Milk price drop, what are/can you do?

frazzledhome

Milk price has dropped c4c/l, perhaps it'll go more we dont know. What action are you taking to arrest to drop. Is there anything you can do from within the farm gate?

Something that struck me when reading the milk statement was how low thw average price for all the milk purchased by Glanbia. The base is 35c but the group average was 36.7c. This meand that 50% of the milk purchased in July was below this level.

Do these suppliers have something to complain about? Do you think they would be better off asking why? This difference will become more manifest as the year moves on and solids improve.

Is the problem quality or solids? What can I do about it?

I listened to two guys moaning yesterday about price drop and in the conversation they mentioned the price they got and it was just above the base. I said nothing but thought that they could control their income more than they realised, but it was nice to be able to blame someone else

Coonagh

Great idea for a thread, the number one threat to my business is price volatility. The best way to manage that risk imo is a simple system with a steady cost base I refuse to chase extra milk regardless of milk price, I see plenty of farmers feeding meal this year to chase extra production because price is high and they have quota to fill. As a result I don't think they can react quick enough to a price drop. Meal on my farm is a management tool used to fill a gap in times of a feed deficit, I won't waiver on this regardless of milk price. A resilient system capable of reacting quickly to volatility is the key.

jaymla627

Coonagh wrote: »

Great idea for a thread, the number one threat to my business is price volatility. The best way to manage that risk imo is a simple system with a steady cost base I refuse to chase extra milk regardless of milk price, I see plenty of farmers feeding meal this year to chase extra production because price is high and they have quota to fill. As a result I don't think they can react quick enough to a price drop. Meal on my farm is a management tool used to fill a gap in times of a feed deficit, I won't waiver on this regardless of milk price. A resilient system capable of reacting quickly to volatility is the key.

Stupid arguement re meal when milk is still at 35 cent and a soya hull/maize meal mix can be bought for 210 a ton bulk, all you need is a conversion rate of 1 to 1 and your still clearing 15 cent plus a litre profit on the extra milk....simple maths on a 100 cow herd saying getting 3kg of this mix will leave 315euro extra a week in your pocket not to mention the benefits of the soya hulls to the cows rumen given the fact the dm of grass is going to be dropping as we enter autumn

Markcheese

Would have thought quota planning would be a good idea... With the whole country looking like being over. Look at where you are in relation to quota, what you're planning on producing in spring. And plan your drying off date... Might seem criminal to dry off producing cows early but no point thinking about it in march/April !!

Coonagh

jaymla627 wrote: »

Stupid arguement re meal when milk is still at 35 cent and a soya hull/maize meal mix can be bought for 210 a ton bulk, all you need is a conversion rate of 1 to 1 and your still clearing 15 cent plus a litre profit on the extra milk....simple maths on a 100 cow herd saying getting 3kg of this mix will leave 315euro extra a week in your pocket not to mention the benefits of the soya hulls to the cows rumen given the fact the dm of grass is going to be dropping as we enter autumn

This is the same debate I do have with the ever decreasing number of pedigree Holstein breeders in my area. I'm just not seeing these kind of results on farms, and when you do attend these farms for a DG meeting you can never get a profit monitor off of them.

whelan2

Coonagh wrote: »

Great idea for a thread, the number one threat to my business is price volatility. The best way to manage that risk imo is a simple system with a steady cost base I refuse to chase extra milk regardless of milk price, I see plenty of farmers feeding meal this year to chase extra production because price is high and they have quota to fill. As a result I don't think they can react quick enough to a price drop. Meal on my farm is a management tool used to fill a gap in times of a feed deficit, I won't waiver on this regardless of milk price. A resilient system capable of reacting quickly to volatility is the key.

there are still people who order feed and dont know what it costs or whats in it

Greengrass1

Coonagh wrote: »

This is the same debate I do have with the ever decreasing number of pedigree Holstein breeders in my area. I'm just not seeing these kind of results on farms, and when you do attend these farms for a DG meeting you can never get a profit monitor off of them.

