Headless chicken
Member
- Location
- West Wales
Agreed lots of crap but it’s the seeking of improvement that by and large puts you into that group. Still a huge range in the top 25% too.
What to do when the cows are gone
- Thread starter Jdunn55
- Start date
@Jdunn55 As a new tenant as well, I know how hard it can be going into a new farm getting a new system up and running (albeit not dairy) and it seems like we have been luckier with our landlord than you have, although still have a shed which we are unable to use.
my advice would be get the cows out and get some milk off of grass which should be more profitable than litres milked over the winter. Sell your calves at market as soon as you can to save the stress and workload of rearing.
This winter has been bloody horrible and the constant rain has been a big drag and a big decision like this needs making in the cold light of day and you have gotten over your partners illness.
my advice would be get the cows out and get some milk off of grass which should be more profitable than litres milked over the winter. Sell your calves at market as soon as you can to save the stress and workload of rearing.
This winter has been bloody horrible and the constant rain has been a big drag and a big decision like this needs making in the cold light of day and you have gotten over your partners illness.
- Location
- Northumberland
Having read your posts over the last few months you are clearly a cow nut ( thats a complement ) so 1st thought you need to keep cows.
However your post #29 above you need to be out of there ASAP. Milking cows is hard enough without working in shite facilities that are going to have RT & EA putting constant pressure on you.
What to do ? What about leasing your cows to another dairy farm & you rear their youngstock.
Not sure how the economics of that work out.
As said above plenty of farms looking for a decent herdsman
good luck finding a solution
However your post #29 above you need to be out of there ASAP. Milking cows is hard enough without working in shite facilities that are going to have RT & EA putting constant pressure on you.
What to do ? What about leasing your cows to another dairy farm & you rear their youngstock.
Not sure how the economics of that work out.
As said above plenty of farms looking for a decent herdsman
good luck finding a solution
- Location
- East Sussex
stayed quiet until this post. I bailed on milking when it got to the stage pits needed rebuilding to spec and slurry storage needed upgrading And the milk price was in the 20p range. Switched to beef cattle which isn't more profitable but is easier whilst we still have the machinery/infrastructure from the dairy days.
kit will need replacing soon and the beefers won't pay for it in all honesty.
I'd plan for changing career or milking someone else's animals. Not what you wanted to hear I guess but try and look at it as a new challenge in life. Come back to cows later
TheRanger
Member
- Location
- SW Scotland
Unsure how Red Tractor can condemn a cubicle shed, can it be any worse than those who use outdoor cubicles? Unsure why that's got anything to do with them.
- Location
- Wiltshire
To quote one of the previous posts a chap i know is a “cow nut” still heavily into genetics etc. He eventually managed to get a tenancy and as a dairy was not possible on the farm he went down the pedigree beef route. Now does very well selling breeding bulls.
I’m not saying that’s the solution but perhaps a look from a different perspective will help @Jdunn55.
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I’m not saying that’s the solution but perhaps a look from a different perspective will help @Jdunn55.
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frederick
Member
- Location
- south west
So first of all you've not failed your just planning on closing a chapter.
If your partner is the one for you life and family is far more important than owning cows and driving yourself into the ground and not having the time together you should.
@Dead Rabbits has it dead right. What next is one of the few issues you really don't need to worry about now.
Weather will improve and that will allow you to concentrate on how to exit the best.
When you have exited you are going to need to take a bit of time to yourself to recover maybe only a week or two but you will need it.
Perhaps travelling big style won't work but maybe six weeks somewhere sunny working in a bar or backpacking.
Then make plans. Shelf stacking will allow you to keep your head above water whilst you still think.
I can totally understand why you might not want to milk another cow especially whilst your thinking about loosing yours but that might change.
They now say most people could end up having five careers before they retire so you've got four more to look forwards to.
Money is the reason this is having to come to an end not your skills or ability.
Where are you with TB and when is the next test due. If you are clear I would be considering how you can sell some of your high value cows sooner rather than later.
A herd test that allows you to sell the bottom 25% but actually stops you selling anything would be a disaster. Sell the top few quick. Then sell the top 25% each on pre movement tests to minimise the risk.
Best of luck. I think you've just done the most difficult bit and things will now get better.
Somebody with your skills passion and commitment has huge opportunities for the future.
If your partner is the one for you life and family is far more important than owning cows and driving yourself into the ground and not having the time together you should.
@Dead Rabbits has it dead right. What next is one of the few issues you really don't need to worry about now.
Weather will improve and that will allow you to concentrate on how to exit the best.
When you have exited you are going to need to take a bit of time to yourself to recover maybe only a week or two but you will need it.
