Part time farming - Time saving techniques

mr.stonewall

Since there is quite a number of part time farmers here, it would be beneficial to share some of your bits a pieces of your daily routine to save time. Everyone has a busy time of the year and for me it's late spring

On my side, I'm a suckler and calf to beef farmer, finishing around 80 cattle a year, lucky to have it in one block and one yard.

Time saving varies from season to season but one common trend I find it preparation. Currently at the moment here winter will creep up and a bit of work is taking place to have the yard ready. Having time to get on top a few things really helps. For me over the next few wet days is a small bit of welding repairs, clean a few gutters and fix 2 lights. The big time savers I have found for the winter is having all feed in the yard at the autumn. A home made silage pusher ( has the 4 prong fork gathering dust), a Barrow with 2 wheels for moving meal. Extra buckets are a big help. Having bin outside of the door of the shed where most of the meal is feed. Strip the pit enough for the week ( doesn't always work out exactly. It's an ex dairy farm here and quiet a number of cubicles. 5 years ago I put scrapers in and this is saving over 1.5hrs a week cleaning out. Tams really helped here

I put up a new crush a few years ago in the yard and cattle can be moved easily with one body to do all work, lights over the whole area is a real help. If you wish you can quickly dose some cattle on a dry evening.

While the typical winter feeding is taking place, it's generally a quiet time of the year, prep work takes place for spring and any running repairs on machinery is done( small jobs) everyone has an interest area and its important to foster this, this keeps enjoyment in the job. It might be a small project ( either a small bit of building, outdoor work,what ever takes your fancy)

Spring has changed a bit over the past 5-10 years. Cow numbers have dropped by about 10, calving period has moved from Feb to April and bucket fed calves have increased from 20 to 60. Having a large number of yearlings it makes it easier to get these to grass early and clear the sheds. A few strip wires and small groups of 15-20 works well, but you can only play the weather and ground in front of you. This spring I put an auto feeder in and it has been a game changer on time and rearing. Again Tams help hugely here. You are not watching the watch as much once calves are on going on the feeder. Most of the work with calves is done by the time the cows start calving. A different view on suckler breeding has taken place. My motto is; cow must calf on her own, calf must get up on his own and cow must go back in calf. Early April let's cows go out to calf in a bit of paddock. If weather is bad they are turn back up into the shed for hay. having them outdoors really and watching the feed really helps calving. All bar 2 unassisted this year ( backwards calf and one with ropes that had slowed down). I luck to have a friend that will throw his eyes on the calving cows, and the favour is returned if he goes on holidays or drawing in bales in the summer. The quad is super handy

Summer is just handy gather fodder, or topping or fencing, cattle work etc.

General theme is a bit of planning, staying on top of maintenance as needed, and always doing small improvements. Use of the contractor is vital, but plenty notice is key here. Getting as much stuff you need delivered is key and being prepared for the Saturday is vital. Doesn't always go to plan but it helps. A short to do list is handy with urgent, medium term and long term. I use keep notes on the phone and tick it off.

Paperwork, use herdwatch for most things and keep it updated as I go, and of late suppliers have moved to paperless which is fantastic.

Sunday is day off here, bar the basics of checking stock or having fodder to be gathered, it's a day off. I have never in 20 years spread slurry, put out fertiliser, or dosed cattle on a Sunday. It's vital to take that time. Often Sundays herding takes a bit longer as I often slow down to soak in the surroundings of the seasons and watching stock graze. It's good for the mind.

Siamsa Sessions

I've no list of tips and tricks but one thing that's saved me time (and my back) is putting a half-ton meal bin beside whatever cattle I'm feeding. You have to move it with the tractor and bale handler every few days but that's it - just bucket the meal into the troughs whenever you go out to check them. I was filling small bags in the shed before this and carrying them out to the field.

Another thing I've started to do when I'm setting up permanent paddocks is to put a gap at the back of the paddock. That is, there's a gap at either end which makes it easier to move cattle. Nothing worse than them going back to one corner and looking at you as you try to explain to them they need to walk to a different corner for fresh grass! I don't always need to use that extra gap but it only costs around €10 (extra timber stake, fence handle, egg insulator) and it's there whenever I do need it.

mr.stonewall

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120924692#Comment_120924692

That's fierce handy to keep extra gaps. Makes it even easier for the contractor if going grom paddock to paddock.

smallbeef

Great thread. Agree that preparation and planning is key. Time spent on the farm is always restricted for part-timers so putting it to good use is critical.