I would aggre with both points two bIg HO breeders beside me here and they are relying on meal too much. At a walk on one if there farm this spring and one said he tried grass measuring and it didn't work so he bought a big keenan .
But then there is the other side I have no problem with feeding meal when you are utilising grass. We feed a ton here last yr. Didn't mind as we were stocked high and had a poor spring.I hope to be around 600 from now on
But anyway that's not what this thread is about.
Advisor was telling us the other day he has a few lads that take 5c/l out of there cheque for the last few months and have put it in credit union so they have money to fall back on
But then I know a lad who said he was still 10k better off last yr and he was a lot over

stanflt

Coonagh wrote: »

This is the same debate I do have with the ever decreasing number of pedigree Holstein breeders in my area. I'm just not seeing these kind of results on farms, and when you do attend these farms for a DG meeting you can never get a profit monitor off of them.

You need to come north to see real pedigree Holsteins in action

24.7 litres
4.12 fat
3.76 p
2.15 kg meal
No buffer since 7 April
Calving interval 365

But then the other pedigree boys don't believe in what I'm doing


Output per cow will drop 12-1400 litres per cow here this year
Meal dropped from 9 to 3.5 cpl or 1.2 tonne per cow
Diesel savings of 3-4000 cause of no diet feeding

Better lifestyle during summer- priceless

mahoney_j

Coonagh wrote: »

Great idea for a thread, the number one threat to my business is price volatility. The best way to manage that risk imo is a simple system with a steady cost base I refuse to chase extra milk regardless of milk price, I see plenty of farmers feeding meal this year to chase extra production because price is high and they have quota to fill. As a result I don't think they can react quick enough to a price drop. Meal on my farm is a management tool used to fill a gap in times of a feed deficit, I won't waiver on this regardless of milk price. A resilient system capable of reacting quickly to volatility is the key.

If u have a cow that will respond to meal andvi have quota to fill its a pure no brainer to push production at current prices.by having a rigid system like u describe u are not maximising your cows potential or your profit.you have to adapt daily to what is in front of you.my volume is back 3.5% for June and July milk because I'm feeding a flat 3kg of a well balanced 14% nut to keep quota in check..my solids are slightly up on last year .id love to have fully fed to yield a 16% nut to really push cows.grass quality,fertility and cow condition has been very satisfactory .if I wanted I could of dropped another kg maby kg and a half and none of above would of been adversely affected.you need a system that can react both ways to high and low prices.no point blaming cow type etc,it's management

Greengrass1

stanflt wrote: »

You need to come north to see real pedigree Holsteins in action

24.7 litres
4.12 fat
3.76 p
2.15 kg meal
No buffer since 7 April
Calving interval 365

But then the other pedigree boys don't believe in what I'm doing


Output per cow will drop 12-1400 litres per cow here this year
Meal dropped from 9 to 3.5 cpl or 1.2 tonne per cow
Diesel savings of 3-4000 cause of no diet feeding

Better lifestyle during summer- priceless

Ah Stan you need a few xbreds in that there
19/20l here
3.94 P
4.62 fat
Kg of meal
Good figures though. Do ye think your better off financially by not buffering or more meal?

frazzledhome

No suggestions as of yet, only the usual bickering

Can any of ye suggest a way to shave 1-2c off your costs or increase your milk price.

The meal feeding one is more to do with SR than anything else. Low 2-2.25 feed 300 kg higher 3.2+ your looking at a tonne with 14 tonne of grass

Greengrass1

frazzledhome wrote: »

No suggestions as of yet, only the usual bickering

Can any of ye suggest a way to shave 1-2c off your costs or increase your milk price.

