Putting together a dairy farm startup plan - where to get advice?

gcuan

In general, do people use anyone else apart from doing most of the planning themselves or with the national body?

Do farms going into dairying or expanding significantly get advice from anyone else on:

shed design
planning permission
business plan
milk buyer
dealing with the bank?

What options are out there, particularly in the south east?

keep going

gcuan wrote: »

In general, do people use anyone else apart from doing most of the planning themselves or with the national body?

Do farms going into dairying or expanding significantly get advice from anyone else on:

shed design
planning permission
business plan
milk buyer
dealing with the bank?

What options are out there, particularly in the south east?

if you need advice you shoulnt go at it.my advice is work with a good operater for 3 years and then you wont need any advice you will know what to do

leg wax

gcuan wrote: »

In general, do people use anyone else apart from doing most of the planning themselves or with the national body?

Do farms going into dairying or expanding significantly get advice from anyone else on:

shed design
planning permission
business plan
milk buyer
dealing with the bank?

What options are out there, particularly in the south east?

go to your local teagasc man or woman as a start, you dont have to take on what they say but its as good a place to start for the general advice you seem to require.

gcuan

keep going wrote: »

if you need advice you shoulnt go at it.my advice is work with a good operater for 3 years and then you wont need any advice you will know what to do

thanks, I think, but



some of the most knowledgeable people I know in dairy farming are some of the most open-minded and always looking to learn

some of the most ignorant reckon they have it sussed.

trixi2011

think grasstec would do a lot of the planning of farm yard /planning permission etc they also have advisors that may be able to help you with business plans ect.

grazeaway

keep going wrote: »

if you need advice you shoulnt go at it.my advice is work with a good operater for 3 years and then you wont need any advice you will know what to do

I'd agree with that. If you can work for a good set up while getting your own place set up it ll help you get on the road in a few years.

Neighbour of mine started milking cows for the 1st time on the home place last week. He ll have 40 this year and should have another 20 calving down next spring. Has been working on a large dairy farm for the last 2 years while getting his own place ready. His plan is to work his own place full time but do 1 milking a day at the other farm to earn a bit more and to be able to bounce ideas of the farmer there.

Coonagh

Started milking two years ago the best info, advice and guidance came from Teagasc, other farmers and a top class discussion group. In my experience the best farmers were also the ones most willing to give you their time. I would join a discussion group ASAP and stay away from salesmen. DO NOT take any advice when establishing your business from salesmen, remember there job is to remove money from your business and the vast majority are offering services and products that will negatively effect your profit margin. I'm not saying they don't have a place btw, it's just I have seen a couple of start ups this spring and some of the investments can only be described as being misguided and add nothing to the business cluster removers on 12 unit parlours, sequential baling etc.., same places usually have put no investment in grassland or grazing infrastructure. Phew that's that off my chest!!!!!

Don't buy into this craic of having to work for another farmer for three years either, do your own research and keep an open mind. I never milked a cow until I milked my own herd and it's the best thing I did because I didn't have to listen to anyone telling me you can't do that or you can't do it that way etc...

just do it

Coonagh

Had you literally never milked a cow before you started? Fair deuce.

Couldn't agree more about salesmen

Coonagh

No never milked a cow closest I got to it was looking at someone milking, didn't have a friggin clue what I was at!!!!!

gcuan

Thanks for the replies.

I have a good idea of the system, the cow the shed etc etc

Just need someone to draw it up from a red tape point of view.

Was thinking Teagasc & IFAC but just wondered if there are others out there.

Re sales men there are some serious cowboys out there. Pun intended. However the approach in general is to treat them all with the same cynicism and scepticism and as a result dismiss them immediately rather than making a logical considered assessment of their offering. Ironically this gives the cowboy with a good story or approach (and most of them have) an equal chance. Which is why I recon there are more cowboys surviving in this neck of the woods and the man with value to add can get squeezed out. Too much is based on the chit chat and who you know than the actual achievements.

- now you have me started ;-)

gcuan

Coonagh wrote: »

No never milked a cow closest I got to it was looking at someone milking, didn't have a friggin clue what I was at!!!!!

Have to love that!
I'd say in general it's no harm to milk a few times for someone at least tho' I admire you tenacity, fair play to ya!

Coonagh

Don't get me wrong re salesmen, I'll give time to anyone who is selling a product or service that is backed up by independent irish research, grass, fert and there is obviously a need for the feed rep. There's money and profit in dairy farming but the sales companies see that too.......

mahoney_j

keep going wrote: »

if you need advice you shoulnt go at it.my advice is work with a good operater for 3 years and then you wont need any advice you will know what to do

Fair statement ,we all need advice from time to time the lad that knows everything knows shag all.ive a keen interest in farming and cows for as long as I remember and would like to think I've a fair bank of knowledge built up over the years but an outside voice is always welcome as long as it ain't a pushy salesman !!.every day is a school day for me .
Definetly go and work on a few different places .ifvu can travel ,do a stint in New Zealand and a stint in an intensive hi input /output farm

keep going

Each to their own but some things can be expensive to learn yourself, in particular stockmanship, stocking rate and cash management.maybe I picked you up wrong and all you needed is someone to do the paper work but I know many people that can draw up plans but making things happen, well thats a different matter

Feckthis

Fair play to you OP. If you feel you have the knowledge and interest go for it. A stint working on a dairy farm in the spring would do you no harm. You will find out pretty quick if it suits you then.
Good luck with everything!

Tornbrook

Coonagh wrote: »

No never milked a cow closest I got to it was looking at someone milking, didn't have a friggin clue what I was at!!!!!

i admire your attitude. had you friends or family involved in dairy who could help / advise you?

gcuan

keep going wrote: »

maybe I picked you up wrong and all you needed is someone to do the paper work

Ya, I phrased the title badly.

I was just wondering if people knew of someone who is good at the red tape side of things.

Coonagh

Tornbrook wrote: »

i admire your attitude. had you friends or family involved in dairy who could help / advise you?

Friend at first offered some guidance, but the real guidance came from farmers I got to know through discussion Groups there really is no value you can place on a good progressive positive discussion group