Dairy the way forward?

[kfpben]

Our farm is a mix of grade 3 land.
Some good lighter stuff, some god awful heavy clay, some god awful flint. Rainfall average 800ml.

Arable is marginal, sheep are ok presently but post Brexit may be vulnerable. Beef may possibly be in the same boat.

So dairy- more secure? Better profit opportunity? Subsidy a smaller % of turnover so less of shock if it goes?

We have 270 acres of light land in one block that could work either as a spring calving grazing platform or an autumn calving here. Early turnout/late grazing is doable here but it could burn up in summer.

An alternative would be 150 acres of heavy ground that would suit an autumn calving herd. Not suitable for an early turnout but stays green all summer.

Any thoughts? Is dairy the best way forward for a medium sized lowland family farm looking to secure the future?

 

[multi power]

As my granny used to say "milk is a goldmine"

 

[Stinker]

Our farm is a mix of grade 3 land.
Some good lighter stuff, some god awful heavy clay, some god awful flint. Rainfall average 800ml.

Arable is marginal, sheep are ok presently but post Brexit may be vulnerable. Beef may possibly be in the same boat.

So dairy- more secure? Better profit opportunity? Subsidy a smaller % of turnover so less of shock if it goes?

We have 270 acres of light land in one block that could work either as a spring calving grazing platform or an autumn calving here. Early turnout/late grazing is doable here but it could burn up in summer.

An alternative would be 150 acres of heavy ground that would suit an autumn calving herd. Not suitable for an early turnout but stays green all summer.

Any thoughts? Is dairy the best way forward for a medium sized lowland family farm looking to secure the future?

Parlour at both sites. House them on the bigger block over winter as it will be more useful in the shoulder months if you can store up some grass.

 

[Princess Pooper]

Starting point find a milk buyer.

 

[kfpben]

Starting point find a milk buyer.

Two processors locally are actively recruiting.
A few farms this way send milk to Aylesbury too. Not sure if Arla are taking more farms on though?

 

[kfpben]

Parlour at both sites. House them on the bigger block over winter as it will be more useful in the shoulder months if you can store up some grass.

I have thought of this as an idea. It may just cause more set up costs and higher staffing costs long term though?

 

[Stinker]

Would allow you to keep 400 cows plus. How far apart are the blocks. If they are close just run one parlour at any one time

 

[Stinker]

Or build one small parlour and one big one. That way one guy can milk in each and when they are housed both guys can milk in the same parlour.

 

[betweenthelines]

Milkers on one block, youngstock and silage on the other block

 

[Stinker]

Milkers on one block, youngstock and silage on the other block

This is what we do but if doing it again I would put a parlour on each block. Gives you a lot more flexibility when grass growth slows otherwise you find yourself feeding loads of conserved silage or having a much reduced stocking rate. Just my opinion, others might disagree.

 

[lamb89]

400 autumn Calvers on the 250acre block.could take dry cows off in the summer, your feeding hard autumn to spring and they would be housed.est grass demand 17kg/cow @ 4/ha =68 which is high but 3 out 4 spring is do able.

 

[Stinker]

Realistically spring calving will only work in one block by halving a low stocking rate or by feeding lots of silage/cake to lengthen round length. I think an extra parlour would allow you to avoid this but autumn calving would probably work on just the dry block. Depends if you want to milk cows all winter

 

[Happy at it]

I must be the only person that reads these threads, that finds dairying a hard job. Any time I've done something like buy land or buIlding it kept me busy paying it back. The man hasn't milked a cow yet and he gets to put in two new parlours? What im I doing wrong?

 

[Will Blackburn]

I must be the only person that reads these threads, that finds dairying a hard job. Any time I've done something like buy land or buIlding it kept me busy paying it back. The man hasn't milked a cow yet and he gets to put in two new parlours? What im I doing wrong?

Having lots of acres gives you lots of options, always been like that, always will be.

 

[Tarw Coch]

I'm wondering what the future holds for milk post brexit, plenty saying it's the only thing that'll be paying. If that's the case, how many will be looking to get into milk, and how long will it pay for?
You only have to look at what's happened to milk output since prices have improved and the recent price announcements by processors.

 

[kfpben]

Would allow you to keep 400 cows plus. How far apart are the blocks. If they are close just run one parlour at any one time

Blocks are close by, but with one field in between that is not ours. Could run stock up the road of necessary but wouldn’t want to do that twice a day for milkers.

Thanks for the replies everyone- I’m thinking milkers on the one block, youngstock on the other. Could always go down the two parlour route in the future depending how the first parlour worked out.

I’m not too green to dairy- was a herdsman on a multi dairy estate for two years before moving on to a work for a dairy manufacturer for three years. Do relief work now on local farms when we’re quiet at home.

If we go down this route I would definitely want to be hands on. More than happy to milk, do yard work etc. I think the key to dairy is to keep it simple and have enough cows to support enough staff so everyone can get time off. I wouldn’t be keen on AYR calving again- been there, got the t-shirt!

 

[coomoo]

I think the key to dairy is to keep it simple and have enough cows to support enough staff so everyone can get time off.

This and this is the one one thing I’ve underestimated.

 

[Stinker]

I must be the only person that reads these threads, that finds dairying a hard job. Any time I've done something like buy land or buIlding it kept me busy paying it back. The man hasn't milked a cow yet and he gets to put in two new parlours? What im I doing wrong?

A milking parlour doesn't cost anymore than a tractor. Just stick it on the never never and don't worry about it. Not exactly going to break the bank over 10 years on 400 cows. Not like conserving/buying loads of feed will

 

[O'Reilly]

A milking parlour doesn't cost anymore than a tractor. Just stick it on the never never and don't worry about it. Not exactly going to break the bank over 10 years on 400 cows. Not like conserving/buying loads of feed will

What do you spend on tractors? And how are you building a parlour for the same money?

 

[Beef farmer]

What do you spend on tractors? And how are you building a parlour for the same money?

Our last tractor was 15k dearer than a 24/48