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New entrant to dairy farming

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  • 22-07-2024 2:13pm
    #1
    sean619
    Registered Users Posts: 1 ✭


    Hi all, looking for some advice.
    I’m a young farmer and have recently inherited my grandfathers farm. I have about 95 acres of good ground split between an out farm of 20 acres a few miles away from the farm a decent block of land around the farm and about 10 rented acres close to the farm. My grandfather was a dairy farmer for years but sold up back in 2004/05 or so and went with a calf to beef system (more entertainment for his retired self than anything). Ive taken over now and am set on returning to dairy. The end goal is a robotic system but at the moment the farm is not supporting itself. There is a need for reseeding and repairs on the farm but we haven’t a bad base to start from. Wondering would it be worth my time putting a bit of money into the old 6 unit parlour and the current sheds for the time being and start my herd with maybe 30/40 head of cows to grow my herd from? I have no other debts but the work that needs to be done between sheds new water system and repairs to the parlour I’m thinking would be about €25k/€30k before I even buy stock. Do more experienced farmers here think that this number of cows will let me keep the lights on while I continue to spend my time bringing the farm back up to scratch? I will be doing the majority of the work myself and have all the machinary for it including a 5tonne digger so there’ll be no hiring costs.
    any help or insight greatly appreciated.
    I do have a lot of experience milking and with dairy cows so I’m not completly clueless. It’s just so lads think it can work.

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    #2
    jaymla627
    Registered Users Posts: 6,679 ✭✭✭jaymla627


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058360901/new-entrant-to-dairy-farming

    Whats your current system, stock available for lifestock sales, are you working off-farm, have you much of a biss payment, very hard to give any advice without knowing the above



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    #3
    K.G.
    Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 3,191 Mod ✭✭✭✭K.G.


    One simple question.do you like work?if you re happy working drive on but if you think in terms of work/life balance forget about it



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    #4
    Donald Trump
    Registered Users Posts: 19,611 ✭✭✭✭Donald Trump


    What are your alternatives? And how do you feel about those?



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    #5
    older by the day
    Registered Users Posts: 1,778 ✭✭✭older by the day


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058360901/new-entrant-to-dairy-farming

    I know there is a lot of negativity around farming these days. But if you want to go dairy farming, you should know that it is a vocation. If you don't have help, and you are milking 30 to 40 cows, you won't have much cash to spend on relief milking. You may well end up resenting it.

    Personally I'm getting shiit sick of it, between old fellas around the place farming needing help, and 14 hour days. I would level my buildings before i would let one of my children go milking



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