Dairy Chitchat 4, an udder new thread.

Same here

Some shower of greedy f,,,,,s

The government, if they have any sense, won't put a cent towards a reduction scheme. The current strategy of banding, storage, changing calves ages before moving, etc is all leading to a reduction in milk and cows. Add on top the processors cutting prices galore will see more culled. Shouldn't someone somewhere point that out to the processors? I think days of farmers breaking their balls (or the girls equivalent) to send milk away for nothing is over. The newer generations are no mugs and have ample opportunities for handier lives without being welded to cows. The processors would do well to remember that. Unless they pay a fair price, they'll have nothing to buy eventually.

An afull lot of lads are in so deep financially now tho they’ve no choice …all that extra ss has/is been paid for by suppliers …coops creamed it off last year and consistently paid a few cent per litre shy of market returns ….this year they e cut the shite out of what there paying …we are producing milk now with no idea of what we’re been paid until mid September …bonkers …..if they want milk pay us. A fair return ….I’ve no sympathy for coops

Consolidate wasn’t on Radar for loads …still on the expansion mode ….things will change this year …gloss of last years milk price quickly diminishing and now all the enviro stuff and extra money that will have to be spent on compliance and more land if lads want to stay driving on

Fair enough to have adequate storage. The more the better. But why in the name of jaysus do you need storage in December for anything other than the animals on farm at that time?

It'll likely have to be spent if lads want to stand still, not amind drive on. That's the catch, less cows paying for more concrete something won't add up esp the way building costs are.

Tbh I think those that went all out back in 15/ 16 or before re facilities etc prob are in the best position as back would be broke in payments and facilties solid. Those of us that are only getting going now are in a different kettle of fish between interest / capital costs/ regs and then uncertainty re stock to cover it all.

Obv if one is to stay at it things have to be done and dice has to be rolled but a riskier enviroment

Is that 600 in total or 600 per year?

Is an extra 100€ an acre on some of your land going to cause your business to automatically become unprofitable?

we’re paying for every acre here between purchased land and land rental it’s averaging over 300€ an acre and we still make nice profit per cow

maybe the system needs tweaking jay ?

Should you not of worded the above "where" making a nice profit, have you worked out what it's costing re all inputs on this rented ground and paying contractors etc for maize/wholecrop.....

What's your break-even milk price at the minute our do you even have it worked out, obviously your in derogation, if its gone in 2026 will you go rent another 100 acres at 400 plus our whatever it's making in your area and still be profitable?

My figures are showing given where contractor costs/fertililzer rent etc where at will be for 2023/24 it's gone from a kilo of grass/maize costing 14-17 cent per kilo of dm in the yard for 2019-2020 as a average to 25 cent plus per kilo of dm at the minute

Yes I have

worked it out this morning in fact

whole crop cost 27 c/kg dm - wouldn’t grow it again tbh needed the land but didn’t need all the feed 20 acres of maize would yeild.

maize will cost 19-20c/kg dm. Estimate yeild should be 25 t fresh /ac. Super crop on it

I’m happy enough with maize crop but in all reality I would like to get away from it and back to a simpler system of just grass and meal. That would mean dropping cow numbers to do that. Might happen if land came available next door

but that’s not to say current system isn’t very profitable. It is. But it’s just not as simple as I would prefer it to be

Have you got a diet feeder for the maize. An advisor was telling me that maize is no good without one. A grab here and there means the cow doesn't get enough. I have no experience of it myself yet.

Yes have one but try get away with out it till cows go in at night

theres plenty out there feeding maize with no feeder

Your some man to bring down the mood. 😉 I just want to hear about win wins and highly profitable....

Advisor is talking shite ….no feeder here ;lots feed space )feed it out with shear grab …zero issue