The meal feeding one is more to do with SR than anything else. Low 2-2.25 feed 300 kg higher 3.2+ your looking at a tonne with 14 tonne of grass

Reducing meal will be easiest way to reduce costs if you haven't don't that yet. We have here
Fed 450kgs to date.
I plan to feed whole milk instead if milk replacer which is a big cost imo

einn32

Increase solids and yield. Grow better and more grass. Increase soil fertility. Increase my knowledge on grass amd cow management. Study my accounts every quarter. We are losing out on income that is there to be had. Failing that get a another job!!

mf240

Might only go on two foreign holidays. and the bently might have to go back.!!

frazzledhome

einn32 wrote: »

Increase solids and yield. Grow better and more grass. Increase soil fertility. Increase my knowledge on grass amd cow management. Study my accounts every quarter. We are losing out on income that is there to be had. Failing that get a another job!!

Now were going places, how much of the drop will you arrest?
Another question, should you not be doing this anyway?
I someone is where you're talking about, what steps are available?

loveta

frazzledhome wrote: »

No suggestions as of yet, only the usual bickering

Can any of ye suggest a way to shave 1-2c off your costs or increase your milk price.

The meal feeding one is more to do with SR than anything else. Low 2-2.25 feed 300 kg higher 3.2+ your looking at a tonne with 14 tonne of grass

Every ones farm is different, the best place to start is the profit monitor but guys like your self who i assume is at the top of your game 2c/lt is no small order but this hopefully will be a very educational thread if it does not end up in the usual bragging/slagging match that normally takes place.:rolleyes:

RightTurnClyde

-purchased 70klitres last exchange @ 14c/l. So won't have super levy worries here ( 0.9 cent)
-carrying 55% replacements here this year. Once they join the herd in Spring there'll be no capex until milk price improves.( 1.8cent)
-bulling heifers to be contract reared next year. This will reduce SR from 3.2 to 2.7 next year(0 cent)
-SR of 2.7 will mean I can go down to 400kgs/cow, but can step on the gas if milk price doesn't go too low (<30c) or if meal price comes down to match milk price ( 0.8c -1.9c depending on milk and meal price)
-all capex done over the last number of years will be paid for by year end( 1.5c)
-place set up for 50% herd increase, all roadways, paddocks, reseeding, cubicles, parlour, tank etc done, so into maintaince mode next year(0.4 c)
- had planned some work out of cash flow on calving shed and calf shed, tidying up jobs really, but they can wait, and the money put aside until we see where things are going.

Savings should be 3.9-5c. But increase in milk priduction by 40% without any increase in fixed costs.
That's the plan anyway, would find it very hard to spend money on a decreasing/uncertain market

Deepsouthwest

einn32 wrote: »

Increase solids and yield. Grow better and more grass. Increase soil fertility. Increase my knowledge on grass amd cow management. Study my accounts every quarter. We are losing out on income that is there to be had. Failing that get a another job!!

That sounds more like a 5 yr plan to me. If we're talking about managing the rest of this quota yr with a lower milk price, then those of us looking at a super levy are probably already on low budget production. We shouldn't get carried away with cutting all costs between here and the end of the yr, a lot of people will be looking at a hefty tax bill after the yr we've had and will have to find that money in 14 mths time. For now I'm planning on building a big reserve of winter feed(should be v good value this yr with the amount of fodder made) and maybe forward buying some of nxt yrs fert. It's nxt yr I'm focusing on, could be a full yrs production on a poor price.

whelan2

Deepsouthwest wrote: »

That sounds more like a 5 yr plan to me. If we're talking about managing the rest of this quota yr with a lower milk price, then those of us looking at a super levy are probably already on low budget production. We shouldn't get carried away with cutting all costs between here and the end of the yr, a lot of people will be looking at a hefty tax bill after the yr we've had and will have to find that money in 14 mths time. For now I'm planning on building a big reserve of winter feed(should be v good value this yr with the amount of fodder made) and maybe forward buying some of nxt yrs fert. It's nxt yr I'm focusing on, could be a full yrs production on a poor price.

