Starting from scratch

[benny102030]

Has anyone started a dairy farm from scratch? If so how did you go about it?

 

[Bald Rick]

Yes

by this method:

 

[Nh6050]

Hi pm me will have a good crack with you I did it 12 months ago.

 

[coomoo]

Yep I’ll be 4 years in just over a week. Happy to answer any questions and don’t let established folk put you off

 

[Beef farmer]

Yep I’ll be 4 years in just over a week. Happy to answer any questions and don’t let established folk put you off

They all laughed at me.

 

[matthew]

They all laughed at me.

I thought you'd diversified into dry ski slopes
but then it all ..... got flattened. (Regulalrly visiting a very sick chap in home near you so been passing)

First thing for OP - secure a milk buyer. If you don't have anyone to collect, there's no point unless you intend to process milk yourself..

 

[Robot Jon]

We've only been going a month so early days but very pleased with how everything is going so far . Would agree with not letting established farmers put you off. Happy to answer questions.

 

[pappuller]

They all laughed at me.

Some still do

 

[More to life]

Some still do

Beat me to it

 

[andrew830]

https://www.teagasc.ie/media/website/publications/2016/Greenfield-book_2016.pdf
In ireland they have set up a new dairy farm,i think the project started 6 years ago,its all online if you look for it.There are some interesting figures posted on the reports.

 

[dannewhouse]

can you borrow money easily enough on a business plan to be able to afford to start up?
I know some sell a house to start themselves on a rented farm but 100 cows + a bit of machinery perhaps a parlour and update some buildings a little can soon be £250k

I'm all for you I have 130 acre + 30 rented and I would like to get back into milking cows I'm just seeing how it plans out, suckler + finishing + 60 acre arable at the moment.

I want to get a business type load to convert some barns into houses to rent out but I'm struggling a little as I cant show enough income for the repayments and they didn't really want predictions of what I could rent them out for < only spoke to 1 bank and not quite ready yet. thought about AMC? any other suggestions?

 

[wannamilk]

I would agree with the comments so far.
Securing a milk contract is number one.
Also, see and talk to as many people as you can and look at different systems before you put your business plan together. Best of luck.

 

[small mixed farmer]

Just found this thread and hoping some off you are still watching. Is anyone out there? Suckler farmer currently. Young and looking too convert too dairy. Looking for advice on shed layout/ parlour layouts and everyone’s opinion on putting lane in for tanker and placing parlour in middle off grazing block. First time posting on this so bear with me. Thanks

 

[coomoo]

Done it just over four years ago. I’ll say the same that I do to all these- do you want to milk/manage cows every day of the year? If yes you’ll love it and will make it work. Depending on area personally (in sw Scotland so endless rain) I’d aim for a lower input model based on experience over the horrific period 18 months ago.

 

[small mixed farmer]

Thanks for your speedy reply. Stock is always our main interest. Just bit off background information. We are currently running 95 suckler cows. All stock finished off grass. Steers and heifers mainly finished at 18months with low meal input. Also 130 ewes which has been reduced and will be further reduced. Also 30 acres cereals. Farming 250 acres in N.Ireland. V good quality dry ground. 100 acres in Home block. 15 autumn calvers wintered on kale, 25 dry cows wintered on small woodchip coral. And other 55 on spring barley stubble. Need too build shed, wintering pad for suckler cows. When investing money I want too leave it ready for dairy conversion. Once I have accommodation, lane structure and parlour in place I hope too start switch too milk. Parents close too retirement and my brother has just recently come home full time. I currently work off farm but live on farm so evenings nights all spent working on farm. Thinking off maximum cows I would want too run would be 120 spring calving on my Home block(100 acres). What would your opinion be on stocking rate regarding (milk produced largely from grazed grass) so probably 5000 - 6000 litre cow?

 

[Beef farmer]

If your brother, yourself and your parents need to draw a living from this farm, then 120 6000 litre cows won't be supporting that.

 

[wasted years]

If your brother, yourself and your parents need to draw a living from this farm, then 120 6000 litre cows won't be supporting that.

His parents are close to retiring so presumably have made provision.
He already works off farm so will have cash built up? if he and his brother manage between them then no reason why some off farm working can't continue to provide beer money, better that way than one of them doing it all for ever surely?

 

[Beef farmer]

His parents are close to retiring so presumably have made provision.
He already works off farm so will have cash built up? if he and his brother manage between them then no reason why some off farm working can't continue to provide beer money, better that way than one of them doing it all for ever surely?

Not many farming parents about this part of the world have made provisions, son gets the farm and looks after them, or farm gets rented out and they'e never had so much money, but yes if parents are out of it, and one brother stays in full-time work then have a go. But if 3 people want to pull 25k each from the job........

 

[buffalo_soldier]

Thanks for your speedy reply. Stock is always our main interest. Just bit off background information. We are currently running 95 suckler cows. All stock finished off grass. Steers and heifers mainly finished at 18months with low meal input. Also 130 ewes which has been reduced and will be further reduced. Also 30 acres cereals. Farming 250 acres in N.Ireland. V good quality dry ground. 100 acres in Home block. 15 autumn calvers wintered on kale, 25 dry cows wintered on small woodchip coral. And other 55 on spring barley stubble. Need too build shed, wintering pad for suckler cows. When investing money I want too leave it ready for dairy conversion. Once I have accommodation, lane structure and parlour in place I hope too start switch too milk. Parents close too retirement and my brother has just recently come home full time. I currently work off farm but live on farm so evenings nights all spent working on farm. Thinking off maximum cows I would want too run would be 120 spring calving on my Home block(100 acres). What would your opinion be on stocking rate regarding (milk produced largely from grazed grass) so probably 5000 - 6000 litre cow?

My advice would be to not limit yourself to one ideal in the planning phase.
100ac at home 150 away. Screams 250 cow autumn block through a 36/72 to me. Also 50% more milk.

Knowing nothing of milk contracts in NI, they may insist on Ayr. In which case robots, a ZG and a wagon may be the way to go.

All I'm saying is look at your options.

 

[buffalo_soldier]

Also get rid of the sheep.

That I will say