Thinking of Dairying

davidk1394

Back home again for silly season and heading back to Australia in September. Parents put down a tough spring lambing so we’ve decided to get out of all the sheep by the end of the year. We didn’t decide yet on what we’re going to replace them with but I’ve made up my mind in terms of dairying. I’m going to start off out doors with 60-70 cows for spring 2020 and go from there. Put in straight forward parlor that i will be happy to milk in, convert 2 of the sheds into cubicles and build good handling facilities.I’m going to continue contracting in a small scale. Nothing has been put on paper yet but that’s my aim.

Reggie.

davidk1394 wrote: »

Back home again for silly season and heading back to Australia in September. Parents put down a tough spring lambing so we’ve decided to get out of all the sheep by the end of the year. We didn’t decide yet on what we’re going to replace them with but I’ve made up my mind in terms of dairying. I’m going to start off out doors with 60-70 cows for spring 2020 and go from there. Put in straight forward parlor that i will be happy to milk in, convert 2 of the sheds into cubicles and build good handling facilities.I’m going to continue contracting in a small scale. Nothing has been put on paper yet but that’s my aim.

Was just going to say if your going dairying that it might be hard to keep the contracting going.

wrangler

davidk1394 wrote: »

Back home again for silly season and heading back to Australia in September. Parents put down a tough spring lambing so we’ve decided to get out of all the sheep by the end of the year. We didn’t decide yet on what we’re going to replace them with but I’ve made up my mind in terms of dairying. I’m going to start off out doors with 60-70 cows for spring 2020 and go from there. Put in straight forward parlor that i will be happy to milk in, convert 2 of the sheds into cubicles and build good handling facilities.I’m going to continue contracting in a small scale. Nothing has been put on paper yet but that’s my aim.

At least your parents are taking a step back, they've worked hard, too many older farmers are strangling themselves waiting for their succesor to commit.
When I ask what they're at they claim they're trying to hold the entitlements on the farm.

Timmaay

Reggie. wrote: »

Was just going to say if your going dairying that it might be hard to keep the contracting going.

Once you keep from Feb until end of May free you should be grand, so pick some sort of contracting that is in a lot less demand in the springtime.

Bullocks

davidk1394 wrote: »

Back home again for silly season and heading back to Australia in September. Parents put down a tough spring lambing so we’ve decided to get out of all the sheep by the end of the year. We didn’t decide yet on what we’re going to replace them with but I’ve made up my mind in terms of dairying. I’m going to start off out doors with 60-70 cows for spring 2020 and go from there. Put in straight forward parlor that i will be happy to milk in, convert 2 of the sheds into cubicles and build good handling facilities.I’m going to continue contracting in a small scale. Nothing has been put on paper yet but that’s my aim.

Best of luck horse , hope it goes well and I'm sure it will cos you seem to get stuck in to work

Buford T. Justice XIX

davidk1394 wrote: »

Back home again for silly season and heading back to Australia in September. Parents put down a tough spring lambing so we’ve decided to get out of all the sheep by the end of the year. We didn’t decide yet on what we’re going to replace them with but I’ve made up my mind in terms of dairying. I’m going to start off out doors with 60-70 cows for spring 2020 and go from there. Put in straight forward parlor that i will be happy to milk in, convert 2 of the sheds into cubicles and build good handling facilities.I’m going to continue contracting in a small scale. Nothing has been put on paper yet but that’s my aim.

Dakota Dan

wrangler wrote: »

At least your parents are taking a step back, they've worked hard, too many older farmers are strangling themselves waiting for their succesor to commit.
When I ask what they're at they claim they're trying to hold the entitlements on the farm.

What age group are we talking about?

davidk1394

The parents are looking forward to it and keen to help out. The majority of the work is during the summer and autumn. Very busy this week but it should calm down in a few days. If I milked in the morning time one of the parents or have the FRS milk in the evening. I could stop contracting, but enjoy being out and about.

Panch18

davidk1394 wrote: »

The parents are looking forward to it and keen to help out. The majority of the work is during the summer and autumn. Very busy this week but it should calm down in a few days. If I milked in the morning time one of the parents or have the FRS milk in the evening. I could stop contracting, but enjoy being out and about.

How much contracting and how much cows you thinking about??

I don’t hunk you’ll manage both if you plan on doing both at a reasonable sized scale

Water John

Best of luck with that.

davidk1394

Doing 6k bales a year. When I get to about 100 cows I’ll stop contracting

davidk1394

Dakota Dan wrote: »

What age group are we talking about?