on next years tax bill, you can pay monthly by dd towards it, eases the pain a bit

Deepsouthwest

whelan2 wrote: »

on next years tax bill, you can pay monthly by dd towards it, eases the pain a bit

I prefer to pay the tax man on the v last day every yr. Why would I pay any earlier when I could use the money myself in the meantime and hopefully get a return on it.

whelan2

Deepsouthwest wrote: »

I prefer to pay the tax man on the v last day every yr. Why would I pay any earlier when I could use the money myself in the meantime and hopefully get a return on it.

saves scrambling at the last minute, works well for me

Deepsouthwest

whelan2 wrote: »

saves scrambling at the last minute, works well for me

€1000 to tax man now = €1000 gone. €1000 spent on fertiliser now = 2.5tonne of Richland. Spread @ 1.5bags/acre = 33 acres of grass. 33 acres = 13.4ha at cover of 1600 will feed 100 cows for 13 days. Producing 18L/cow@35c/L= €8190. I know it's not as simple as this but u get my drift. Spending it on ur farm and hopefully getting a return on it, gives u a bit more money to play. And yes before u say it a bigger tax problem!

whelan2

Deepsouthwest wrote: »

€1000 to tax man now = €1000 gone. €1000 spent on fertiliser now = 2.5tonne of Richland. Spread @ 1.5bags/acre = 33 acres of grass. 33 acres = 13.4ha at cover of 1600 will feed 100 cows for 13 days. Producing 18L/cow@35c/L= €8190. I know it's not as simple as this but u get my drift. Spending it on ur farm and hopefully getting a return on it, gives u a bit more money to play. And yes before u say it a bigger tax problem!

yes i see your point

trixi2011

A few I have seen over the last few years mostly on ruthless corporate farms in NZ
Spread only n fertilizer no compound , reassess if milk price increases
Rear only viable and correct number of replacements for herd size
Reduce staffing levels and halt wage increases
Make all staff take holidays so they don't have to be payed out
Only ai for 4 weeks and no intervention
Use only tail paint ie no expensive k mars scratch cards
No capital expenditure
Reduce the liner changes from 3 to 2 times a year (madness)
Split herds by condition score so feed isn't being wasted on fat cows
Cull empty and voluntary culls before autumn and winter supplementary feeding
Use milk recording records to identify cows with low scc and don't drycow tube them only teat seal
Bulls used on heifers no ai

mf240

Would we not be better of trying to save up some money in the good years to use as a buffer in bad years.

Secondly should we not be trying to keep a handle on costs in good years aswell and not just taking firebrigade measures in bad years.?

Milked out

Labour costs may have to be looked at in the short term either by putting staff on less hours or reducing one's own wage. Of course if reducing hours of employees your own workload would increase also.
Feeding bales instead of ration to keep cows fed in times of a feed deficit or feeding a straight forward 2 or 3 way mix instead of a more expensive nut.
The bare essentials with regard to improvements to be carried out.
Remove all culls as early as possible no passengers.
A bank of feed would need to be provided for in the previous year along with enough cash built up to help meet repayments.
Everything else such as grass management early turnout breeding should be targeted every year really

Milked out

One other issue is if the price drop coincides with poor year weather wise where extra feeding is required, makes it difficult to make savings then

frazzledhome

trixi2011 wrote: »

A few I have seen over the last few years mostly on ruthless corporate farms in NZ
Spread only n fertilizer no compound , reassess if milk price increases
Rear only viable and correct number of replacements for herd size
Reduce staffing levels and halt wage increases
Make all staff take holidays so they don't have to be payed out
Only ai for 4 weeks and no intervention
Use only tail paint ie no expensive k mars scratch cards
No capital expenditure
Reduce the liner changes from 3 to 2 times a year (madness)
Split herds by condition score so feed isn't being wasted on fat cows
Cull empty and voluntary culls before autumn and winter supplementary feeding
Use milk recording records to identify cows with low scc and don't drycow tube them only teat seal
Bulls used on heifers no ai

I was waiting to give my list, you've done it, well a lot on there. I must be ruthless.

