imo at 140 cows . He should by stock now if he has grass and if he is confident his parlour will be up and running .
If the parlour is the last piece of the jigsaw then he must have alot of payments to make as it is.

My old setup
Parlour and yards is now way suitable for holding. Milking 140 unless I operate two running herds

whelan2

ozil10 wrote: »

When buying in stock
What are you looking from a health point of view
Would all animals have to be vaccinated for ibr. Salmonella etc
We operate a closed herd here
Only vaccinate for lepto
As never had ibr or salmonella show up in the milk disease screening

I like to buy on farm. Good to see the rest of the stock etc.

stretch film

ozil10 wrote: »

My old setup
Parlour and yards is now way suitable for holding. Milking 140 unless I operate two running herds

Just re-read your first post .I got the impression the parlour was last big dev job.
(You put a full stop where a comma should have been tut tut )

Cut your cloth to measure this spring .
Go as far as you feel you can with what's in place atm and what you realistically feel will be soon.

Buford T. Justice XIX

ozil10 wrote: »

Just wondering with facilities in place. All owned land etc
How many cows would it pay to have a full Labour unit besides yourself
The cow numbers seem to be going up and up to justify it

I think for a lot of people, the choke point is managing calves. Cows calve and join the milkers and relatively little can go wrong.


But calves seem to be the last item that money is spent on, just move them into different old housing until they're sold. Not saying that's what's happening with you, ozil, but if calves start to go wrong, everything else just melts.


Been there and wore the T-shirt.