Dairy Chit Chat- Please read Mod note in post #1

whelan2

Milked out wrote: »

Will u take on part time labour kev? Similar no's here but will have to sort labour next year

think 130 would be max, simialr numbers here too and was wrecked at calving time, then hadnt time for a breather when breeding started

kevthegaff

I find it hectic, bro milking 200 with a 1 worker and has a way better lifestyle! Im saying what number of cows is achievable with 1 labour unit?

mahoney_j

Will reach 120 max here within 2 years .plannis just myself ,relief Milker to do at least Sunday evenings from May on and a local student on a Saturday during spring to clean and disinfect calf/calving pens etc.more and more slurry and fertliser spreading to be contracted out also .facalities around yard will be pretty good though as regards parlour ,cubicles calf rearing etc but it all cost money .still I'd prefer spend it there than rely on more labour

Deepsouthwest

kevthegaff wrote: »

I find it hectic, bro milking 200 with a 1 worker and has a way better lifestyle! Im saying what number of cows is achievable with 1 labour unit?

I'm always wondering what number of cows is necessary to employ a full time/near full time man, so I can have a better lifestyle and enjoy my kids when they're young

frazzledhome

Deepsouthwest wrote: »

I'm always wondering what number of cows is necessary to employ a full time/near full time man, so I can have a better lifestyle and enjoy my kids when they're young

40-45 cows to employ a full time person

frazzledhome

kevthegaff wrote: »

How many cows per labour unit frazz? Milking 120 on my own, need a bigger machine but hope to 130+ nxt year.

Between all about 140 cows per labour unit. One guy does all herding daily and calves rarely milks. We have a guy that only milks 12 milkings per week but doesn't do anything else, we collect and return cows morning and evening

That's different than 1 person looking after 140 on their own iykwim

We are well set up so extra cows don't necessarily mean another labour unit. We could add 100 more without any more.

Wildsurfer

frazzledhome wrote: »

Between all about 140 cows per labour unit. One guy does all herding daily and calves rarely milks. We have a guy that only milks 12 milkings per week but doesn't do anything else, we collect and return cows morning and evening

That's different than 1 person looking after 140 on their own iykwim

We are well set up so extra cows don't necessarily mean another labour unit. We could add 100 more without any more.

So just wondering like.... How many labour units do you have presently....

frazzledhome

Wildsurfer wrote: »

So just wondering like.... How many labour units do you have presently....

Lol, asking the same question a different way

blackdog1

mahoney_j wrote: »

Will reach 120 max here within 2 years .plannis just myself ,relief Milker to do at least Sunday evenings from May on and a local student on a Saturday during spring to clean and disinfect calf/calving pens etc.more and more slurry and fertliser spreading to be contracted out also .facalities around yard will be pretty good though as regards parlour ,cubicles calf rearing etc but it all cost money .still I'd prefer spend it there than rely on more labour

I'm planning the same but as you said it takes years to get the facilities in place. Think I'll milk 100 though until I add a few more units in the parlour

kevthegaff

Milked out wrote: »

Will u take on part time labour kev? Similar no's here but will have to sort labour next year

Im sort of goosed cos i cant sub contract slurry, too high! Ya prob for 10 weeks during springbut a farmhand that time of the year is an elusive creature!

mahoney_j

kevthegaff wrote: »

Im sort of goosed cos i cant sub contract slurry, too high! Ya prob for 10 weeks during springbut a farmhand that time of the year is an elusive creature!

Did us try gurteen Kev??.lots of students lodge there at weekends and would be glad of work for beer mobey during the week !!.agree though very hard get someone good just to work with u for 10/12 weeks through spring

mahoney_j

Deepsouthwest wrote: »

I'm always wondering what number of cows is necessary to employ a full time/near full time man, so I can have a better lifestyle and enjoy my kids when they're young

I reckon you'd proably want to be hitting 170/200 to justify a full time labour unit dsw .kids don't be long growing up ,be a hoore to watch it all from the parlour/farm and regret not spending more time with them once they get older

yosemitesam1

frazzledhome wrote: »

Between all about 140 cows per labour unit. One guy does all herding daily and calves rarely milks. We have a guy that only milks 12 milkings per week but doesn't do anything else, we collect and return cows morning and evening

That's different than 1 person looking after 140 on their own iykwim

We are well set up so extra cows don't necessarily mean another labour unit. We could add 100 more without any more.