60

Dakota Dan

davidk1394 wrote: »

60

Still a bit away from pension age, what do they do for income in the meantime, just wondering.

davidk1394

Update for ye ladies and gents. Sitting here in the Jeep cooling down after moving the last of the weaned lambs to a paddock with not very much grass but they have meal. Some fit for the factory but the price is brutal. Anyway we are putting the ball rolling as of today. Meeting with a farm planner tomorrow to set up a partnership agreement for myself & the parents.

Last week was a watershed moment for myself and the parents. Getting out of sheep by November this year for good. Too much back breaking work in them for the money, fences have to be repaired or replaced and the whole farm needs to be updated. At the moment we are dosing lambs, selling cull ewes, repairing and painting creep feeders and going painting the sheds and knocking the old slate roof sheds. By November the aim is to have all the yards tidied up and sheds painted, 3 phase electricity beside the yard as it is only 200 meters away (awaiting a quote), start made on taking down sheep wire and rearranging paddocks, sheep handing unit and crush retrofitted for cattle (cost roughly 3/4K) and the partnership sorted. If it rains hopefully we will save more fodder to sell and perhaps buy some store cattle aswell or rent out the sheds.

farawaygrass

davidk1394 wrote: »

Update for ye ladies and gents. Sitting here in the Jeep cooling down after moving the last of the weaned lambs to a paddock with not very much grass but they have meal. Some fit for the factory but the price is brutal. Anyway we are putting the ball rolling as of today. Meeting with a farm planner tomorrow to set up a partnership agreement for myself & the parents.

Last week was a watershed moment for myself and the parents. Getting out of sheep by November this year for good. Too much back breaking work in them for the money, fences have to be repaired or replaced and the whole farm needs to be updated. At the moment we are dosing lambs, selling cull ewes, repairing and painting creep feeders and going painting the sheds and knocking the old slate roof sheds. By November the aim is to have all the yards tidied up and sheds painted, 3 phase electricity beside the yard as it is only 200 meters away (awaiting a quote), start made on taking down sheep wire and rearranging paddocks, sheep handing unit and crush retrofitted for cattle (cost roughly 3/4K) and the partnership sorted. If it rains hopefully we will save more fodder to sell and perhaps buy some store cattle aswell or rent out the sheds.

Fair play to you. I thought hard about the switch to dairy too but tbh honest I didn’t have the balls in the end. Best of luck

wrangler

farawaygrass wrote: »

Fair play to you. I thought hard about the switch to dairy too but tbh honest I didn’t have the balls in the end. Best of luck

Don't think you've a lot to regret by not going dairying
You should try something away from farming for a while, far better future and lifestyle, .....even apart from farming, self employed are getting screwed in this country. If you're young don't waste your life.

farawaygrass

wrangler wrote: »

Don't think you've a lot to regret by not going dairying
You should try something away from farming for a while, far better future and lifestyle, .....even apart from farming, self employed are getting screwed in this country. If you're young don't waste your life.

Early 30’s with a family. Agree with all you say but like the farming too. Couldn’t make a living full time though. You got me a bit with the last sentence tbh

wrangler

farawaygrass wrote: »

Early 30’s with a family. Agree with all you say but like the farming too. Couldn’t make a living full time though. You got me a bit with the last sentence tbh

Oh yea, great opportunities for young people out there now, I've friends whose children have great jobs, seems to be like the tiger all over again

Bass Reeves

wrangler wrote: »

Don't think you've a lot to regret by not going dairying
You should try something away from farming for a while, far better future and lifestyle, .....even apart from farming, self employed are getting screwed in this country. If you're young don't waste your life.

I not sure how you mean that the self employed are getting screwed in this country. The system is virtually the same for everyone

Wildsurfer

wrangler wrote: »

Don't think you've a lot to regret by not going dairying
You should try something away from farming for a while, far better future and lifestyle, .....even apart from farming, self employed are getting screwed in this country. If you're young don't waste your life.

Jaysus that's a shocking attitude against farming, why would you even be on a farming forum if that's how you feel, just to bring others down with your negativity?

wrangler

Bass Reeves wrote: »

I not sure how you mean that the self employed are getting screwed in this country. The system is virtually the same for everyone

This is off topic, I'm not going to discuss it, Just one of the many reasons that young people shouldn't be thinking of dairying or even farming for that matter,

Bass Reeves

wrangler wrote: »

This is off topic, I'm not going to discuss it, Just one of the many reasons that young people shouldn't be thinking of dairying or even farming for that matter,

How is it off topic you made a statement encourageing lads not to dairying and then followed it up that the self employed are getting screwed in this country. A dairy farmer is a sole trader(self employed) this is a thinking of dairying thread anything the effect some thinking of going dairying is on topic as far as I can see.

