Your aims for 2016?

whelan2

Plan to reseed more and make more use from grass
Aim to calve as many as possible outside
Take more time off
Give the eldest lad a bit more say aroud the place.
Will buy in maize or catch crop rather than growing it here.

Milked out

Doing a quick budget here of bills to go out and money coming in id say plan is to batten down the hatch and keep afloat without going into any more debt.. Other than that better time keeping, get out to more local things, etc.

Greengrass1

Grow 16t of grass
Try get 300 days at grass
Figure out what our next move is cow no wise. Stocked at 2.7 next yr but still room for more cows at home.
Do a budget for 16 soon as Christmas is over to see how 16 will look for us.

Change my car, and take more time off I've been too stuck in work mode the last 2 yrs

Capercaillie

Plant 0.25 acres linseed/quinoa.
Plant 0.5 acres reed canary grass.
Plant 0.25 acres nettles.
Get rid of as many fox dens in the area as possible.

darragh_haven

Continue as we have done this year. Finish in excess of 90% of cattle from grass only. Reseeded 8% to 10% of the farm.
Try and work out a way to get my dad to ease off on the farming (he does 95% or the work and in his 70s)

Personally keep my full time job and try and get a raise

Miname

Up grade stock, a bit of reseeding And I may even look at buying a bit of ground.

X6.430macman

https://scontent-frt3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-xfl1/v/t1.0-9/12313715_167045120316484_5556635127952959758_n.jpg?oh=946319fe0459c31212a280d102a953a6&oe=5722019A
Make sure this does not happen to me.

Cavanjack

whelan2 wrote: »

Plan to reseed more and make more use from grass
Aim to calve as many as possible outside
Take more time off
Give the eldest lad a bit more say aroud the place.
Will buy in maize or catch crop rather than growing it here.

Fair play to ya what age is he? I'm in my late 30's and still don't have much of a say here

popa smurf

Keep my head above water

fanadman1

whelan2 wrote: »

Plan to reseed more and make more use from grass
Aim to calve as many as possible outside
Take more time off
Give the eldest lad a bit more say aroud the place.
Will buy in maize or catch crop rather than growing it here.

Not many think like you wealan. Took over full control here last year at 22 for one simple reason my uncle took ill and will never farm again. I dont really know what to plan for 2016. Glad to be finnishing 2015 in no debt and with a few pound left over. I will probably try and make a few more splits in my farm. When i took over thete was one 57 acre block with no fence from one side to the other. Get my glas plan completed. And the ph right in the soil.

whelan2

Cavanjack wrote: »

Fair play to ya what age is he? I'm in my late 30's and still don't have much of a say here

He's nearly 15, has a great interest, my Dad was similar with me and would ask me what did I think when doing stuff, dont want to pressurise him into going farming either

Miname

whelan2 wrote: »

He's nearly 15, has a great interest, my Dad was similar with me and would ask me what did I think when doing stuff, dont want to pressurise him into going farming either

My dad done the same with me nearly twenty years ago, the little bit of encouragement and trust goes a long way. Fair play whelan.

The Cuban

Cut Suckler cow numbers +
Buy less fertilizer +
make less bales +
use less Concentrates +
spread less slurry +
buy less Straw +
less Animal remedies etc

Apply for every scheme going

sonnybill

The Cuban wrote: »

Cut Suckler cow numbers +
Buy less fertilizer +
make less bales +
use less Concentrates +
spread less slurry +
buy less Straw +
less Animal remedies etc

Apply for every scheme going

hope to get into Glas, already in BPS, ANC, BDGP, Beef Knowledge Transfer(Jan Start). Bord bia was useless to me and nothing out of it whatsoever.. are these the main 5 schemes a suckler beef farmer should be in?

IH784man

The Cuban wrote: »

Cut Suckler cow numbers +
Buy less fertilizer +
make less bales +
use less Concentrates +
spread less slurry +
buy less Straw +
less Animal remedies etc

Apply for every scheme going

Are you cutting back your farming altogether

The Cuban

IH784man wrote: »

Are you cutting back your farming altogether

No, I`m just cutting the loss making activities. In a way it feels like expansion.

trg

whelan2 wrote: »

He's nearly 15, has a great interest, my Dad was similar with me and would ask me what did I think when doing stuff, dont want to pressurise him into going farming either

I admire the intention and not criticising but how much say can you give a 14 year old?

IH784man

trg wrote: »

I admire the intention and not criticising but how much say can you give a 14 year old?

Plenty if he is used to your ways of working and ways of thinking

Username John

trg wrote: »

I admire the intention and not criticising but how much say can you give a 14 year old?

