David's going Dairying.

davidk1394

I’ve created a new thread so you can follow my journey into dairy farming. I’ve made the decision to start milking cows by February 2021. The first of the calves arrived today. I’ll post along the way

Here’s a link to my old thread: https://touch.boards.ie/thread/2057681402/1/#post101948565

whelan2

Best of luck with it

Panch18

davidk1394 wrote: »

I’ve created a new thread so you can follow my journey into dairy farming. I’ve made the decision to start milking cows by February 2021. The first of the calves arrived today. I’ll post along the way

Here’s a link to my old thread: https://touch.boards.ie/thread/2057681402/1/#post101948565

Best of luck with it David

So what's the main jist of your plan at the moment?

_Brian

Good for you.
Sometimes making the decision to change is the hardest part. !

Say my name

Someone's fairly confident Boards won't be kaput by then. :pac:

KAMG

Best of luck with this. It's a massive move but once the decision is made you wont feel the 2 years flying by.

Buford T. Justice XIX

Best of luck with it, David.

Not that you'll need it:)

Pod123

Best of luck and hope you enjoy it

davidk1394

So at the moment I bought 10 diary calves. Average ebi of these calves is €180. I also bought some beef heifers so I can sell them later in the year to buy more stock. I bought the calves off 2 proven herds and they will have bulling heifers to sell the beginning of next year.

Currently working on transferring over the farm and herd number to my name. We looked into the benefits of a succession plan but decided an all out transfer is a lot easier.

My aim is to start out milking 70 top quality cows, then work myself upto 100 over a number of years.

jaymla627

davidk1394 wrote: »

So at the moment I bought 10 diary calves. Average ebi of these calves is €180. I also bought some beef heifers so I can sell them later in the year to buy more stock. I bought the calves off 2 proven herds and they will have bulling heifers to sell the beginning of next year.

Currently working on transferring over the farm and herd number to my name. We looked into the benefits of a succession plan but decided an all out transfer is a lot easier.

My aim is to start out milking 70 top quality cows, then work myself upto 100 over a number of years.

Word of advice would be not to bank on all your bought-in stock pulling up trees and been top quality Milkers from year one even with high ebi and bought of good fountain herds, it will take a good number of years before you get a settled mature herd that your anyway happy with

blue5000

Good luck with the milkers, apply for PP for the parlour soon, as any delays won't be long complicating things.

Tell me how

Best of luck David. Not an active farmer here so have no advice to give but I wanted to wish you luck.
Love seeing people striving to do something for themselves.

Muckit

Best of luck David

Sugarbowl

How many units will you put in David?

Muckit

Probably 27 and a half

kevthegaff

I started as a new entrant 12 yrs ago as a 24 yr old full of energy, tough at times but I'm still here☺ best of luck

davidk1394

jaymla627 wrote: »

Word of advice would be not to bank on all your bought-in stock pulling up trees and been top quality Milkers from year one even with high ebi and bought of good fountain herds, it will take a good number of years before you get a settled mature herd that your anyway happy with

Very true. I know the first couple of years will have its ups and downs. Hopefully I’ll manage it

davidk1394

kevthegaff wrote: »

I started as a new entrant 12 yrs ago as a 24 yr old full of energy, tough at times but I'm still here☺ best of luck

Ha ha same age as myself :P I think it’s a good age to start. I’m a bit more level headed than 2 years ago and I know what I want to do and have goals set.

davidk1394

Sugarbowl wrote: »

How many units will you put in David?

If it’s a parlor it’ll be a 16 unit, plenty big for me. A friend of mine put in a new De Laval parlor last year and I enjoy milking in it. It’s all De Laval around here because one of my neighbors installs them and services them. Another friend of mine in the locality is currently putting in a GEA parlor. I’m want to see how it goes for them. It looks like a lovely parlor, well designed and built.

I am still undecided on going for a parlor or robots. After the last 2/3 years I have pros and cons for both. I am going to visit 2 more dairy farms with robots. There is going to be an open day held on one of them next week in Cappaquin in Waterford.
In the coming months I’ll make my decision.

Bullocks

Best of luck David. Will you keep a few ewes aswell still or get out completely?

topnotch

Good man David hope everything works out well for ya.

SuperTortoise

Good luck in you new venture, i know very little about dairying never grew up around it and where i am dairy men are few and far between so i have'nt much advice for you, but i hope it all pans out.

Dunedin

Best of luck to you. I know nothing about milk so no advice for you on that front only that I hope it works out for you I always hate to see something not work out for a lad that really tried.

visatorro

kevthegaff wrote: »

I started as a new entrant 12 yrs ago as a 24 yr old full of energy, tough at times but I'm still here☺ best of luck

What would you say to that 24 year old kev now if you got a hold of him?!

