Moorepark Open Day

[Beef farmer]

Last year didnt the government pay the haulage for fodder? 1q

Yes, the were provoiding advisory services but glanbia the agri trust and the phelan family were the three partners who ran the farm . The phelan family and glanbia have pulled out and the farm is been closed . There were all sort of rumors about welfare after the beast from the east and the topless cubicles and lack of shelter for calves. The produced some amazing financial results but the curved ball of last years weather caused serious problems which was also relevant as it showed what can happen when the best laid plans of mice and men go pear shaped

All this dairy expansion over here is creating friction between the sectors dairymen bidding silly money for land for rearing stock and for silage . Then every land owner wants more from arable farmers who are already paying to much . A retired Teagasc adviser told me recently that the milk churn will flow over shortly and the heavily borrowed or high rent and labour outfits will be first to lose their wheels . Intresting times ahead methinks

So the green field project was showing a profit? Are the family milking cows still on there own? Or unit empty? Was an.arable farm wasnt it?

 

[Cowcorn]

Last year didnt the government pay the haulage for fodder? 1q

So the green field project was showing a profit? Are the family milking cows still on there own? Or unit empty? Was an.arable farm wasnt it?

The family who own the farm are in the meat business as far as i know . The farm is still milking under an intern manager and no date has yet been set for closure . But as the assets and liabilities are a three way split its hard to know what way it will go .
It made very good returns in the wet years as been a dry farm the rain suited last year cost them a hundred grand for feed . This year the grass and the milk are flying down there. The new man is feeding 2 kg of meal to get the cows into the parlour and has stopped using the backing gate as he felt it was to hard on the cows .
If you are intrested in dairy farming irish style might i suggest the irish farmers journal it is sold in some places i believe .

 

[Beef farmer]

The family who own the farm are in the meat business as far as i know . The farm is still milking under an intern manager and no date has yet been set for closure . But as the assets and liabilities are a three way split its hard to know what way it will go .
It made very good returns in the wet years as been a dry farm the rain suited last year cost them a hundred grand for feed . This year the grass and the milk are flying down there. The new man is feeding 2 kg of meal to get the cows into the parlour and has stopped using the backing gate as he felt it was to hard on the cows .
If you are intrested in dairy farming irish style might i suggest the irish farmers journal it is sold in some places i believe .

Yeah i subscribe to it, when it was posted i read cover to cover, now its an app i very rarley look. Go figure.

 

[Cows 'n grass]

There's no doubt that some figures they produce won't work on every farm because Moorepark is a great bit of dirt in an area with a very favourable climate. On a dry steep farm I cannot replicate everything.

I think the key take-home messagefor me is to remember that our only competitive advantage is our ability to grow grass . I can't grow huge crops of maize and Lucerne and I don't have access to lots of cheap byproduct. It is important not to allow too much system drift.


A few key bullet points. I hope you can zoom in.

 

[Blue.]

The family who own the farm are in the meat business as far as i know . The farm is still milking under an intern manager and no date has yet been set for closure . But as the assets and liabilities are a three way split its hard to know what way it will go .
It made very good returns in the wet years as been a dry farm the rain suited last year cost them a hundred grand for feed . This year the grass and the milk are flying down there. The new man is feeding 2 kg of meal to get the cows into the parlour and has stopped using the backing gate as he felt it was to hard on the cows .
If you are intrested in dairy farming irish style might i suggest the irish farmers journal it is sold in some places i believe .

£4217 profit in 2016,was that a dry year?

http://www.greenfielddairy.ie/financial/

 

[Cowcorn]

£4217 profit in 2016,was that a dry year?

http://www.greenfielddairy.ie/financial/

No it was a good grass year but the milk price was very poor. Given that with bank repayments and land and labour paid it was not a bad result . Remember this was a demonstration farm for showing how to make money from grass and if its not your thing no problem but you cant ignore the maths it is a very profitable system if you have the right farm .

 

[Big_D]

Was anyone else there yesterday?

What a fantastic day it was. Ireland has increased production by 64% from 2009 to 2018 when the target was 50% by 2020. It's really inspiring to see a government pushing agriculture at the forefront of its economy and doing so much brilliant research.

It only happens every second year but I would thoroughly recommend it to anyone interested in pasture based dairying.