I make a list of jobs to do in the evenings on the phone via google sheets during a quiet period at work. Just find it handier than pen and paper as I always have the phone. I find a do-do list focuses the mind and I can think trough tasks before carrying them out.

Also make lists of stuff I need next time I'm in the creamery/hardware store/vets so I'm not running for little things often.

Store to beef here wintering 35-40 heads here so winter routine is pretty easy. No ration. Just good silage and a dust of minerals. I put in a router and a few cameras last year so I can monitor silage levels etc on the phone, its a nice time saver as the sheds are 5 mins drive from home, also can get them to finish up the silage before adding new stuff.

Spring is busiest here as would be trying to get cattle out early in batches. Also would have yearlings bought. Having the wires up at the weekends a big help when the evenings are short. Having good perimeter fencing in all fields makes block/strip grazing very quick.

Haulier does all cattle moves between 2 farms, just needs a bit of notice. Contractor does silage/slurry. No point trying to do it all.

1848

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058307498/part-time-farming-time-saving-techniques

Lot of good stuff here & I do most of the things outlined myself. Having a good contractor is vital & minimise time spent doing machinery myself - mowing, topping, fert. Spreading mainly. If you work out the rate per hour for time spent on farm it can be quite good - over €20/hour possible (incl. BISS etc). If not making something reasonable then you have to question the operation - lease out to local dairy farmer!

funkey_monkey

Often Sundays herding takes a bit longer as I often slow down to soak in the surroundings of the seasons and watching stock graze. It's good for the mind.

This. There is nothing better than on a sunny summer Sunday afternoon than watching content stock out grazing on good fields of grass. Not a sound from them bar the ripping off the grass as they eat.

At the end of it all, like many part time farmers we're not going to make millions at it - it might balance the books or return a bit of money, but the next best thing is to enjoy it and take pride in what you are producing.

Take your time, you'll get it done.

funkey_monkey

I should probably add some stuff to this.

Tidiness - everything having a place and everything in its place. When you are on limited time saves lots of time hunting for hammers or foot spray or whatever.

Having one of those big plastic shopping baskets to put the dose and stuff in to cart it about.

Cleaning out sheds bit by bit when you have some free time rather then trying to dedicate a day or two for it.

Soaking down the sheds for a day or two prior to washing. And a turbo nozzle for the washer.

893bet

Farm type has a huge bearing. I see lots of lads throwing the “if you can’t do it on less than an hour a day, then you are wrong”. They have never worked a fragmented farm of heavy land.

My farm of 26 ha of grazing (some rough) is heavy and very fragmented across 8 different blocks. Ranging from 1acre fields up. The amount of time spent moving cattle can be significant. The amount of fencing to be maintained is huge.

Its very hard to make improvements to make things easier. I work full time (maybe 2 days at home lucky enough) and when going to work I am up at 6 due to long commute and rarely home before 7. With a young family there just is not time or else I am not making time.

mr.stonewall

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120925687#Comment_120925687

Those baskets are great

mr.stonewall

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120925740#Comment_120925740

The theme of the thread was how can we improve on time, small things during the daily routine can help.

I will agree that fragmented farms are a serious killer on time.

Hard Knocks

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120925740#Comment_120925740

Similar boat here, some years you can get a few things done over odd Saturday’s and other times the to do list grows. Have to agree with some posters, been part time having the basics (good fencing with proper gates, water, & good handling facilities) right means allot. Then working a system to suit your farm and little things to work smarter not harder. It’s very easy to burn the candle at both ends

MIKEKC

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120925470#Comment_120925470

Yes and the taxpayer funding your lifestile. Why wouldn't you be enjoying it

Tileman

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120926873#Comment_120926873

Absolut ridiculous comment. How is the tax payer funding his lifestyle

funkey_monkey

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120926873#Comment_120926873

Well, aren't you the dry sh1te.

893bet

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120926873#Comment_120926873

Either a joke that your forgot the smileys or you are still waiting for the call back from the below post?

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2057588503/national-reserve#latest

ABitofsense

For me and my handful of sucklers is I'm lucky that my father used to do dairy before I took over so very good clean land all in paddocks, troughs and easily rotation around the yard. So inherited good setup.

