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Viable dairy numbers

  • 22-03-2016 11:36am
    #1
    jocksie
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 58 ✭✭


    Out of interest what do fellas think is the minimum number of cows a dairy farmer could make a decent living off?an average joe soap 2.5 kids average mortgage etc no on farm borrowings


Comments

  • #2
    farmerjj
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,088 ✭✭✭farmerjj


    jocksie wrote: »
    Out of interest what do fellas think is the minimum number of cows a dairy farmer could make a decent living off?an average joe soap 2.5 kids average mortgage etc no on farm borrowings

    How long is a piece of string?


  • #3
    jocksie
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 58 ✭✭jocksie


    Ah I know it's a very vague post tbf


  • #4
    jaymla627
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 6,933 ✭✭✭jaymla627


    jocksie wrote: »
    Out of interest what do fellas think is the minimum number of cows a dairy farmer could make a decent living off?an average joe soap 2.5 kids average mortgage etc no on farm borrowings

    Depends if wife is working too and bringing in a wage, would say 50 thousand would be needed at a minimum to service a mortgage/tax/living expenses, max numbers realistically the one lad will do well would be around 120 cows say knocking out 660,000 litres
    In this case above you need to be drawing 7.5 cent a litre to meet your 50k needs, half the numbers to 70 and work of same litres/costs you need 15 cent.....
    Milk price going forward really dictates the answer to your question at 25 cent a litre our less likely for the year I don't think their is a minimum number of cows to run that will be profitable and provide a income for a family/pay a mortgage


  • #5
    blue5000
    Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 12,756 Mod ✭✭✭✭blue5000


    Teagasc beef advisor had it that at current milk prices net margin /cow is only €150, there's a lot of work to make 15k off 100 cows. Bit of a difference where you supply the milk to as well, and how early you can get to grass.

    If the seat's wet, sit on yer hat, a cool head is better than a wet ar5e.



  • #6
    bogman_bass
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 5,083 ✭✭✭bogman_bass


    50k minimum? Not begrudging anybody that if they can get it but the average industrial wage is around the 36k mark and even those jobs are hard enough got especially outside of Dublin.

    The question that was asked was what is the minimum you could get away with so 30k and other half working (which has to be the case with most couples) would be my starting point for the sake of this exercise


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