All it takes is to ask him his opinion... He might have a different view, chat it out, see where is coming from and explain your thoughts...
It's not a case of giving him the total running of the place I imagine?

I think it's a great thing. We never had a big farm at home, but like Whelan our opinion was always sought. And often taken on board, but you had to justify your reasoning...
Good for you Whelan, think it's a great idea...

Timmaay

One of my relief milkers is a 17yr old and son of a local dairy farmer. Last summer when he was 16 he spend the whole summer on a large spring dairy farm in KK, sounded like fantastic experience, in comparison to his own farm with is a typical spread out Ayr liquid herd (and in fairness he saw the good and the bad to a really highly stocked system like on the KK farm). Even milking on my farm is an eye opener for him, new parlour, and further down the line in terms of compact calving etc. In fairness he's one of the most clued in kids I've seen, I showed him what to do in the parlour one milking and have let him at it since. Whelan your lad probably a bit too young to let him work on another farm, but I definitely think it's a very good idea and will give him a great eye opener and alternative way of thinking about things and would well recommend you to let him do any bit of relief milking etc for others if he wants to down the line.

patsy_mccabe

I hope to keep the chin up. 2015 was a tough year here. Too many funerals in the extended family. One very close, one very tragic and one a good friend of the family.

whelan2

trg wrote: »

I admire the intention and not criticising but how much say can you give a 14 year old?

Will there be enough grass in a paddock for next grazing, does a shed need sawdust..... Think its good to let him feel he has some say . If I am going somewhere I will say to him he is in charge while I am gone.

_Brian

whelan2 wrote: »

Will there be enough grass in a paddock for next grazing, does a shed need sawdust..... Think its good to let him feel he has some say . If I am going somewhere I will say to him he is in charge while I am gone.

Dead right Whelan, appropriate responsibility at the right age. Too many farms in Ireland are ran by old people when the next generation could be in their 40's taking over fully.

Timmaay

_Brian wrote: »

Dead right Whelan, appropriate responsibility at the right age. Too many farms in Ireland are ran by old people when the next generation could be in their 40's taking over fully.

Know lads in their 50s and the dad in his 80s still pulls the strings!!

wats the craic

Timmaay wrote: »

Know lads in their 50s and the dad in his 80s still pulls the strings!!

jayus this country would kill ye some times . quare glad i took control of the home place at 20 all be it a made quare alot of mistakes along the way

sea12

Get new piece of ground cleaned up
Get Bord bia approval
Justify every expense
Try spend more time with family.

White Clover

wats the craic wrote: »

jayus this country would kill ye some times . quare glad i took control of the home place at 20 all be it a made quare alot of mistakes along the way

Ditto here. Took over at 22. Made Alot of mistakes along the way but going well now!

Timmaay

Anyways 2016 aims, largely continue as is building on this year, push up the SR close to 3 overall and milk another 10 over this year, buy in more winter feed, and any possible local grazing for heifers. I'll definitely cut alot more silage bales next year, I'll need about 150 high dmd leafy bales (so say 50acres between an early 1st cut, and excess paddocks during the summer), will aim to buy in silage for the dries then, less worry about quality then. More bales will free up an indoor pit to use for straw bedding also.

Keeping my ear to the ground on any potential expansion opportunities also, small but very possible chance of something happening in the new year with a bit of local land, if that happens I'll be immediately buying in 20 or 30 heifers (incalf or calved down if after feb), largely have everything other than the land sorted here, parlour, tank, winter accommodation, so only real cost will be the stock.

pedigree 6

whelan2 wrote: »

Will there be enough grass in a paddock for next grazing, does a shed need sawdust..... Think its good to let him feel he has some say . If I am going somewhere I will say to him he is in charge while I am gone.

Give him a choice on some of the ai bulls that you will use on the cows.
He'll feel more involved as well.

I know it's different for everyone but when I was young dad had the cows and I had a few horses. I knew all their pedigrees and would study the stallion books to see what would match right. Basically make it fun.

tractorporn

whelan2 wrote:

He's nearly 15, has a great interest, my Dad was similar with me and would ask me what did I think when doing stuff, dont want to pressurise him into going farming either

I think that's very admirable whelan! Like other lads have said just being involved will keep him interested. I'm 36 and this year has been the first year my father has taken my opinion on the farm. That was partly the reason I moved abroad and almost never came home. The only think I would suggest and other lads have said it, a little experience away from home is always a good idea whether it's on another farm or at college.

grange mac

Try not to lose too much money on those expensive weanlings I bought.,.. And just watch costs again this year....