It was a throwaway comment that you are unwilling to back up. Ya if a lad had a choice a 50+K job near the farm and drystock I say go with that. But if the choice was a job as a truck drive or a delivery guy on 12-15/hour maybe working 50 hour weeks I would seriously consider milking cows if I had the land bank. Forget about a lot of the expansion talk. Operate a 60-90 cow herd, have good husbandary skills and you will make a good living. An 80 cow herd milking 7500 litres will turn over 200K before costs. Plenty of room there for a margin and decent living.

wrangler

Bass Reeves wrote: »

How is it off topic you made a statement encourageing lads not to dairying and then followed it up that the self employed are getting screwed in this country. A dairy farmer is a sole trader(self employed) this is a thinking of dairying thread anything the effect some thinking of going dairying is on topic as far as I can see.

It was a throwaway comment that you are unwilling to back up. Ya if a lad had a choice a 50+K job near the farm and drystock I say go with that. But if the choice was a job as a truck drive or a delivery guy on 12-15/hour maybe working 50 hour weeks I would seriously consider milking cows if I had the land bank. Forget about a lot of the expansion talk. Operate a 60-90 cow herd, have good husbandary skills and you will make a good living. An 80 cow herd milking 7500 litres will turn over 200K before costs. Plenty of room there for a margin and decent living.

I'm not unwilling to back it up, I'd say half the posters on here know my views on the rip off and the poor value for money we get for our taxes, it was highlighted in the recession when the self employed were told to feck off with themselves and not given a penny social welfare,
Young people going into farming will not have have a salary that is cost of living linked, I threw out a figure of 800/cow profit here and the posters on here said it wasn't in it . I was at a seminar lately outside farming where a speaker said that a graduate should be earning €50000 at thirty and no one laughed at him......and every young farmer is a graduate now, most people are entitled to five weeks holidays now plus weekends...will I go on.
I'm not the only one, all my friends have talked their families away from farming, I have no one to give my farm too,this isn't just a phase, this is the result of poor incomes over thirty years, that's not going to change, why shouldn't I make young people aware of it and not waste their life at it.

GrasstoMilk

wrangler wrote: »

I'm not unwilling to back it up, I'd say half the posters on here know my views on the rip off and the poor value for money we get for our taxes, it was highlighted in the recession when the self employed were told to feck off with themselves and not given a penny social welfare,
Young people going into farming will not have have a salary that is cost of living linked, I threw out a figure of 800/cow profit here and the posters on here said it wasn't in it . I was at a seminar lately outside farming where a speaker said that a graduate should be earning €50000 at thirty and no one laughed at him......and every young farmer is a graduate now, most people are entitled to five weeks holidays now plus weekends...will I go on.
I'm not the only one, all my friends have talked their families away from farming, I have no one to give my farm too,this isn't just a phase, this is the result of poor incomes over thirty years, that's not going to change, why shouldn't I make young people aware of it and not waste their life at it.

I'm farming fulltime at home with my parents. Went from school to ag collage and came home. Don't regret it one bit. Thoroughly enjoy what I do, some days I think maybe I should have gone and worked for some more farmers for a few years but it wasn't really an option at the time and it's all worked out for me.
You're right I'm not paying myself the standard wage my comrades are getting or have the holidays off they do either, but I'm basically my own boss, I dont pay rent, I don't have to commute to and from work every day etc etc.
I will also have my own house finished in the coming weeks, that will really only have cost me c35k, granted it's only a 2 bedroom but no one my age can hope of owning a house of there own till they are well into there late 20s and then be crippled for the rest if there lives paying back a 300k mortgage
I enjoy what I do, very few ppl in this world get enjoyment out of what they do for a living. I think you're wrong in your opinion and by the time I'm 30 I'll hope to have myself set up that I can take home a lot more than the average industrial wage and have a lot more time off.

stanflt

GrasstoMilk wrote: »

I'm farming fulltime at home with my parents. Went from school to ag collage and came home. Don't regret it one bit. Thoroughly enjoy what I do, some days I think maybe I should have gone and worked for some more farmers for a few years but it wasn't really an option at the time and it's all worked out for me.
You're right I'm not paying myself the standard wage my comrades are getting or have the holidays off they do either, but I'm basically my own boss, I dont pay rent, I don't have to commute to and from work every day etc etc.
I will also have my own house finished in the coming weeks, that will really only have cost me c35k, granted it's only a 2 bedroom but no one my age can hope of owning a house of there own till they are well into there late 20s and then be crippled for the rest if there lives paying back a 300k mortgage
I enjoy what I do, very few ppl in this world get enjoyment out of what they do for a living. I think you're wrong in your opinion and by the time I'm 30 I'll hope to have myself set up that I can take home a lot more than the average industrial wage and have a lot more time off.