We are cutting
Wage bill
P&K
No capex all done. Cubicles going in, deal done so will continue
No passenger animals
No money for quota
Renegotiating 2 leases

keep going

Ah lads ye are over compliating it, take kevin myers advice in the times yesterday and buy a combine and sell it when you need the money , simple.he should know he's smart and intellectual .

rangler1

keep going wrote: »

Ah lads ye are over compliating it, take kevin myers advice in the times yesterday and buy a combine and sell it when you need the money , simple.he should know he's smart and intellectual .

He gave us some slating.......at least he admires our lobby organisation

keep going

frazzledhome wrote: »

I was waiting to give my list, you've done it, well a lot on there. I must be ruthless.

We are cutting
Wage bill
P&K
No capex all done. Cubicles going in, deal done so will continue
No passenger animals
No money for quota
Renegotiating 2 leases

It would be along similar lines but it all depends on how bad things get.decision s will also be based on factors like cull/calf price , ration/fert price.loans would also be looked at in terms of going interest only

RightTurnClyde

frazzledhome wrote: »

I was waiting to give my list, you've done it, well a lot on there. I must be ruthless.

We are cutting
Wage bill
P&K
No capex all done. Cubicles going in, deal done so will continue
No passenger animals
No money for quota
Renegotiating 2 leases

Tut tut, penny wise pound foolish, you'll want that P&k when milk hits 40c.
( all the rest bang on)

Milked out

How willing are banks going to be to go interest only or work otherwise with us in the near future do ye reckon?

Greengrass1

frazzledhome wrote: »

I was waiting to give my list, you've done it, well a lot on there. I must be ruthless.

We are cutting
Wage bill
P&K
No capex all done. Cubicles going in, deal done so will continue
No passenger animals
No money for quota
Renegotiating 2 leases

What do you mean when you say renegotiate leases.
Ye can tell to f off if ye like

stretch film

frazzledhome wrote: »

I was waiting to give my list, you've done it, well a lot on there. I must be ruthless.

We are cutting
Wage bill
P&K
No capex all done. Cubicles going in, deal done so will continue
No passenger animals
No money for quota
Renegotiating 2 leases

Will cutting wage bill be at the expense of your own work life balance?

Are the 2 leases long term and have u some indexation with milk price .sorry if that raises a smile with people .have never leased . Id say if u were on a short term lease u might get a hearing . Otherwise hard to see it .

frazzledhome

stretch film wrote: »

Will cutting wage bill be at the expense of your own work life balance?

Are the 2 leases long term and have u some indexation with milk price .sorry if that raises a smile with people .have never leased . Id say if u were on a short term lease u might get a hearing . Otherwise hard to see it .

First answer, yes but profit needs to be maintained

frazzledhome

RightTurnClyde wrote: »

Tut tut, penny wise pound foolish, you'll want that P&k when milk hits 40c.
( all the rest bang on)

Sorry to clarify, target low index cow ground, leased land can whistle unless landlord wants to pony up

Soil samples in Jan will tell a lot. A lot of capital invested over the last few years

RightTurnClyde

frazzledhome wrote: »

Sorry to clarify, target low index cow ground, leased land can whistle unless landlord wants to pony up

Thought it would be something like that, had a feeling you wouldn't be short sighted.

mahoney_j

My plan
Soil test farm in jan and act on results ,index 3 and 4 will get slurry only ,index 1 and 2 normal treatment with 18 6 12 product of choice in late spring

No reseeding next year .have reseeded heavily over last few years albeit with great results

All freisan bulls bar a select few hitting the road a.s.a .p after birth.

All cows currently been gene tested ,will only use fr ai on the highest ebi cows next year for 6 weeks,Hereford stock bull gets everything else .all heifers on sync programme for one round of ai then bull

Am committed to building 80 outside cubicles and a new silage slab.financial ground work nearly complete so going to plough on .need the space for extra cows and heifers regardless

Tractor hp up next march was going to change again now parked.