My main things (other than what's listed before) is

- training the cows to come to a bucket of nuts. This is the only reason I'm able to do sucklers! I'm at the stage with them that once they hear the yard gate open their at the paddock wire, calves & all ready to come in. Heifers when I buy in learn from the others and calves learn from their mothers. This makes AI, dosing, vets or whatever a stress free process for the sake of about ~12 bags of nuts over the summer.

- Cull problem animals. In my case, anything that doesn't go with my system gets culled. Life's too short to be running around fields after them!

- Lights & Cameras. I've no black spots around the yard from a safety point of view. Kids love being up there helping in the winter and makes life so much easier with cameras about too.

- Set a yearly goal/project. Over the last few years I've set a yearly project to achieve as part of farm improvement. If like me you've a stressful desk job, working on the farm doing something opposite be it welding making something, knocking walls for calving gates etc I find very therapeutic.

MIKEKC

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120927301#Comment_120927301

Not a joke collect the subs myself and enjoy seeing the stock thrive. Just saying it as it is.

MIKEKC

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120926929#Comment_120926929

Without the subs every farmers life would be very different.

893bet

Don’t feed him lads.

farawaygrass

Great thread and I can’t really add anything that is said above.

one thing I’m planning on during shortly for the winter and spring a head is put in a sink with a hot water source. Boiling kettles is a pain.

while I think of it too, we’d have to water the individual pens with the sheep are lambing. But having a barrel close by to pull buckets of water from rather than waiting for a bucket to fill from a tap is a big time saver.

finally, I wouldn’t be worried too much about price on certain things or what people think of your spending. If it makes your life easier and gives you more free time then it’s money well spent, and improvements on infrastructure etc are more or less a life time job

mr.stonewall

A very simple time saver I have found with bucket fed calves while rearing is to leave a large square bale in the pen and drop another on top. Serves for shelter and makes topping up bedding super quick. Pop the bottom bale on top the next time. If you have 2 pens side by side leave it beside the gate and it will serve both pens

Cavanjack

Working full time . Buy in roughly 200 head here a year. Nearly all online now. Serious time saver. Or should I say it means I’ve more time at home anyway. Used to spend half my time off hanging round marts when I should have been at home.

I try to have a full stock of consumables on hand for repair work all in racked shelves. Water fittings, fencing equipment, nuts bolts etc. I rarely go to collect anything in hardwares. This is a hugh waste of time having to head off to pick stuff up imo. Sprays, fertilizer dosing etc. is all bought in time and again it’s either delivered or get parents/wife to pick stuff up when in town.

On day to day stuff is all about having everything where it’s supposed to be including stock. The whole place is electric fenced with concrete drinkers. Good safe facilities are very important. Gates gates and more gates hanging everywhere round the yard. Land is split up so have 4 crushes with the main one in the yard under cover.

amacca

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120927548#Comment_120927548

But it's so tempting........he's good, makes you just itch to take a swipe at him! 😅

MIKEKC

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120927941#Comment_120927941

Why would you take a swipe?. I'm just dealing in facts. As I said I avail of the subsidies . Would anyone disagree that you couldn't make a living without subs with the exception of pigs and dairy?

893bet

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120927988#Comment_120927988

You are trolling.

The person you swipped at in your first pots was talking to another chap about how they work hard all day at the day job. And then try and fit in farming part-time. And one of the joys they take is maybe on a Sunday to not rush the farming side of things and to instead take in the beauty of nature for a few minutes while herding.

And you pulled that back to something something something taxpayers funding the lifestyle

If you are farming you must be miserable.

/I won’t respond further so say what you like.

emaherx

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120925740#Comment_120925740

Absolutely, no 2 farms are going to be the same. I've a fragmented farm here but always tried to keep the workload to an hour or less during the week when I was working full time, didn't always work out and always left some catching up work at the weekends. Biggest time saver for me was replacing the Jeep trailer with an 18ft tractor trailer and secure pens to load. Paddocks have helped with grass management but more importantly have trained the cattle to go through gateways when called making loading a one man job.

Working part time now and probably spend more time on the farm daily but it doesn't feel like it as I'm not as rushed but also still have more family time and down time. Thought I'd have caught up a lot more on the general maintenance of the place but really haven't, I blame the wet summer and totally not procrastination.

