Small dairy herds

[Comptonfarmer]

What does everyone think the future of <100 cow herds are? I know an old boy still milking 40 in a tie up brye, a couple of 60-80 cow robot farms and a chap milking 50 on the Somerset levels in a bail still!
I read an article saying 70-90 cow herds are the most labour efficient (Irish article) but are these farms profitable and do they hold a place for the future?

 

[sidjon]

Guy in a couple of villages away milks between 5 and 8 cows.

 

[Rossymons]

If I could make a living from 70-90 I would be as happy as a pig in the proverbial!

I think it's very possible for someone around that size to make a decent profit annually given the right circumstances. Good luck to them!

 

[Durry cows]

What does everyone think the future of <100 cow herds are? I know an old boy still milking 40 in a tie up brye, a couple of 60-80 cow robot farms and a chap milking 50 on the Somerset levels in a bail still!
I read an article saying 70-90 cow herds are the most labour efficient (Irish article) but are these farms profitable and do they hold a place for the future?

You can be efficient at any size I believe. That applies to most businesses not just dairy farming. Sure you can get economies of scale by getting bigger but at some point you easily encounter dis economies of scale. It’s about finding that sweet spot. I could be wrong but guessing at 21 your sussing our the viability of a Dairy business this size I’m 24 so not much older. £1000/cow is doable at decent milk price such as now so to answer your question yes it is viable. You will however be doing nigh on all the work yourself and attention to detail will Need to be spot on. Re labour efficiency you tend to find most dairy farms in the country run 60-100 cows per man regardless of herd size so it’s not far wrong.

 

[mixed farm]

I think the 70 cow herd is always going to be sufficient. Obviously you're limited on spending and expanding in comparison with bigger herds but I think you'll have enough money to comfortably live on .

 

[Sid]

Size isn't everything....thats what i tell my Mrs

 

[Comptonfarmer]

Size isn't everything....thats what i tell my Mrs

Likewise

 

[Comptonfarmer]

You can be efficient at any size I believe. That applies to most businesses not just dairy farming. Sure you can get economies of scale by getting bigger but at some point you easily encounter dis economies of scale. It’s about finding that sweet spot. I could be wrong but guessing at 21 your sussing our the viability of a Dairy business this size I’m 24 so not much older. £1000/cow is doable at decent milk price such as now so to answer your question yes it is viable. You will however be doing nigh on all the work yourself and attention to detail will Need to be spot on. Re labour efficiency you tend to find most dairy farms in the country run 60-100 cows per man regardless of herd size so it’s not far wrong.

You guessed right, seen it done but just because the ones I know exist doesn’t mean the 13 hour day is worth it. I’d be happy with 80 cows if I could make average industrial wage plus some investment

 

[Err0l]

You guessed right, seen it done but just because the ones I know exist doesn’t mean the 13 hour day is worth it. I’d be happy with 80 cows if I could make average industrial wage plus some investment

I would in all honesty put a stupidly big parlour in (second hand and very cheaply) and try to have them milked as quickly as possible. That way you could have a 5 hour day when needed not a 13.

 

[Penmoel]

It’s about finding that sweet spot.

Re labour efficiency you tend to find most dairy farms in the country run 60-100 cows per man regardless of herd size so it’s not far wrong.

It must be about finding that sweet spot. We are heading for the 100 cows next winter. On 90 this year organic. Myself. Mrs P and our youngest son 21 . as far as income goes a lot better than the sucklers and ewes we used to run. Milking and feeding is a routine that's all

 

[Clay52]

I think these small farms are viable when run with owned land and no debt. You can make a decent living but when you take account the capital tied up and the value of their time running the farm it’s likely a very very poor investment.

 

[coomoo]

Likewise

Hiy why you telling @Sid s mrs that size isn’t everything

 

[Cows 'n grass]

I think these small farms are viable when run with owned land and no debt. You can make a decent living but when you take account the capital tied up and the value of their time running the farm it’s likely a very very poor investment.

With high land prices, all farming is a very poor return on investment.

 

[Sid]

I think these small farms are viable when run with owned land and no debt. You can make a decent living but when you take account the capital tied up and the value of their time running the farm it’s likely a very very poor investment.

And you think large farms with debt and capital tied up are any better off?

Larger herds means larger debts and more acres.

 

[Whitewalker]

What if you had a micro dairy calved 12 cows , 1 every month and sold all your milk direct ?

Is that a crazy idea ? 60000 litres at 1 quid a litre for looking after 12 cows .

 

[rc mx110]

It must be about finding that sweet spot. We are heading for the 100 cows next winter. On 90 this year organic. Myself. Mrs P and our youngest son 21 . as far as income goes a lot better than the sucklers and ewes we used to run. Milking and feeding is a routine that's all

Have you seen the light and lost ALL the sheep? Or just cut back

 

[Rossymons]

What if you had a micro dairy calved 12 cows , 1 every month and sold all your milk direct ?

Is that a crazy idea ? 60000 litres at 1 quid a litre for looking after 12 cows .

It takes time to develop that sort of market. The processing equipment doesn't come cheap and people want milk at their conveinience and not yours. All things to weigh up but that 60k is income and not profit.

 

[Whitewalker]

Agreed . However just thinking outside the box well trying to see outside the box

 

[Cows 'n grass]

What if you had a micro dairy calved 12 cows , 1 every month and sold all your milk direct ?

Is that a crazy idea ? 60000 litres at 1 quid a litre for looking after 12 cows .

This one has just started up a few miles from me in the last couple of months. Milking 20 cows and doing a milk round.

www.hownowdairy.co.uk

 

[Whitewalker]

Looks good . We’re dipping our toe soon for fun to see if it has any milage