Will readjust if milk price settles

Feckthis

keep going wrote: »

It would be along similar lines but it all depends on how bad things get.decision s will also be based on factors like cull/calf price , ration/fert price.loans would also be looked at in terms of going interest only

Why would you go interest only on loans sure you will never get them paid off then.

einn32

frazzledhome wrote: »

Now were going places, how much of the drop will you arrest?
Another question, should you not be doing this anyway?
I someone is where you're talking about, what steps are available?

Honest answer is I don't know. I haven't done any sums yet. I based my thinking on the income we could have brought in but didn't. The top performers statistics.

Yes I should be doing it anyway.

In the short term get rid of any animals that are hanging on, no capital expenditure and no unnecessary spending. Go to war on outstanding debt before year end.

Don't understand the last question!

I might get some work with a neighbour during the winter to supplement income.

keep going

Feckthis wrote: »

Why would you go interest only on loans sure you will never get them paid off then.

If you havent got the money to pay you aint got the money to pay, it would only be if milk price was on the floor.it was a bank that is trying to get me to borrow money from them suggested that is an option in their eyes

Brown Podzol

A good manager doesn't get up in the morning the day after the milk price has dropped and say I am going to cut costs today, he does it naturally every day. In a purchasing group here already, worth about a 1c/l. Meeting all the quality standards in DG worth .5 c/l including the SDAS. Filling the yards with silage coming in at €100 per ton DM. Will have 1.5 ton per cow in reserve, would have cost me €225 per ton to produce myself, tax efficient way of creating the €250 reserve talked about during the grassland walk. Farming in a co. to protect from tax. Reduced tax bill should be worth 3 c/l I expect. Have an idea for a few investments to protect and balance income during fluctuations mainly based around the fact that the main users of dairy product should see their profits increase during low milk price. Thanks frazzle for starting a very useful thread.

freedominacup

As a group we should be cutting output. Meal and fert have to be used in early part of the year to put winter forage in place and during breeding season to ensure cows go in calf an stay in calf but from August on absolute min inputs and early dry off. It's expensive to keep cows milking on into the backend, often a significant quantity of meal fed to chase high solid milk on Oct/Nov, don't do it and try to leave some of these traders who are short selling butter/skim short of product to meet their contracts later in the year. Nothing cures low prices faster than low prices. We need to send out a message to processors and their customers that 35 cent is the new floor below which they have no guarantee of supply. We can make money at that level but only by taking an axe to inputs.

Our product is being sold as high spec, low emmission and excellent quality from solids to disease/hygiene, that costs and our competitors can't supply it. They fall down on some point whether it be animal welfare, enviromental controls, animal remedies or co2 emmissions. This is one of only a couple of places worldwide that ticks all these boxes. If you're producing manufacturing cheddar destined for pizza topping and other fast food/processing applications then the back story of wonderful this and green that is irrelevant but if you are producing baby formula or other childhood nutritional products then this back story is suddenly very important and being able to guarantee where and how the milk for this product is being produced is vital.

This talk of milk trading auctions while not irrelevant should not be having the same direct effect on us that it does unless we've been sold a pup by our co-ops about the markets they have been developing.

frazzledhome

freedominacup wrote: »

As a group we should be cutting output. Meal and fert have to be used in early part of the year to put winter forage in place and during breeding season to ensure cows go in calf an stay in calf but from August on absolute min inputs and early dry off. It's expensive to keep cows milking on into the backend, often a significant quantity of meal fed to chase high solid milk on Oct/Nov, don't do it and try to leave some of these traders who are short selling butter/skim short of product to meet their contracts later in the year. Nothing cures low prices faster than low prices. We need to send out a message to processors and their customers that 35 cent is the new floor below which they have no guarantee of supply. We can make money at that level but only by taking an axe to inputs.

