Starting from scratch

[Beef farmer]

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.

250 autumns probably get 130% more milk over 120 springs

 

[buffalo_soldier]

250 autumns probably get 130% more milk over 120 springs

Yes, I meant per cow

 

[Beef farmer]

Yes, I meant per cow

9000l from a cow and get her in calf? Is that even possible?

 

[small mixed farmer]

Parents have made provisions. Will be based on 2 drawings. Looking too base ourselves on grazed grass system. Brother more focused on machinery/ beef enterprise. So plan would be too still be finish all dairy calves through too beef. (Currently rearing Hereford cross calves and bucket). Good margin at these but supply off quality calves from 1 farmer is problem. 44 acres off land 11miles away suiting beef cattle. This land is all paddocks and we see this as our big improvement for farm going forward

 

[TomB]

160 cows on your 100acres home block, (4/ha) and use the rest for silage , youngstock and beef. Simples.

 

[William Mellor]

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.

I am doing this, currently milking 128 doing somewhere around 6000 litres, expanding to 140 next winter hopefully, me, my brother and parents but they are near retiring age. We aren’t well off but we are pulling thro and currently looking at putting a new (well new to us) parlour, and if possible improving youngstock housing for next winter.

Also get rid of the sheep.

That I will say

^^^ this is always good, I had a bloody crop failure last year because of them! Brother thinks they are profitable but I can’t seem to change his mind but he has only only got 22 so not the end of the world.

 

[small mixed farmer]

V good. Similar situation. We are currently in a position where we need winter accommodation for our spring calving sucklers. When having too commit too investing heavily in this feel switch too dairy is Road for us. Planning on putting tank up 120 by 50. Pictured above. There is 68 cubicles in above tank. With16’ by 50’ all slatted area too accommodate suckler cows during conversion. With this tank in mind what would be best layout for parlour. Could I use passage as collecting yard?

 

[holywell farmer]

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

Good luck