I used to be very like you grasstomilk however I've 2 young kids that would love to see there father more especially the weekends
I think the holidays is a real killer- everyone else off for 4-5 weeks a yr
Don't get me wrong I take a huge income outta the farm but by doing this I couldn't really afford to pay someone to give me the extra time off especially this yr when grass is in short supply and cash flow will be tight
We took on another farm last yr to make us more money but tbh the extra workload is a pain in the hole- I'm not moaning but I think this yr has been the reality check that I needed- going forward I intend to carry less cows less heifers and less cattle
Maybe get a sideline business up and running as margins are eroding yr on yr and processers have the farming community by the balls- I as a young farmer see no future but I'll continue to farm cause it's in the blood

yewtree

I am farming full time here, take a living wage out of the farm. The 1st money taken out of the farm every month goes into my personal account.
I think there is a promising future in farming, like any small business you have to have a stomach for a fight maybe there will be a time when I get tired of that but even this year I still really enjoy it.

GrasstoMilk

stanflt wrote: »

I used to be very like you grasstomilk however I've 2 young kids that would love to see there father more especially the weekends
I think the holidays is a real killer- everyone else off for 4-5 weeks a yr
Don't get me wrong I take a huge income outta the farm but by doing this I couldn't really afford to pay someone to give me the extra time off especially this yr when grass is in short supply and cash flow will be tight
We took on another farm last yr to make us more money but tbh the extra workload is a pain in the hole- I'm not moaning but I think this yr has been the reality check that I needed- going forward I intend to carry less cows less heifers and less cattle
Maybe get a sideline business up and running as margins are eroding yr on yr and processers have the farming community by the balls- I as a young farmer see no future but I'll continue to farm cause it's in the blood

That's not an issue here with me any way. Sundays are our day off and we are gone for the whole day. It's tough going this year with the spring and the summer we're having but try to be finished at 6 every evening for when my little one is home to see her before she's off to bed.
We've already booked next years holiday. Havebt had one in the last 2 years with building and all the rest but one holiday and a few weekends away here and there shouldn't be too hard

wrangler

GrasstoMilk wrote: »

That's not an issue here with me any way. Sundays are our day off and we are gone for the whole day. It's tough going this year with the spring and the summer we're having but try to be finished at 6 every evening for when my little one is home to see her before she's off to bed.
We've already booked next years holiday. Havebt had one in the last 2 years with building and all the rest but one holiday and a few weekends away here and there shouldn't be too hard

The amount of work to get a holiday if you're a one man outfit makes it not worth the bother, alright for those with parent's at home, I see some that just walk off the farm, nothing prepared, don't realise that a seventy year old could be under pressure

freedominacup

stanflt wrote: »

I used to be very like you grasstomilk however I've 2 young kids that would love to see there father more especially the weekends
I think the holidays is a real killer- everyone else off for 4-5 weeks a yr
Don't get me wrong I take a huge income outta the farm but by doing this I couldn't really afford to pay someone to give me the extra time off especially this yr when grass is in short supply and cash flow will be tight
We took on another farm last yr to make us more money but tbh the extra workload is a pain in the hole- I'm not moaning but I think this yr has been the reality check that I needed- going forward I intend to carry less cows less heifers and less cattle
Maybe get a sideline business up and running as margins are eroding yr on yr and processers have the farming community by the balls- I as a young farmer see no future but I'll continue to farm cause it's in the blood

Taking time off is a decision Stan. Early start this morning. Have to be at a ladies football match an hour's drive away at 7 this evening. There are times when you can't but if you don't allocate the time to be off the same as any other "job" for want of a better word you won't get it done. Deciding that as far as possible the time between milkings at the weekend is family time means getting work covered during the week. You don't need on farm labour. Use contractors to get work done. Ime contractors love regular work paid for promptly and regularly and will look after customers like that esp if they have a bit of notice. I try not to spend any time on a tractor from April to Oct. Never come close to it esp during droughts as there's a lot of feeding to be done, but it's still an aspiration.

My father is still actively involved here which is a huge help. I'll be finished Friday at 6 and back in Mon morning. Nothing will be done over the weekend other than milking and feeding. 4-5 hrs per day. Part time lad we have here will be with him. I'm the only one of my close friends farming and not many family at it either. Gives you a different outlook on time off and paying yourself for what you do. We're great as a group for paying it forward. "I'll work hard now and for small money so that I'll have X at some stage in the future". The future is now esp if you have a young family.

yewtree

wrangler wrote: »

The amount of work to get a holiday if you're a one man outfit makes it not worth the bother, alright for those with parent's at home, I see some that just walk off the farm, nothing prepared, don't realise that a seventy year old could be under pressure

You seem to want to look for the bad side of everything. Have a really good relief milker here. Can walk away and everything will be grand when I get home. It doesn't cost a fortune either.
This thread reminds me of that saying -
Negative people find a problem for every solution.