Perhaps travelling big style won't work but maybe six weeks somewhere sunny working in a bar or backpacking.
Then make plans. Shelf stacking will allow you to keep your head above water whilst you still think.
I can totally understand why you might not want to milk another cow especially whilst your thinking about loosing yours but that might change.
They now say most people could end up having five careers before they retire so you've got four more to look forwards to.
Money is the reason this is having to come to an end not your skills or ability.
Where are you with TB and when is the next test due. If you are clear I would be considering how you can sell some of your high value cows sooner rather than later.
A herd test that allows you to sell the bottom 25% but actually stops you selling anything would be a disaster. Sell the top few quick. Then sell the top 25% each on pre movement tests to minimise the risk.
Best of luck. I think you've just done the most difficult bit and things will now get better.
Somebody with your skills passion and commitment has huge opportunities for the future.
happycows
Member
- Location
- North Devon Cornwall border
Milk quotas and buildings made of forestry poles and second hand galvanised iron meant the cows went here when I was in my early twenties.
Dad told me I’d never milk cows again once they were gone.
12 years of hard graft and learning my trade on someone else’s cows I did get back into it and and none of it’s easy, I’ve made some wrong choices but even if you get out now never say never.
In all honesty sometimes I do wonder if it was all worth the blood sweat and tears but all of it was my choice and I’ve got something to be proud of here now.
Lots of good advice given and I think I can speak for most on here.
We are all wishing you well.
Dad told me I’d never milk cows again once they were gone.
12 years of hard graft and learning my trade on someone else’s cows I did get back into it and and none of it’s easy, I’ve made some wrong choices but even if you get out now never say never.
In all honesty sometimes I do wonder if it was all worth the blood sweat and tears but all of it was my choice and I’ve got something to be proud of here now.
Lots of good advice given and I think I can speak for most on here.
We are all wishing you well.
Buy sheep
Tirglas
Member
- Location
- West wales
Remember JD the night is darkest just before dawn
Happy at it
Member
- Location
- NI
I'm sorry to read that your thinking this way. If you do choose to sell, don't give it a second thought and keep looking forward. There is absolutely no shame in selling out.
Your posts have always gained a good response, I think partly because the people on here (definitely myself anyway) have seen elements of themselves and the decision/mistakes they have made in the past in the way you have approached things. Is there no way you can take things at a slower pace and work to find a way to continue in dairying in some role, if it was your only interest?
Your posts have always gained a good response, I think partly because the people on here (definitely myself anyway) have seen elements of themselves and the decision/mistakes they have made in the past in the way you have approached things. Is there no way you can take things at a slower pace and work to find a way to continue in dairying in some role, if it was your only interest?
- Location
- somerset
l was forced to sell the cows in 99, health and quota finished it off. Health made the decision easier, there wasn't a choice really.
and swore l would never milk another cow, ever. But, 8 yrs later, son wanted to have another go, so very happily backed him, and enjoyed milking again.
but the decision to stop, was one of the hardest l have made, felt a complete failure. lt was also one of the best, and wisest. If l had carried on, l would probably/would have ended up in a wheelchair. But the 'break' allowed recovery, so the decision was correct.
you really need to have a heart to heart, with yourself. Others can influence your thoughts, but you have to make the decision by yourself.
when you are at the bottom, there's only one way to go, up. So, look at all options, don't write anything off, act in haste, repent at leisure. Things usually sort themselves out.
and NEVER underrate yourself, one only needs to look at what you have achieved, age 23 ! The world is shouting out for young people, with a work effort like yours.
l wish you the very best, and hope you can retain at least some of your cows, you deserve to
and swore l would never milk another cow, ever. But, 8 yrs later, son wanted to have another go, so very happily backed him, and enjoyed milking again.
but the decision to stop, was one of the hardest l have made, felt a complete failure. lt was also one of the best, and wisest. If l had carried on, l would probably/would have ended up in a wheelchair. But the 'break' allowed recovery, so the decision was correct.
you really need to have a heart to heart, with yourself. Others can influence your thoughts, but you have to make the decision by yourself.
when you are at the bottom, there's only one way to go, up. So, look at all options, don't write anything off, act in haste, repent at leisure. Things usually sort themselves out.
and NEVER underrate yourself, one only needs to look at what you have achieved, age 23 ! The world is shouting out for young people, with a work effort like yours.
l wish you the very best, and hope you can retain at least some of your cows, you deserve to
- Location
- Lincolnshire
After being self employed for 20+ years, with no references etc and aged 40, I thought I had exactly nothing that would be in demand; or that I could "prove"; and a CV that looked like crap. Was exactly the opposite actually.
Employers are falling over piles of disinterested staff who don't turn up on time and spend 1/3 of their time on phones , 1/3 breaking things, 1/6 eating ginsters and 1/6 tossing it off.