Timmaay

tractorporn wrote: »

I think that's very admirable whelan! Like other lads have said just being involved will keep him interested. I'm 36 and this year has been the first year my father has taken my opinion on the farm. That was partly the reason I moved abroad and almost never came home. The only think I would suggest and other lads have said it, a little experience away from home is always a good idea whether it's on another farm or at college.

I came back when I was 26, largely forced as my dad needed a hip replacement, so straight in the deep end, I must of spent 18 month's without a single milking off, the farm just wasn't setup to let anyone step in 2bh. Plenty of arguments, plenty of mistakes on my side also, and 2bh it takes a long time for trust to build up, but he's largely left me on with things now. I'd plenty days early on when I thought wtf was I ever thinking coming back ha. I learnt how approach my dad fairly well ha, some changes took months and months to convince him ha, and I'd have "big fish" and "small fish", the small fish were basically disagreements that I'd let him win because I knew the outcome wouldn't hugely effect the farm, however "big fish" disagreements like pulling the bull to compact calf, early turnout, autumn grass wedges etc id utterly dig my heals in about ha. All been worth it though, farm is in a comfortable position I'd say at the minute, with a lot easier a life for both me and my dad.

Muckit

The Cuban wrote: »

No, I`m just cutting the loss making activities. In a way it feels like expansion.

I 'laughed out loud' at this!! Thanks x 1000.

Wes Palmer Lee

Thinking of ridding all the stock in 2016 bar a few cows needed to draw the headage.
Sick of watching my time and money yield a bare minimum despite my best efforts...

Muckit

Carry out necessary actions for GLAS
Fit extra lights in yard without the silly safety grant
Buy a good anti backing bar and ditch the slippery round stakes!
Maintain current low stock numbers and resist the urge to buy dear young stock!
Do more tractorspotting with young lad from the comfort of the couch!!

frazzledhome

Get my second oldest son 9 out on the farm much more. Will help if asked but his older brother 10 bosses him and he hates it. Both will milk with me so I just need to work on making it interesting for him. He'll not be a farmer but a level of work ethic is very important.

Build more cubicle spaces.

Push sr to 4, grow 20 tonnes of grass.

The guy we've had for 12 yrs has finished this week for good so finding a replacement is first priority. Have 2 lined up so just need to finalise that.

600 meters of roads as well as the demolition and rebuilding of a parlour on the out farm all to be done. Hope to have cows going there in early October and firing on all cylinders by Spring 17

God willing

Greengrass1

frazzledhome wrote: »

Get my second oldest son 9 out on the farm much more. Will help if asked but his older brother 10 bosses him and he hates it. Both will milk with me so I just need to work on making it interesting for him. He'll not be a farmer but a level of work ethic is very important.

Build more cubicle spaces.

Push sr to 4, grow 20 tonnes of grass.

The guy we've had for 12 yrs has finished this week for good so finding a replacement is first priority. Have 2 lined up so just need to finalise that.

600 meters of roads as well as the demolition and rebuilding of a parlour on the out farm all to be done. Hope to have cows going there in early October and firing on all cylinders by Spring 17

God willing

Exciting times ahead.

keep going

Keep going

whelan2

frazzledhome wrote: »

Get my second oldest son 9 out on the farm much more. Will help if asked but his older brother 10 bosses him and he hates it. Both will milk with me so I just need to work on making it interesting for him. He'll not be a farmer but a level of work ethic is very important.

Build more cubicle spaces.

Push sr to 4, grow 20 tonnes of grass.

The guy we've had for 12 yrs has finished this week for good so finding a replacement is first priority. Have 2 lined up so just need to finalise that.

600 meters of roads as well as the demolition and rebuilding of a parlour on the out farm all to be done. Hope to have cows going there in early October and firing on all cylinders by Spring 17

God willing

My fear here is that they would hate being out on the farm, that they feel they have to be there. It can be a very fine line.

A cow called Daisy

Non farm related
Get health issue improved
Get sucession issue sorted

Farm related
Get roadways/fencing/water improved
Make better silage
Think three times before I spend money

blue5000

This was mine for 2015;
I'm embracing (as silkcut says) the TB sh1te at the moment, so have to get over that hump first but looks like I'll be taking everything to beef in 2015 anyway.

Got clear anyway, but 2016 will be a year of re-building and very tight cash flow management.

