Dairy farmers quitting the industry in high numbers.

gone up the hill · Apr 6, 2022

Where will the Milk come from going forwards?

In my own very local area 3 dairy farms have gone or are about to sell the herd in the last 12 months, all three have been driven out by the low returns for the amount of work and/or the investment needed to carry on milking not being worthwhile for the work/ returns from milking cows.

One herd the owner would be around the 50 year old age with family coming on.

One farm is mostly going into stewardship/ low input sheep farming, another a mix of that and beef farming with some rented out and the other most of it is going under the plough for crops to feed a local AD plant...

Where is the milk/ beef calves going to come from if this rate of exodus from the industry carry's on??

Very sad to see such well run farms/ well looked after dairy herds being forced out of the industry after decades/ generations of milking cows.

Baling Hay · Apr 6, 2022

There's always been dairy farmers exiting....market finds a way.

gone up the hill · Apr 6, 2022

Steakeater said:
There's always been dairy farmers exiting....market finds a way.

Not on this scale thou and few if any remaining farms are looking to expand/ keep more cows like has been the case in previous years/times.

jondear · Apr 6, 2022

gone up the hill said:
Not on this scale thou and few if any remaining farms are looking to expand/ keep more cows like has been the case in previous years/times.

Around here some doubling up to 300 cows even milking 3 times a day !

gone up the hill · Apr 6, 2022

jondear said:
Around here some doubling up to 300 cows even milking 3 times a day !

What are they going to do when the new slurry regs come in and stocking rates per acre are reduced then enforced??

M-J-G · Apr 6, 2022

50 years ago there were dozens of dairy farms around here, now there are 3 within 20 miles.
This has been happening for decades.

I also have 4 friends who have gone into dairying in the past 5 years, 3 of which have been in the past 2 years.

som farmer · Apr 6, 2022

devon/Cornwall seem to have a few exiting all the time, selling them as they calve, rather than full dispersals. For many, a clear TB status, is the option. There would be a lot more, if it wasn't for TB.
On the other hand, herds from 'away' are bringing their herds to the S West, because the demand is there. And we have supplied big bunches of cows, for new set ups, in the last 2 yrs.
And prices are good, for sellers. Quite a lot of young dairy hfrs, go through the mkts, to fund more cows ?
2 serious number reductions, at Exeter, one could presume staffing difficulties.
Staff must be a problem for many, us included, we have dropped 150 head, so we can 'cope' on our own. 9 close neighbours have sold up, leaving just 2 of us.
With all that is coming, prices, regs etc, for many, its to much, and who can blame them.

Werzle · Apr 7, 2022

We won't have a dairy industry before long, shocking to see so many people packing up but understandable with all the pressures. Alot of cows will be being culled to fund buying better cows too so dont think that numbers arent dropping.

Water Wheel · Apr 7, 2022

I'm giving up after 50 years, sold herd.
Entire herd going to a new start up unit.
Conversion from beef sheep to dairy.

Sid · Apr 7, 2022

Water Wheel said:
I'm giving up after 50 years, sold herd.
Entire herd going to a new start up unit.
Conversion from beef sheep to dairy.

So basically the cows are just moving farms.

Seen plenty of that happening since quotas went.

nonemouse · Apr 7, 2022

This is the last dairy farm in this parish, fifty years ago there were 7 dairy farms in the parish, still planing to be out of dairy by the end of the year. Red tractor rubbish, new slurry rules and getting older are the driving forces.
Some areas are still expanding, heard yesterday that a friend of mine who manages a dairy unit in SW Scotland was celebrating breaking the 50,000 litres a day. So in less than 2 weeks he produces more milk than I do in a year.

Bald Rick · Apr 7, 2022

I think once the All Wales NVZ is confirmed and we know the exact details, measures like that will accelerate the decline of dairy farms here but I suspect that the more modern units will look to take advantage.
Off the top of my head I can think of 15 completely new dairy set ups on the Island within the last 10 years ... and nothing under 200 cows.
It will be the older farmers without succession or who need to invest bigly that will pull out

Beef farmer · Apr 7, 2022

Bald Rick said:
I think once the All Wales NVZ is confirmed and we know the exact details, measures like that will accelerate the decline of dairy farms here but I suspect that the more modern units will look to take advantage.
Off the top of my head I can think of 15 completely new dairy set ups on the Island within the last 10 years ... and nothing under 200 cows.
It will be the older farmers without succession or who need to invest bigly that will pull out

But apart from you, all 15 have been grass based grazers?
Guthrie won't want the calves from them. Good job the milk is great

endeavour · Apr 7, 2022

Steakeater said:
There's always been dairy farmers exiting....market finds a way.

And who sets the market and at what cost to community life, mental health, family relationships. The last man standing syndrome will persist related to depth of family finances.

Tim G · Apr 7, 2022

Another one stopped in Essex this last week. Probably less than 1000 cows milked in the county now.
Sadly, I can remember several farms round here that milked, now I'd have to travel 20 miles to find another dairy farm.
The little bulk tank I have here is now on it's third farm, though it's never moved more than 2 miles.

hally · Apr 7, 2022

As many expanding or starting from scratch as getting out around here

lazy farmer · Apr 7, 2022

Doomed doomed. We are all doomed.

Not

Bald Rick · Apr 7, 2022

Beef farmer said:
But apart from you, all 15 have been grass based grazers?
Guthrie won't want the calves from them. Good job the milk is great

No. One robot farm, at least 2 autumn block but yes, others are spring grazers usually seeded by others
Still, they have all made big investments so are unlikely to stop. Will be the older generation who pack in

BELOWAVERAGE · Apr 7, 2022

lazy farmer said:
Doomed doomed. We are all doomed.

Not

No not you, but then I don't think you appreciate what others have to go through, you appear to be on a different planet (you and a few others) you'd be better named lucky rather than lazy, and yes to some extent you make your own luck, but some are dealt a hell of a lot more shite than others.

jondear · Apr 7, 2022

lazy farmer said:
Doomed doomed. We are all doomed.

Not

The poor people of Ukraine .!That puts it in to. Context!

Dairy farmers quitting the industry in high numbers.

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100% I’ve had enough of farming!

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