How many cows are you milking?

[celtis man]

Thinking of converting to a small dairy herd myself. You happy financially with the dairy as a standalone

With our business our dairy part is just another bit, alright a fairly big bit but all our parts add up. We need the calves to rear for our cattle job and to be honest we always thought suckler cows are a gentleman's hobby around here as the ground is to good.
We run our cattle on the wet bits and the hilly bits that we do not want to grow spring barley on.
I can see where you are coming from but you will need to consider weather your co-op will have access to the UK mainland after brexit and what it will do to your milk price [emoji848]

 

[BobbySusie]

I never tried to work that one out !! . Zero grazers are not cheap to buy and repairs are expensive but the can generate a lot of milk. Downsides are it ties up a tractor and the cows can get addicted to the concept. The dont like it if supply suddenly stops . You also need to stay away from your silage ground or you might find yourself short of silage .

M wifes uncle has contract feeding cattle for one of the factories. He has to supply 40-50 bulls a week. On a very short notice The factory buy the stock. He gets a daily rate to feed.
He started feeding the further off cattle on zero grazed grass, and then using concentrates for the last 60 days. Has saved him a huge amount of money.

 

[coomoo]

Once a day milking but calves need fed twice. Cows ai am and pm. Calving cows need late pm checks as does silage pushing up. Support from your family when you get addicted to cows

 

[unlacedgecko]

Start milking last spring 155 fr x j OAD organic, this year milking 320 and next spring 450. Profitable yes. Hard work yes, however getting easier by the day now!

You're on the kingsclere estate?

 

[ColinV6]

153 milking 194 herd size. 20/20 parlour. grazed as much as conditions allow.

Almost exactly the same as us, except a 10/20 swingover.

 

[coomoo]

Almost exactly the same as us, except a 10/20 swingover.

Be interesting to know milking times comparing double up or swing

 

[pine_guy]

it will, but need to know what the cows are averaging for it to be a fair comparison.

Be interesting to know milking times comparing double up or swing

 

[tinto]

Milking 176 today out of 225 in a parlour that could do with a makeover.

 

[vantage]

Milking 176 today out of 225 in a parlour that could do with a makeover.

4 point abreast or a 40 point rotary?

 

[tinto]

Basic 20/40 but have a notion for 3 robots!

 

[Blue.]

Be interesting to know milking times comparing double up or swing

I know when I moved from a 24/24 to a 15/30 that the 15/30 was faster,same cows same yield same milker.

I won't be doubling up again.

 

[Skintagain]

I have seen 180 put through a 5/10 for 10 years. It was a joke

 

[thewalrus]

I have seen 180 put through a 5/10 for 10 years. It was a joke

Was it going round the clock?!

 

[Skintagain]

Was it going round the clock?!

It was a long day, it was neighbours when I was a kid and I used to go and help.

 

[early riser]

I have seen 180 put through a 5/10 for 10 years. It was a joke

A local farm used to put 300 through a six-a-side herringbone before their new parlour went in . Six hours each end of the day, used to do it as 2x3hr shifts if I remember correctly

 

[Milkcow365]

We put 260 through the 12:12
Last 15 sides where just a daze

 

[Beef farmer]

A local farm used to put 300 through a six-a-side herringbone before their new parlour went in . Six hours each end of the day, used to do it as 2x3hr shifts if I remember correctly

That's going some

 

[early riser]

That's going some

They'd spent over a million quid on milk quota to go from being a small scale family farm to being a decent sized operation capable of supporting several families.

Now an extremely successful business I might add.

Sometimes if you want to move forward in life you just have to crack on and do the graft for a while.

 

[Cows 'n grass]

We did 320 through an 8:16 for a year. We knew we were moving the following year and needed to build numbers

 

[mixed farm]

We did 320 through an 8:16 for a year. We knew we were moving the following year and needed to build numbers

To really appreciate the comfort of a good parlour you have to put up with hardship 1st.