What counts as a labour unit? Is it 40-50hours a week

Deepsouthwest

yosemitesam1 wrote: »

What counts as a labour unit? Is it 40-50hours a week

35/40k a yr is what I'd count as labour unit, the hrs are part of the job.

Dawggone

Deepsouthwest wrote: »

35/40k a yr is what I'd count as labour unit, the hrs are part of the job.

Lol. Try explaining that here...

kevthegaff

mahoney_j wrote: »

Did us try gurteen Kev??.lots of students lodge there at weekends and would be glad of work for beer mobey during the week !!.agree though very hard get someone good just to work with u for 10/12 weeks through spring

I rang before and couldnt get anyone, any lads that have them are in the ifa or have a few buddys in the right places. Some of these y lads arent treated great either

Buford T. Justice XIX

kevthegaff wrote: »

I rang before and couldnt get anyone, any lads that have them are in the ifa or have a few buddys in the right places. Some of these y lads arent treated great either

Did you try UCD, I think the students are free from about April these days. It wouldn't suit calving but would ease pressure in April/May. A very mixed bunch, though.

Kovu will be looking for a farm to do a spot of dairying soon, though;)

blackdog1

kevthegaff wrote: »

I rang before and couldnt get anyone, any lads that have them are in the ifa or have a few buddys in the right places. Some of these y lads arent treated great either

There is a company called White in Ireland that place foreign students and it specialty is dairy farming. Might be worth a try but I think the longest they stay is 3 months.

kevthegaff

Buford T. Justice V wrote: »

Did you try UCD, I think the students are free from about April these days. It wouldn't suit calving but would ease pressure in April/May. A very mixed bunch, though.

Kovu will be looking for a farm to do a spot of dairying soon, though;)

the last time ucd sent a student, i was going out with her for a year:-). I might try again this time a male student!

White Clover

kevthegaff wrote: »

:Dthe last time ucd sent a student, i was going out with her for a year:-). I might try again this time a male student!

Are you after switching lanes kev :-D

Kovu

Buford T. Justice V wrote: »

Did you try UCD, I think the students are free from about April these days. It wouldn't suit calving but would ease pressure in April/May. A very mixed bunch, though.

Kovu will be looking for a farm to do a spot of dairying soon, though;)

I am not a morning person.....evening milking will suit me fine

whelan2

see eprizero is dearer than eprinex now

td5man

Wildsurfer wrote: »

So just wondering like.... How many labour units do you have presently....

There was 10 or 12 lads in the yard the last day I was there.

Greengrass1

td5man wrote: »

There was 10 or 12 lads in the yard the last day I was there.

Think that's just the chaps :O

td5man

Greengrass1 wrote: »

Think that's just the chaps :O

I hear they keep appearing out of the woodwork. ;-)

Milked out

Quick question there lads, what area would u need for 150 cow collecting yard?

kevthegaff

Feckin half shaft went on tractor, normally get a lad to fix it but went at it myself. Have it stripped down front axle, off to birr for parts in the morning!

RightTurnClyde

Milked out wrote: »

Quick question there lads, what area would u need for 150 cow collecting yard?

130ft by 15 ft here. That would fit about 180 (big mamas) at a push. Don't like crowding them.

simx

some incalf heifers bought in last few days and milk supply agreement sorted, wont be long and ill be adding to the dairy crisis

mf240

simx wrote: »

some incalf heifers bought in last few days and milk supply agreement sorted, wont be long and ill be adding to the dairy crisis

Best of luck