‘New dairy entrants need a “big bang” approach’

[Dragon]

yeah the press do like to put there own spin on things

 

[Cows 'n grass]

As someone who moved to a new farm last summer which is a new conversion coming out of organic beef and arable we were advised to go in full bore. The long term plan is to go to 480 - 500 cows but we moved in with 300 because that was all I could breed/borrow and thank fuk I did. Even though the farm has far better soils and more potential than the last farm its growing a fraction of the grass. I spent all I could afford last autumn on P K fertiliser and lime and the difference this spring has been huge but think we'll only just provide enough feed for the 410 we have this year. Doing a dairy conversion is a massive expense even for a low cost system. If you use contractors for all the fences, tracks and water lines the payback time will be huge. Typically we're trying to do it all ourselves which means we still have lots to do!

Its also a massive change for me, I have to deal with staff and not just cows. If its a second or third unit it may be the way to go but as for new entrants it could make life very stressful if you bite off more than than you can chew.

 

[Dragon]

As someone who moved to a new farm last summer which is a new conversion coming out of organic beef and arable we were advised to go in full bore. The long term plan is to go to 480 - 500 cows but we moved in with 300 because that was all I could breed/borrow and thank fuk I did. Even though the farm has far better soils and more potential than the last farm its growing a fraction of the grass. I spent all I could afford last autumn on P K fertiliser and lime and the difference this spring has been huge but think we'll only just provide enough feed for the 410 we have this year. Doing a dairy conversion is a massive expense even for a low cost system. If you use contractors for all the fences, tracks and water lines the payback time will be huge. Typically we're trying to do it all ourselves which means we still have lots to do!

Its also a massive change for me, I have to deal with staff and not just cows. If its a second or third unit it may be the way to go but as for new entrants it could make life very stressful if you bite off more than than you can chew.

thats very honest and true

the headline should read "new conversion" not entrant

 

[simplesimon]

As someone who moved to a new farm last summer which is a new conversion coming out of organic beef and arable we were advised to go in full bore. The long term plan is to go to 480 - 500 cows but we moved in with 300 because that was all I could breed/borrow and thank fuk I did. Even though the farm has far better soils and more potential than the last farm its growing a fraction of the grass. I spent all I could afford last autumn on P K fertiliser and lime and the difference this spring has been huge but think we'll only just provide enough feed for the 410 we have this year. Doing a dairy conversion is a massive expense even for a low cost system. If you use contractors for all the fences, tracks and water lines the payback time will be huge. Typically we're trying to do it all ourselves which means we still have lots to do!

Its also a massive change for me, I have to deal with staff and not just cows. If its a second or third unit it may be the way to go but as for new entrants it could make life very stressful if you bite off more than than you can chew.

What stocking rate are you heading to on your milking platform? (cow/Ha)

 

[Cows 'n grass]

I have a total of 165ha accessible for the milkers but haven't got my hands in all of it yet. 20ha is tied into a low input spring barley higher level scheme for another 3 years but next year I'll be up to 145 ha and hope to be milking 500 which is 3.5/ha.

The old farm which is only next door is much steeper and with thinner soils and could fairly comfortably support 4 cows / ha so with a bit more p k lime and reseeding I think we'll get back towards 4 but I'll need to drop a milking and go OAD before I hit 600.