Our product is being sold as high spec, low emmission and excellent quality from solids to disease/hygiene, that costs and our competitors can't supply it. They fall down on some point whether it be animal welfare, enviromental controls, animal remedies or co2 emmissions. This is one of only a couple of places worldwide that ticks all these boxes. If you're producing manufacturing cheddar destined for pizza topping and other fast food/processing applications then the back story of wonderful this and green that is irrelevant but if you are producing baby formula or other childhood nutritional products then this back story is suddenly very important and being able to guarantee where and how the milk for this product is being produced is vital.

This talk of milk trading auctions while not irrelevant should not be having the same direct effect on us that it does unless we've been sold a pup by our co-ops about the markets they have been developing.

Really well put.

Traders don't give 2 phucks where they source their product and the consumer cares even less, an unfortunate reality. They do for the high end products but that's where it stops

People drone on about traceability of food, its price the housewife looks at first.

stretch film

frazzledhome wrote: »

Really well put.

Traders don't give 2 phucks where they source their product and the consumer cares even less, an unfortunate reality. They do for the high end products but that's where it stops

People drone on about traceability of food, its price the housewife looks at first.

Note the fuss tesco made over nomad beef lately . Not a word over nomad milk earlier in year. We have to meet the standards in the face of these double standards

frazzledhome

stretch film wrote: »

Note the fuss tesco made over nomad beef lately . Not a word over nomad milk earlier in year. We have to meet the standards in the face of these double standards

I totally agree with Free it just as you say the buyers only care when its expensive

whelan2

frazzledhome wrote: »

I was waiting to give my list, you've done it, well a lot on there. I must be ruthless.

We are cutting
Wage bill
P&K
No capex all done. Cubicles going in, deal done so will continue
No passenger animals
No money for quota
Renegotiating 2 leases

ha, i have lived very tightly fr the last 2 years, just coming out of it now and going back into it again with lower milk price. Got rid of hired labour, i work extra hours at weekends etc. No passenger animals, food on table and electricity come first every month. Make sure to have a few hours away from farm every week. Price around for everything . Let any person you owe money to what the story is. Have a few quid put away for emergencies.

Dawggone

whelan2 wrote: »

ha, i have lived very tightly fr the last 2 years, just coming out of it now and going back into it again with lower milk price. Got rid of hired labour, i work extra hours at weekends etc. No passenger animals, food on table and electricity come first every month. Make sure to have a few hours away from farm every week. Price around for everything . Let any person you owe money to what the story is. Have a few quid put away for emergencies.

Excellent.
Wouldn't agree with getting rid of hired labour at all though.
Firstly how can you have a strong dedicated staff if they know they are fired at the first sign of a downturn?

Secondly if staff are worth having - they are making you more efficient and productive. I've often been thinking whilst planting or harvesting how I could run the business much better in the office iykwim.

whelan2

Dawggone wrote: »

Excellent.
Wouldn't agree with getting rid of hired labour at all though.
Firstly how can you have a strong dedicated staff if they know they are fired at the first sign of a downturn?

Secondly if staff are worth having - they are making you more efficient and productive. I've often been thinking whilst planting or harvesting how I could run the business much better in the office iykwim.

lad i had wasnt suitable for what i wanted- was here a few years-was on a 3 day week. I now have 2 lads that i can trust to do relief milkig, 1 will do afew hours if i need him. Also kids are getting older , youngest will be at school til 3 from next week so more time for me to get things done. Have my oh and my dad in cases of emergency

Dawggone

whelan2 wrote: »

lad i had wasnt suitable for what i wanted- was here a few years-was on a 3 day week. I now have 2 lads that i can trust to do relief milkig, 1 will do afew hours if i need him. Also kids are getting older , youngest will be at school til 3 from next week so more time for me to get things done. Have my oh and my dad in cases of emergency

You are nicely set up there in fairness.