Kovu

Hmmm. It's hard to say what I want for the next year. Have to make a few decisions regarding my education.
Already do a lot of work on the farm as Dad's arm hinders him too much to do certain things, means I can never be too far away from home. Will try and step that up a bit and get him to relax more. Maybe find him a new hobby.
Maybe try to avoid injuring myself so much, I'm like a walking magnet for them.
Put drains in two fields that have gotten very wet the last two years.

Short term- Train limo bull and show him at the sales. Train crazy limo heifer for summer shows. Set up a CCTV camera that can also be used as a calving camera. Get. Bloody. Broadband.

Deepsouthwest

Become more productive in the hrs I work, so I can spend more time with my family. (Writing this as I set in the jeep, when I should be working, the irony!)

trixi2011

Find small heifer farm to rent close to work so all my wages arent going straight short term grass lets. Get herd number and get accepted for instalation aid. Buy another few batchs of heifers and renegosiate my salary so im paying less tax by getting more stock in the deal. Book venue for my wedding. Hopefully stay happy and healthy. Spend more time with my young nephnews

boggerman1

Hope to get up to near 80 cows milking for 2016.milked 70 this yr and beat my target of over 400,000litres for the first time for our place.most we had ever sent was 360,000approx.make better bale silage and take out paddocks quicker.keep chequebook in drawer until really necessary but not to skimp on looking after cows either.and stay off the fags for good‼

keep going

frazzledhome wrote: »

Get my second oldest son 9 out on the farm much more. Will help if asked but his older brother 10 bosses him and he hates it. Both will milk with me so I just need to work on making it interesting for him. He'll not be a farmer but a level of work ethic is very important.

Build more cubicle spaces.

Push sr to 4, grow 20 tonnes of grass.

The guy we've had for 12 yrs has finished this week for good so finding a replacement is first priority. Have 2 lined up so just need to finalise that.

600 meters of roads as well as the demolition and rebuilding of a parlour on the out farm all to be done. Hope to have cows going there in early October and firing on all cylinders by Spring 17

God willing

You and whelan touched on a subject that puts all others in the shade, bringing up your children, being fair to them, keeping them safe, and yet exposing them so they can think for themselves.i have 2 boys and a little girl, theres a year and half between the two lads which means they are always fighting.the eldest lad says he has no interest in farming but I think he has but I think he is being somewhat bullied by the younger fella who has a savage interest in farming and is clued in.ask the eldest to do anything and he complains like mad but he is actually happy enough once he gets going whereas the second fella will do it straight away so theres a tendency to ask the second fella which I have to fight.theres no doubt it takes some patience to wait for them to do things and things wont be done as well as you would do it yourself but you have to say to yourself which job is more important teaching them or getting what you have to do done in the day.and through it all you have to let them be themselves, you cant make them what you want them to be

Western Pomise

Find that good cattle stick I lost in a field in around August this year;)

Base price

Keep our non agri little business on an upward financial elevation.
Buy lots of cheap dairy bull calves to rear on.
Pass my C licence.
Hope that I and family stay healthy.

Kevhog1988

Capercaillie wrote: »

Plant 0.25 acres linseed/quinoa.
Plant 0.5 acres reed canary grass.
Plant 0.25 acres nettles.
Get rid of as many fox dens in the area as possible.

ive a good terrier of you need a hand

Kevhog1988

im basically starting farming tomorrow in my own little way (only 7.5 acres) . plan is to fence asap as have sheep already bought. pull out a few wrecks of hedges and establish paddocks etc. do as much as i can myself without letting it impact on my time with the small fella. And work wise im going out on my own so work my ass off at that too

Greengrass1

keep going wrote: »

You and whelan touched on a subject that puts all others in the shade, bringing up your children, being fair to them, keeping them safe, and yet exposing them so they can think for themselves.i have 2 boys and a little girl, theres a year and half between the two lads which means they are always fighting.the eldest lad says he has no interest in farming but I think he has but I think he is being somewhat bullied by the younger fella who has a savage interest in farming and is clued in.ask the eldest to do anything and he complains like mad but he is actually happy enough once he gets going whereas the second fella will do it straight away so theres a tendency to ask the second fella which I have to fight.theres no doubt it takes some patience to wait for them to do things and things wont be done as well as you would do it yourself but you have to say to yourself which job is more important teaching them or getting what you have to do done in the day.and through it all you have to let them be themselves, you cant make them what you want them to be

I'll be honest KP as a Chap I'd have Prefered pick up the hurl than go do anything with farm but what ever changed in me as I went through primary I grew very fond of it and for the life of me I haven't a clue what else I'd be doing only with cows be it working working with my own or running some one else's place.
If your young lads want to farm it will come out in then eventually.
But your right all of us were pushed out to help at a young age. Girls and all.