I spent my twenties drinking and acting the bolox. When the quota went my quota for the good times was well full up. Playing serious catch up now trying to make my farm a viable enterprise. Just as well the kids are out of nappies now.
Looking back I couldn't Insist on money being spent around yard or using AI and me down the town chasing some beautiful lady around supermacs. And still going home alone 99% of the time!

Dunedin

visatorro wrote: »

What would you say to that 24 year old kev now if you got a hold of him?!

I spent my twenties drinking and acting the bolox. When the quota went my quota for the good times was well full up. Playing serious catch up now trying to make my farm a viable enterprise. Just as well the kids are out of nappies now.
Looking back I couldn't Insist on money being spent around yard or using AI and me down the town chasing some beautiful lady around supermacs. And still going home alone 99% of the time!

Yeah, but think of the memories for that 1%.......priceless

visatorro

Dunedin wrote: »

Yeah, but think of the memories for that 1%.......priceless

Oh I dunno about that either!!

anthony500_1

Like many others I can offer no advice on the dairy side of things, but wish you every success in your new venture.

Timmaay

I was 26 when I came back here full time, I'll admit me and my dad certainly didn't see eye to eye them early days in terms of the farm direction, and I remember maybe 2yrs later talking to a neighbour with a dairyfarm, he had a 16yr son who was enthusiastic about dairying, I got talking about how I was 26 when I came home and some days I wondered was that too young, the neighbour jsut goes "26, hmm 10yrs until my lad that age, I'm defo not hanging on that long dairying if he doesn't come back till then" hahah.

But there really is no correct age to start out, see some of the world when your young and free in your early 20s defo, but equally so if you have a well managed compact calving dairyfarm with good relief labour no reason you can't take good lengths of time off, I know a good few dairyfarmers who take a month or more off in the quiet season.

kevthegaff

visatorro wrote: »

kevthegaff wrote: »

I started as a new entrant 12 yrs ago as a 24 yr old full of energy, tough at times but I'm still here☺ best of luck

What would you say to that 24 year old kev now if you got a hold of him?!

I spent my twenties drinking and acting the bolox. When the quota went my quota for the good times was well full up. Playing serious catch up now trying to make my farm a viable enterprise. Just as well the kids are out of nappies now.
Looking back I couldn't Insist on money being spent around yard or using AI and me down the town chasing some beautiful lady around supermacs. And still going home alone 99% of the time!

I have a masters in soft ware engineering so maybe I went the wrong track! No things worked out, reading that post I still enjoyed meself chain and drink in. I think its getting harderbin dairying with numbers increasing, I'm aching atm hurling a little after a hectic spring. I'm considering with 3 kids of a few different options in the future. Oad is one

visatorro

kevthegaff wrote: »

I have a masters in soft ware engineering so maybe I went the wrong track! No things worked out, reading that post I still enjoyed meself chain and drink in. I think its getting harderbin dairying with numbers increasing, I'm aching atm hurling a little after a hectic spring. I'm considering with 3 kids of a few different options in the future. Oad is one

Like that if you didn't love it you wouldn't be at it!
No fear of expansion here thank god. I couldn't handle it!!

Reggie.

visatorro wrote: »

Like that if you didn't love it you wouldn't be at it!
No fear of expansion here thank god. I couldn't handle it!!

If ya got out of bed at a reasonable hour it would help

Genghis Cant

Best of luck David. This has the makings of a brilliant thread . Keep us all updated on your journey!

Timmaay

kevthegaff wrote: »

I have a masters in soft ware engineering so maybe I went the wrong track! No things worked out, reading that post I still enjoyed meself chain and drink in. I think its getting harderbin dairying with numbers increasing, I'm aching atm hurling a little after a hectic spring. I'm considering with 3 kids of a few different options in the future. Oad is one

How are you for labour? Very lucky here that I've had 2 decent chaps part time this spring, that alongside the good weather has made this the easiest spring I've had so far. I'm prb gonna spend the best part of 20k on labour this year, or say 3c/l, worth every penny though, esp when I look at how unsustainable what I use to be at doing consistent 80 hr weeks and absolutely not enjoying it.

visatorro

Reggie. wrote: »

If ya got out of bed at a reasonable hour it would help

Look there's no point getting to excited you'll burn out. Anytime after twelve is a good start.

Sheep breeder

Best of luck with your venture, milked cows in my youth for my sins and at one time was milking two herds a day and some days three herds, feeding, grass, management of cows etc all come second to the parlour. Which is where the time goes and very important to have it user friendly for man and beast.
One the best saying that was parted from one old fella I milked for was the parlour was like a bed, if not comfortable you won’t sleep well and you won’t work well that day.

Albert Johnson

visatorro wrote: »

Look there's no point getting to excited you'll burn out. Anytime after twelve is a good start.

Welcome to my psychology haha. The above is somewhat of an exaggeration but perhaps I'm not the only one who finds mornings a challenge. I'd stay out all night but don't ask me to get up in the mornings, the auld lad is the complete opposite and would be out at dawn regardless of the work to be done.

