All things Dairy

[Beef farmer]

Would of thought you could convert existing buildings put in a new 24/48 and buy 250 nice cows (not at @Beef farmer prices, he could do 500 for that budget). Spend a bit on electric fencing, tracks troughs etc. Shouldn't be out of the way to achieve a cfp of £100k+. Not sure what everyone else thinks. Obviously you would need to do a good job at it.

Also you'd only need 250 acres for the above so you'd have plenty of ground left for arable, potato rents, rearing beef calves and young stock or whatever.

They wouldn't look favourably at bossman if he started buying tb restricted cows. Bit yes a conversion is achievable relatively cheap

 

[Princess Pooper]

after some investigation it would seem the massive 1000 cow dairy units are not all as they seem, a large one in the south west of Scotland which I was previously very impressed with in the speed and scale at which it went from 650 cows to 2000 is now said to have outside investors putting millions into the business, things didn't quite add up previously milk was good but not that good surely, this has cleared up the issue

Ah you are getting a reality check.

 

[Chimera]

Would of thought you could convert existing buildings put in a new 24/48 and buy 250 nice cows (not at @Beef farmer prices, he could do 500 for that budget). Spend a bit on electric fencing, tracks troughs etc. Shouldn't be out of the way to achieve a cfp of £100k+. Not sure what everyone else thinks. Obviously you would need to do a good job at it.

Also you'd only need 250 acres for the above so you'd have plenty of ground left for arable, potato rents, rearing beef calves and young stock or whatever.

Sssssshhhhhhhhh!!!!

 

[TomB]

agreed but the type of system you are thinking off may not attract a favourable contract oop north

Autumn calving or split?

Sssssshhhhhhhhh!!!!

sorry. It can't be that good because still plenty getting out, and it takes a lot of effort and commitment to make it work.

 

[coomoo]

With the climate up here I think you'll find dairying can be quite capital intensive. Parlour and collecting area under cover, cubicles, slurry storage/handling, silage pits, staff housing etc. With the size of acreage @Bossfarmer has then maybe you can recreate a system similar to the foreigners down in Cornwall

 

[Cows 'n grass]

With the climate up here I think you'll find dairying can be quite capital intensive. Parlour and collecting area under cover, cubicles, slurry storage/handling, silage pits, staff housing etc. With the size of acreage @Bossfarmer has then maybe you can recreate a system similar to the foreigners down in Cornwall

You mean it's not mid summer up there already?

Where I'm milking was a conversion from beef to dairy and we did it for well under £500/cow, but we have no cubicles, silage clamps an minimal slurry storage.

 

[Bossfarmer]

With the climate up here I think you'll find dairying can be quite capital intensive. Parlour and collecting area under cover, cubicles, slurry storage/handling, silage pits, staff housing etc. With the size of acreage @Bossfarmer has then maybe you can recreate a system similar to the foreigners down in Cornwall

I was discussing a large dairy farmer in the north of Scotland yesterday 1200 cows and all kept loose bedded on straw, 40,000 bales of silage a year!!!

 

[Bossfarmer]

You mean it's not mid summer up there already?

Where I'm milking was a conversion from beef to dairy and we did it for well under £500/cow, but we have no cubicles, silage clamps an minimal slurry storage.

all baled silage?

 

[O'Reilly]

Michael kyle and Rory Christie are the names that spring to mind for spring calving in Scotland, and glenap, and there was a feller I read about recently, had been to nz, worked his way up to buying a farm, sold it to buy the families farm in Scotland, and had just taken on another, and the buggers not yet 30! He was spring calving jerseys and selling to grahams, I believe, so there's some people for @Bossfarmer to learn from.

 

[Beef farmer]

Michael kyle and Rory Christie are the names that spring to mind for spring calving in Scotland, and glenap, and there was a feller I read about recently, had been to nz, worked his way up to buying a farm, sold it to buy the families farm in Scotland, and had just taken on another, and the buggers not yet 30! He was spring calving jerseys and selling to grahams, I believe, so there's some people for @Bossfarmer to learn from.

That's the way.

 

[Cows 'n grass]

all baled silage?

Yes but we have a long grass growing season so only make 2 bales/ cow of decent milking cows silage and 2 bales equivalent of dry cow feed.

 

[Beef farmer]

How'd you get on with your 4000+ cover from last week?
]

In the sun this job is a dream. Grass has gone to ly, but there nailing it down.

 

[Ducati899]

Oh how I dream to have a dry farm

 

[lazy farmer]

its hard to believe @Ducati899 we farm so close to each other. finally dry enough here for me to get them to graze tighter. as ground conditions have improved beyond imagination! so @Beef farmer defo getting more than 6KG DM grazed grass now 11-12 now I would hope.

 

[Ducati899]

its hard to believe @Ducati899 we farm so close to each other. finally dry enough here for me to get them to graze tighter. as ground conditions have improved beyond imagination! so @Beef farmer defo getting more than 6KG DM grazed grass now 11-12 now I would hope.

I was thinking that the other day when you put a pic up of your cows grazing,it is getting drier slowly but still can't travel for at least 10 days providing we don't get much rain

 

[dolf_lundgren]

That's the way.

I think Gray is the name you are looking for, Michael?

Also Lundie Farms at Dundee are doing it. Not easy, you will need a huge work ethic and a strong apetite for risk. Rory Christie and Glenapp are in a different area altogether, coastal so likley light quick drying land.

It certainly can be done, not easy though. I dont know Bossfarmer but if you have infrastructure for beef cows already the you really only need the parlour and plant and you are up and running. From memory he is Central Scotland so Grahams and Muller would likely be looking for new suppliers.

 

[early riser]

Michael kyle and Rory Christie are the names that spring to mind for spring calving in Scotland, and glenap, and there was a feller I read about recently, had been to nz, worked his way up to buying a farm, sold it to buy the families farm in Scotland, and had just taken on another, and the buggers not yet 30! He was spring calving jerseys and selling to grahams, I believe, so there's some people for @Bossfarmer to learn from.

Big difference between south west Scotland where those guys are and eastern Scotland

 

[Scholsey]

Started Cut and Carrying, cows seem happy!

 

[Bossfarmer]

Michael kyle and Rory Christie are the names that spring to mind for spring calving in Scotland, and glenap, and there was a feller I read about recently, had been to nz, worked his way up to buying a farm, sold it to buy the families farm in Scotland, and had just taken on another, and the buggers not yet 30! He was spring calving jerseys and selling to grahams, I believe, so there's some people for @Bossfarmer to learn from.

who was that? wat part of Scotland?

 

[pappuller]

View attachment 491966

Started Cut and Carrying, cows seem happy!

u just teasing em ???