I don't think this thread is intended to beat lads up about spending too much time working their farms but more to share the ideas of how we can all save some time for other jobs, kids or just extra down time. Young families definitly leave time a precious commodity and shouldn't be overlooked as they won't be young for long.

mr.stonewall

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120927556#Comment_120927556

I saw once where a farmer had sewer pipe capped at both ends and a ballcock fitted, running along the back of individual pens. Holes cut for out for each pen.

cjpm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120928588#Comment_120928588

Jeez that’s a clever one for individual penning. And just take of one of the caps to let it drain to freshen up the water when required.

mr.stonewall

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120929603#Comment_120929603

Or an elbow and put the hose into it

Anto_Meath

1 thing I find helps working with the suckler cows is to only keep quite heifers for cows. Anything anyway flighty gets the road. There no time to dealing with wild cattle. Sometimes I will bring a bit of meal with me to sprinkle on the grass so cattle are used of me & will come running to me if I have a bucket. I find it handy for moving the around.

This year for the cows coming in heat I have found the "Heatmount" heat detection patches very handy. Saves time standing in the field to see if any are on heat.

emaherx

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120929844#Comment_120929844

Damn right anything flighty or aggressive should be sent packing. All of my cows will follow me to and through a gateway with or without meal. I'm getting out of sucklers though this year and it's one of my biggest concerns is how bought in young cattle will differ now.

smallbeef

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120929981#Comment_120929981

They'll get used to you pretty quick when giving them meal or fresh grass every few days. There are always a few pets that show the others you're not a threat.

Mind you you can get the odd psycho but they will stay with the herd anyway so no hassle moving etc.

Cavanjack

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120929844#Comment_120929844

Agree with the bucket of meal. Run groups of bulls 25-30. When they go out in the spring for a few days I rattle a bucket of meal and throw it on the ground. They follow me like babies for the rest of the year.

farawaygrass

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120928588#Comment_120928588

I saw pictures of that myself but would have a fear of a sheep breaking them during lambing. Probably totally irrational fear 🙈

farawaygrass

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120929981#Comment_120929981

this is my last year having sucklers too. I bought in young stock the last few years too. The cows were great for knowing the run of the place. They’d head straight for the yard when I want to bring them in whereas young stock haven’t a clue where they need to go.

another timesaver I though of in the meantime is a bad habit really, procrastinating, especially on the phone. I often found when I park the tractor or am getting nuts filled for stock, I might take out the phone for a quick look and next thing 20 minutes have passed. Tik Tom is a devil for it.

Siamsa Sessions

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120930337#Comment_120930337

I'm guilty of that too. Can't remember how many times I was making a bit of lunch and waiting on something to heat up under the grill. I'd take out the phone to pass a few seconds, then 5 mins later wonder where the smell of burning was coming from.

jfh

Great to see a bit of positivity in this forum and fair play to the op for starting this thread .seldom see lads revealing that it's possible to have it easy !

a question for the op,would you have even save even more time getting rid of the sucklers and going all dairy beef since you have the auto feeder ?

reason I'm asking is I'm thinking of going that direction myself ,sucklers on the way out and hear good things about the auto feeders .

Lime Tree Farm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120930506#Comment_120930506

Relax, get an air fryer with a timer

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Daewoo-Self-Cleaning-Adjustable-Temperature-Accessories/dp/B07S1D9VJY/ref%3Dmp_s_a_1_1?adgrpid=88959730496&hvadid=410733795357&hvdev=m&hvlocphy=1007850&hvnetw=g&hvqmt=b&hvrand=15065811395757762641&hvtargid=kwd-360443130409&hydadcr=21199_1749500&keywords=goodmans%2Bair%2Bfryer&qid=1691001023&sr=8-1&th=1&psc=1

dmakc

In winter always roll back the pit cover the day before rather than the day of. Nothing worse than being caught having to do it in a storm

jfh

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120931839#Comment_120931839

do you cut it as you go or roll back ? I try to roll back every year but about half way through ,it starts to get very difficult and usually falls back down and ends up with holes through it

massey 265

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058307498/part-time-farming-time-saving-techniques

Been part time farming here for best part of 40 years and i would say that stocking the farm at its correct stocking rate is very important as over stocking can lead to many issues both financially and mentally.Agree with lots of your points but bought a two wheeled barrow 2 yrs ago as u mentioned and Bull Mcabe wouldnt steer it.Tis a mad yoke ,seems to have a mind of its own.Kill a small pony it would.

dmakc

Used to roll until a couple years ago now I just cut. Its quicker, less stress and easier on the back when it gets to the heavy end as you say

mr.stonewall

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120932046#Comment_120932046

Feed the pit opposite way to filling. Gravity helping is an idea.

mr.stonewall

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120931994#Comment_120931994

On concrete it's a pleasure and quick.