You'll find anyone who takes a degree of pride in doing a good job, no matter what that job is, will be saught after.
I don't know the story about the cows, but you're lucky enough to live in a country where, even if it all goes to sh!t, the state will at least step in to help you. Even if it's not champagne at the Ritz.
The best of us learn from our failures. Selling up is never final. But it does give you breathing room to come up with a new plan of attack.
Hopefully you'll be in a position to sell your cows and move on. I didn't have that chance as mine went straight to the abattoir because of TB.
There have been red flags throughout this that haven't been listened to - same as with me. You'll look back in time and wonder why you didn't listen and why you chose not to see what was in front of you. But it's hard when you've been going backwards and forwards so often you've dug your own trench and cant see out of it.
Selling the cows and walking away will be hard but sometimes in life you have to draw a line and move on and I think this is that time.
It'll hurt and it wont be easy. But you will find a new path. I went 12 months of not eating properly, drinking far too much, erratic sleeping pattern and just not respecting myself.
Then i was offered a job which I accepted. Turning a tanker around takes forever and I struggled in first gear for ages. Then 2nd. Then 3rd and snatching into 4th and before you realise you're flying again.
I eventually managed to clear all the stock from my place and honestly it was massive weight off my shoulders. I cannot tell you the relief when the last animal left the farm. Without them there I was finally able to take care of myself...
...it last 12 months before I came home with some Blue calves from market. Then I bought a trailer load not long after. Then some stores. I'll be buying more calves again soon.
Everyone has a different path and we walk them at different speeds. Just because you have to change course doesn't mean the journey is over.
There have been red flags throughout this that haven't been listened to - same as with me. You'll look back in time and wonder why you didn't listen and why you chose not to see what was in front of you. But it's hard when you've been going backwards and forwards so often you've dug your own trench and cant see out of it.
Selling the cows and walking away will be hard but sometimes in life you have to draw a line and move on and I think this is that time.
It'll hurt and it wont be easy. But you will find a new path. I went 12 months of not eating properly, drinking far too much, erratic sleeping pattern and just not respecting myself.
Then i was offered a job which I accepted. Turning a tanker around takes forever and I struggled in first gear for ages. Then 2nd. Then 3rd and snatching into 4th and before you realise you're flying again.
I eventually managed to clear all the stock from my place and honestly it was massive weight off my shoulders. I cannot tell you the relief when the last animal left the farm. Without them there I was finally able to take care of myself...
...it last 12 months before I came home with some Blue calves from market. Then I bought a trailer load not long after. Then some stores. I'll be buying more calves again soon.
Everyone has a different path and we walk them at different speeds. Just because you have to change course doesn't mean the journey is over.
- Location
- Devon
You have been in my thoughts, and I expect in that of many others.
I wish you well and have every expectation that you will ultimately be very sucessful.
I wish I had wise advice, but I don't. So I've just nicked these few lines;
"Don't feel guilty if you don't know what you want to do with your
Life.
The most interesting people I know didn't know at 22 what they wanted to do with their lives, some of the most interesting 40 year olds I know still don't."
"Whatever you do, don't Congratulate yourself too much or berate yourself either.
Your choices are half chance, so are everybody else's."
I wish you well and have every expectation that you will ultimately be very sucessful.
I wish I had wise advice, but I don't. So I've just nicked these few lines;
"Don't feel guilty if you don't know what you want to do with your
Life.
The most interesting people I know didn't know at 22 what they wanted to do with their lives, some of the most interesting 40 year olds I know still don't."
"Whatever you do, don't Congratulate yourself too much or berate yourself either.
Your choices are half chance, so are everybody else's."
FonterraFarmer
Member
- Location
- Waikato, New Zealand
Travel!!! Try to get to Canada,Australia and New Zealand, plenty of opportunities to work in the dairy industry, meet different like minded people, gain new experiences.!!!
Without a doubt, there are far worse mantras for life. @Jdunn55 , as others have said, don't beat yourself up to much. An old cliche, I know, but I have always found that when one door closes, genuinely another one opens. The important bit is to make a decision and focus on making that decision happen. Best of luck.
alomy75
Member
Reading this I thought you were retirement age until you said you were 23! If it’s what you want to do just keep doing it; maybe diversify-cheese, other milk products etc? But if you do pack it up make sure you get back to uni. You would be the perfect age and fit right in. There was a chap in his 40’s on our degree course; plus a girl in her 30’s. It will open up jobs you didn’t know existed-there’s a lot of ‘farm’ jobs other than being a farmer and if you’re on here asking; I’m guessing you want to be involved in agriculture somehow