Good luck with the new venture David, there's been no dairying here in my lifetime and little locally so I'm of almost zero help to you on that front. I do admire the courage and conviction of anyone who makes a major life decision of any kind and I hope that your efforts will be justly rewarded.

Ard_MC

Best of luck David. Your views will be missed in the sheep forum.

Reggie.

visatorro wrote: »

Look there's no point getting to excited you'll burn out. Anytime after twelve is a good start.

Willfarman

Best of luck David

davidk1394

Some of the calves are settling in nicely. I only have 10 dairy heifer calves bought. I missed out on a few because I didn’t have enough shed space with sheep lambing. The pens used for the sheep can be easily changed to hold calves which is very handy

davidk1394

Bullocks wrote: »

Best of luck David. Will you keep a few ewes aswell still or get out completely?

At this moment and time I think I’m going to get out completely. My heart isn’t in sheep anymore. Both myself and my parents could look at another lambing

farisfat

davidk1394 wrote: »

At this moment and time I think I’m going to get out completely. My heart isn’t in sheep anymore. Both myself and my parents could look at another lambing

Best of luck with your venture.
Lambing sheep will look easy if things start to go wrong with cows and calves.

jaymla627

farisfat wrote: »

Best of luck with your venture.
Lambing sheep will look easy if things start to go wrong with cows and calves.

Don’t be scaring the chap, sure it’s great craic spending literally hours every day during peak calving training and bottling colostrum into calves, levels of patience are required that no one should need haha, and if your spending a hour our twobefore this with unruly heifers in the parlour it dosent be long fraying the nerves after a few weeks

mahoney_j

davidk1394 wrote: »

If it’s a parlor it’ll be a 16 unit, plenty big for me. A friend of mine put in a new De Laval parlor last year and I enjoy milking in it. It’s all De Laval around here because one of my neighbors installs them and services them. Another friend of mine in the locality is currently putting in a GEA parlor. I’m want to see how it goes for them. It looks like a lovely parlor, well designed and built.

I am still undecided on going for a parlor or robots. After the last 2/3 years I have pros and cons for both. I am going to visit 2 more dairy farms with robots. There is going to be an open day held on one of them next week in Cappaquin in Waterford.
In the coming months I’ll make my decision.

On Gea no doubt well built and stuff sells itself but Gea Ireland has a very Chequerd history ,just ask any customer of charleville refrigeration

Bullocks

davidk1394 wrote: »

At this moment and time I think I’m going to get out completely. My heart isn’t in sheep anymore. Both myself and my parents could look at another lambing

Ah sure I'd say everyone says that when they're at the end of lambing haha

Dakota Dan

Reggie. wrote: »

If ya got out of bed at a reasonable hour it would help

Dakota Dan

jaymla627 wrote: »

Don’t be scaring the chap, sure it’s great craic spending literally hours every day during peak calving training and bottling colostrum into calves, levels of patience are required that no one should need haha, and if your spending a hour our twobefore this with unruly heifers in the parlour it dosent be long fraying the nerves after a few weeks

To hell with that crack, stomach tube the first 2-3 feeds skip 1 feed and they'll take to the teat no bother.

jaymla627

Dakota Dan wrote: »

To hell with that crack, stomach tube the first 2-3 feeds skip 1 feed and they'll take to the teat no bother.

Last resort using stomach tube here, 10 times healthier calves when the first feed is bottled fed plus a lot better immunity to fight disease, you hear of horror stories where crypto and rota wipe out calves in places and I guarantee you its down to running with the tube to every calf instead of spending the time to bottle it

cosatron

jaymla627 wrote: »

Dakota Dan wrote: »

To hell with that crack, stomach tube the first 2-3 feeds skip 1 feed and they'll take to the teat no bother.

Last resort using stomach tube here, 10 times healthier calves when the first feed is bottled fed plus a lot better immunity to fight disease, you hear of horror stories where crypto and rota wipe out calves in places and I guarantee you its down to running with the tube to every calf instead of spending the time to bottle it

We do the exact same thing. It's worth it in the long run.

Panch18

We have never tubed a calf, always try to get them to suck the cows first

Most would go eventually and if not then milk cow into a 3 teat feeder and get calf going on that

That’s not to say that we don’t have a few that would break your heart every year

kevthegaff

Timmaay wrote: »

How are you for labour? Very lucky here that I've had 2 decent chaps part time this spring, that alongside the good weather has made this the easiest spring I've had so far. I'm prb gonna spend the best part of 20k on labour this year, or say 3c/l, worth every penny though, esp when I look at how unsustainable what I use to be at doing consistent 80 hr weeks and absolutely not enjoying it.

On my own, had a guy during the winter re roofing a shed and milking empties but it was a disaster(his attitude stunk as well as costly errors) pity as I hoped it would work out. It's bad when you let a lad go at the end of February. ..