How much are you planning on investing in the next 20 years?

DairyGrazing · Aug 19, 2021

Just had a think about what we'd like to do going forward just to stand still on 400 cows.

1)450k on a parlour
2)150k to get the rest of the milkers onto deep sand and heifers off straw onto cubicles
3)50k on tracks
4)75k on silage pits to stop over filling the current one and so we dont have so many bales.
5)200k on slurry to meet new regs in 2024?
A cool 925k before any machinery or land.

2 will pay for itself in 2 years
3 and 4 bit longer
1 not sure but just moving the parlour will sort out 90% of our current problems.

bobk · Aug 19, 2021

What will the milk price be in 20 years , money is cheap but still has to be paid back

Martyn · Aug 19, 2021

Intending to try and buy our own farm, even if small with a lot of rented, well and truly fed up with landagents and landlords!

ColinV6 · Aug 19, 2021

Right now I’m planning on investing absolutely nothing into the dairy side. Too much uncertainty looming in the next 10 years.

bobk · Aug 19, 2021

I'd be looking at robots for dairying , labour is on the decrease .

pappuller · Aug 19, 2021

Adding a 4th robot over the next 12 months, project including all infrastructure, new silage pit, slurry store and extra cows circa £400k, if we didn't have a son involved we would probably stay as we are, a portion over 3 yrs and rest over 10.

pappuller · Aug 19, 2021

bobk said:
I'd be looking at robots for dairying , labour is on the decrease .

Robots still require staff and not just a cluster monkey

bobk · Aug 19, 2021

pappuller said:
Robots still require staff and not just a cluster monkey

Didn't know that , thought the cows came up and got milked and went out again . oops

ColinV6 · Aug 19, 2021

bobk said:
Didn't know that , thought the cows came up and got milked and went out again . oops

That’s true for the actual physical job of milking them. But you can’t just go on holiday with the arable boys. Your job role just changes.

pappuller · Aug 19, 2021

bobk said:
Didn't know that , thought the cows came up and got milked and went out again . oops

There is a little more to it than that.

boumaticboy · Aug 19, 2021

If milk prices are good and profits are there I will continue to invest bit by bit. If profits low then sit tight

frederick · Aug 19, 2021

So for my farm in order of priority approx 300cows.

1 slurry separation and storage 350-400k.

2 underpass 60-80k

3 3 phase electric 80k

4 new 300 cow shed 400k. To replace 20-30 year old existing.

5 parlour can be last and will be sons choice in 10-15 years 450k

As someone else mentioned we are at a generational turning point. For myself it would be barest minimum to stay within future regs or downsizing or even ceasing if capital cost was not worth it. However next generation at 15 looks keen but have to carefully manage the capital cost and debt burden so he is not on the hamster wheel of paying the debt for his first twenty years.

This is why the industry will change so much in the next 5-10 years the capital cost for the majority of dairy farms is huge.

Guleesh · Aug 19, 2021

£1500 (£2000 if lamb prices hold up) on a second hand quad.

ColinV6 · Aug 19, 2021

I find the way people talk about hundreds of thousands mind blowing.

Bearing in mind we are on essentially the same milk price as the late 80’s how can these sort of figures be paid back comfortably when you also take into account staff shortages, increases in labour cost, and increases in general monthly costs on a dairy farm, be it feedstuffs, materials, machinery etc.

Im only 36 but I can’t imagine planning to sink a million or so back into my farm to rely on a “that’ll do” milk price, and I say this as an Arla member.

If we were on a guaranteed 45/50ppl then maybe I’d be more motivated.

lazy farmer · Aug 19, 2021

Depends on the next generation. Farm is nearly where I want in terms of infrastructure. No doubt the clean air act will require us putting up sheds. Otherwise we are in a very fortunate position of being able to get long term structural debt down quickly.

pappuller · Aug 19, 2021

ColinV6 said:
I find the way people talk about hundreds of thousands mind blowing.

Bearing in mind we are on essentially the same milk price as the late 80’s how can these sort of figures be paid back comfortably when you also take into account staff shortages, increases in labour cost, and increases in general monthly costs on a dairy farm, be it feedstuffs, materials, machinery etc.

Im only 36 but I can’t imagine planning to sink a million or so back into my farm to rely on a “that’ll do” milk price, and I say this as an Arla member.

If we were on a guaranteed 45/50ppl then maybe I’d be more motivated.

I presume at the moment you don't have either a son or daughter who is possibly showing strong interest in following you into the business ?
I have both and if they both decide to follow the path which at the moment they do thats when it gets fookin scary

ColinV6 · Aug 19, 2021

pappuller said:
I presume at the moment you don't have either a son or daughter who is possibly showing strong interest in following you into the business ?
I have both and if they both decide to follow the path which at the moment they do thats when it gets fookin scary

Your spot on. My daughter is 5 and just started school today. She’s shows casual interest in the farm but I’d be very suprised if she pursues it. No other kids (yet) but I agree that if you’ve a strong chance of continuation you have to then look at things very differently.

Woolless · Aug 19, 2021

Guleesh said:
£1500 (£2000 if lamb prices hold up) on a second hand quad.

I spent that on a five year old quad 12 years ago, still got it

sidjon · Aug 19, 2021

Between zero or 4 million, currently no kids and would most like to move as 220 cows split over two farms and block of land is too labour intensive or could just sell up and move back to Spain to retire

happycows · Aug 19, 2021

bobk said:
I'd be looking at robots for dairying , labour is on the decrease .

Pm me your phone number i'll divert the alarms to you for 24 hrs and speak to you in a couple days

Myself I’m looking to invest at least £100k on a bigger boat so I can get further away from said robots and cows (some days)

How much are you planning on investing in the next 20 years?

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Up to 25%

25-50%

50-75%

75-100%

100% I’ve had enough of farming!

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