I will agree on the stocking rate, finding the sweet spot is the key.

mr.stonewall

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120931724#Comment_120931724

Thanks for the compliment, we are all trying to tweek our own systems, and seeing an idea that could suit you and maybe trying it could help. That was the theme of the thread. Having calves being born on the farm is a huge thing I enjoy, like many others. Breeding decisions and what direction you wish to take is like a drug. Most of the time they go well, buts it's not always a bed of roses with either sucklers or bucket fed calves. Have a bucket fed down with pneumonia at the moment

Breeding is years and years of work combined, even generations. The sucklers here started as calves of the dairy herd and that has breeding going back over 5 human generations. That something you would take pride in.

By calving later this put weaning to later in the year and I do it in the shed calves stay under the cows until January and have creep pen ( slats, no bedding) beside the cows get them onto meal and a week or so before weaning them start closing them off the cows at night. Just give the meal they all run in shut the creep gate and open in the morning when turning off lights. Works really well. No messing with meal in field in the back end.

Auto feeder has been a serious time saver once calves are on it. Bit of work for the first 3 days getting calves trained. I put the 1st batch on it on a Saturday evening and it was still a bit of work on the Monday morning and less the Monday evening. The next 2 batches I put them on it on a Friday evening and most of the hassle was sorted by Sunday evening

mr.stonewall

Another small thing I do and this would suit part timers and full timers, is to leave a big fertiliser bag outside the door of feed passages, or calf shed. It's quick to put the netting in as you go. I dropped on agitation point and at the side that you get in and out of the tractor the most.

mr.stonewall

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120927711#Comment_120927711

That's something I keep meaning to do is to have a supply of emergency consumables, like water fittings, ballcocks etc on the shelf,

I ll have to make a list this winter and top it up, it won't go out of date and will be used

mr.stonewall

A pair spare hydraulic hoses and couplers on the shelf, it's always on the grab on a Sunday morning that they would go.

Albert Johnson

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120931994#Comment_120931994

A father and son team locally who haven't really progressed since about 1975 were in the CoOp one morning when I called in. The father was arguing with the lad behind the counter and I eventually figured out he was looking for a refund on one of those fancy 2 wheel barrows.

The store man was having none of it and said it wasn't up to then to take back used items when the purchaser changed there mind. The farmer said it was no addition to him and that 3 men wouldn't push that hoor of a thing down the fields to spread dung.

Who2

Theres a sight of auto feeders being bought around me and most are lads pulling out of sucklers. Are lads that confident that the dairy crosses will pay their way and not be dropped when Theres a lack of suckler bred stock available and a flush of dairy crosses. I myself think Theres going to be a lot of disappointment with the outcome.

fire away it’ll keep the good continental suckler bred animal being paid for but between extra lads buying calves selling then at the one time it’ll be easy pickings for the likes of bass to pick up stock at handy money.

sorry for going off on a tangent on the thread but it’s something I think is coming down the line.

anthony500_1

As a part time suckler man, the Camera in the calving shed has been my best time saver for me. On a day to day basis, during calving season it saves easily I'd saves 2hrs daily in time spent travelling home and back to work on my break and even getting up in the middle of the night.

I fitted an under water sink heater and sink last year in the yard. Just stuck a normal plug on it very simple set up, didn't cost the earth, when I land in the yard if I know I'm going at some bit of rooting I'll plug it in, might only get used once a month but it's there. had vet out recently and if nothing else it was nice to be able to offer a warm bit of water to wash his paws

And ordering stuff either by phone or on line, and getting it delivered. For a tenner you would have most stuff left to the door to yea. And not spending an hour each way travelling to a co op plus your fuel costs on top