Yes was there too, the amount of research being done with the square aim of putting money in farmers pockets was refreshing to say the least

 

[Llmmm]

Yes was there too, the amount of research being done with the square aim of putting money in farmers pockets was refreshing to say the least

Yes was there too, the amount of research being done with the square aim of putting money in farmers pockets was refreshing to say the least

In 2013 and 2018 alot of cows in ireland would have starved only for fodder imported from france and uk the drought of 2018 could have been another disaster only for a good autumn and early spring.The teagasc model in ireland is a joke 20 years ago they were telling there farmers to breed high type holsteins they then advised jersey cross they now have moved to some sort of super cow which is basically a nz friesian.They now want farmers to breed good beef calves so as the image of slaughtering newborn calves is not to be done so much for research they could have just stuck with british friesian which was there before holstein.

 

[Big_D]

In 2013 and 2018 alot of cows in ireland would have starved only for fodder imported from france and uk the drought of 2018 could have been another disaster only for a good autumn and early spring.The teagasc model in ireland is a joke 20 years ago they were telling there farmers to breed high type holsteins they then advised jersey cross they now have moved to some sort of super cow which is basically a nz friesian.They now want farmers to breed good beef calves so as the image of slaughtering newborn calves is not to be done so much for research they could have just stuck with british friesian which was there before holstein.

I suppose what I would say to that, is that it is advice and its still up to farmers wether they choose to implement it or not. Farming in the uk, it is refreshing mainly because, the "advice " we receive comes directly from or is commissioned by companies which have a vested interest in selling you a product. I visited 2 other farms on the trip and a key message was once you have a farm running well, don't give away the competitive advantage of milk from grass by intensifying using inputs, but replicate the system on another farm. Regarding the fodder shortages, I'd say that any farmer who runs a high stocking rate without carrying a rollover of forage stocks is taking a gamble. If i was farming in ireland, but a less favourable part than cork (which would most of the country) I'd still be looking at what comes out of moorepark but thinking carefully about how it could be applied in a less favourable area.

 

[Cows 'n grass]

In 2013 and 2018 alot of cows in ireland would have starved only for fodder imported from france and uk the drought of 2018 could have been another disaster only for a good autumn and early spring.The teagasc model in ireland is a joke 20 years ago they were telling there farmers to breed high type holsteins they then advised jersey cross they now have moved to some sort of super cow which is basically a nz friesian.They now want farmers to breed good beef calves so as the image of slaughtering newborn calves is not to be done so much for research they could have just stuck with british friesian which was there before holstein.

Things change. They were definitely recommending building forage stocks this year to keep a reserve of silage.

 

[vantage]

Things change. They were definitely recommending building forage stocks this year to keep a reserve of silage.
View attachment 817148

400 kg DM,about a month of fodder?

 

[Beef farmer]

400 kg DM,about a month of fodder?

That would be a fair reserve wouldnt it?

 

[vantage]

That would be a fair reserve wouldnt it?

I guess it would be ,over and above winter requirements.

 

[O'Reilly]

That would be a fair reserve wouldnt it?

Unless you lose two months growth.

 

[thewalrus]

Milking 13 times a week from mid July? Take Sunday morning off?

 

[The Agrarian]

A month is nothing more than a piddle in the bottom of the bucket up here. You wouldn't be wrong rolling six months silage in front of you. There's always a year it gets used.

 

[Cowski]

Milking 13 times a week from mid July? Take Sunday morning off?

It’s sunday afternoon that’s the graveyard shift imho

 

[Blue.]

No it was a good grass year but the milk price was very poor. Given that with bank repayments and land and labour paid it was not a bad result . Remember this was a demonstration farm for showing how to make money from grass and if its not your thing no problem but you cant ignore the maths it is a very profitable system if you have the right farm .

Total milk sales were only €42k down but they spent more on feed,minerals and fert.

Not a case of “not being your thing” if I was in a different area I’d be farming in a completely different way.

Why aren’t there figures for more recent years?

I would class it as profitable not very profitable,I’d want more.

 

[Dead Rabbits]

That would be a fair reserve wouldnt it?

I like 8 months of corn silage.

 

[Cows 'n grass]

I like 8 months of corn silage.

That's your competitive advantage. You can grow that stuff at a fraction of the price that we can and you have access to cheaper proteins than we do.