Milk collection Galway

[BA38]

I know their are a lot of hidden costs but what I find weird is all the negitivity towards a new small scale dairy farmers surely if things go f**k ways they are in a better position to hand in there

 

[cosatron]

I know their are a lot of hidden costs but what I find weird is all the negitivity towards a new small scale dairy farmers surely if things go f**k ways they are in a better position to hand in there

It's not negativity, it's realism. We have 56 cows at the moment and we are managing OK, but we are maxed out to the limit in terms of land and grazing platform. With the new regulations coming in we will have to reduce down to 46 cows to fully comply. So if you have a nice piece land and can manage with a low stocking rate and keep down a parttime job, you will make a nice living with small numbers

 

[In the pit]

I know their are a lot of hidden costs but what I find weird is all the negitivity towards a new small scale dairy farmers surely if things go f**k ways they are in a better position to hand in there

Transport costs are the problem
Processor sends a lorry to a farm fills it and back to factory rather than multiple pickups
20 cows you’ll lucky to be sending 500 ltrs a day
You’ll be working harder than ever

 

[Jaffa Cakes]

supplying arrabawn in galway and minimum collection is 400l year round. Usually come every 3 days. Make sure you check with arrabawn that they will take your milk before you get too excited and also have a read of the journal as the regulation coming down the road are anti farming.

Anybody any idea what minimum collections are with the milk buyers north of the border?

 

[upnortheast]

As @cosatron says It's not negativity, it's realism. It`s not easy getting going from a standing start
Some alternative ideas have been put up for you to think about Problem is we don`t know your situation so difficult to comment in detail
At the end of the day its your call

 

[BA38]

I have 40 acres of land in a block I will need to build a small milking parlour 2nd hand , build a holding hard , small calving shed and put in electricity and sink a well for water and I think I'm good to go I have sheds for winter housing a mile down the road , I plan to buy the stock fo as young calves and rear them and then put them in calf using bull and AI

 

[pappuller]

Transport costs are the problem
Processor sends a lorry to a farm fills it and back to factory rather than multiple pickups
20 cows you’ll lucky to be sending 500 ltrs a day
You’ll be working harder than ever

For every big farmer you need two or 3 smaller ones to fill a tanker

 

[pappuller]

I have 40 acres of land in a block I will need to build a small milking parlour 2nd hand , build a holding hard , small calving shed and put in electricity and sink a well for water and I think I'm good to go I have sheds for winter housing a mile down the road , I plan to buy the stock fo as young calves and rear them and then put them in calf using bull and AI

So will you not need to milk at all when they are housed ?

 

[BA38]

No winter milking dry them off at the end of the year and in for the winter, or else have a few autumn calves aswell

 

[BA38]

Autumn calvers

 

[yin ewe]

It sounds a bit complicated having your winter housing a mile away from the milking parlour, what happens if you get a late spring and can't get the cows out as they calve or you get a wet week in September and have to house the cows until the weather improves?
Nothing wrong starting with 20 cows as long as the dairy will pick up the milk. If there is someone nearby supplying them then they may be happy enough to collect yours while in the area. Best way to find out is ring them and ask, they can only say no.

 

[Beef farmer]

This is not a job, its a hobby.
20 cows bring in 40k
Thats nice you've paid yourself.
What pays the bills?

 

[Jdunn55]

No winter milking dry them off at the end of the year and in for the winter, or else have a few autumn calves aswell

I don't think that will work sorry, winter is long, cows lactation is 10 months sometimes 9 sometimes 11, being where you are I doubt your winter is 2 months long?

40 acres is enough for 70-80 cows grazing,
Any opportunity to rent land for silage?
70 cows with a robot or a big parlour if you can afford one and then you can work elsewhere as well
Flying herd unless you can rent more land for heifer rearing - BUT don't underestimate the time and effort rearing heifers takes, probably make more money being flying and having the ability to work part time elsewhere
Oh and I would be all year round on your numbers so you have a level supply of milk

 

[In the pit]

I have 40 acres of land in a block I will need to build a small milking parlour 2nd hand , build a holding hard , small calving shed and put in electricity and sink a well for water and I think I'm good to go I have sheds for winter housing a mile down the road , I plan to buy the stock fo as young calves and rear them and then put them in calf using bull and AI

That’s a lot of money to be spending for 20 cows
I think after costs you’ll be lucky to be earning £5K

 

[In the pit]

Rather than asking the question on here you should have rung all the milk buyers in your area and asked them the question

 

[kiwi pom]

For every big farmer you need two or 3 smaller ones to fill a tanker

Big sheds are actually harder to schedule than small ones, especially for block calving herds with a peak sometimes there's not enough for a load sometimes there's too much, so you either need a smaller shed to top up or bigger ones to split and they almost certainly wont be next to each other so you can get a lot of running around.

 

[nivilla1982]

Anybody any idea what minimum collections are with the milk buyers north of the border?

Lakeland are apparently happy to lift as little as 4 cows milking, every 3/4 days.

 

[coomoo]

every 3/4 days.

Any advances on 4?

 

[Conrod96]

I know aurvivo we’re lifting 750 litres every other day to fill out the lorry after they left ours in the spring time

 

[Mr Mackay]

Rather than asking the question on here you should have rung all the milk buyers in your area and asked them the question

I agree, but sometimes people like to see where they have possibly underestimated in their musings!!
Having a close proximity to the dairy or being by a nearby supplier that makes transport less problematical will help.
My only concern is basing costings on present /recent prices may well prove to be eyewateringly wrong, because things are in a state of flux we all know!!
Good luck with it
Dairy always needs enthusiastic incomers
Makes up for the ones that are completely fed up with the job