David's going Dairying.

davidk1394 · 09-04-2019 2:32pm #1

I’ve created a new thread so you can follow my journey into dairy farming. I’ve made the decision to start milking cows by February 2021. The first of the calves arrived today. I’ll post along the way

Here’s a link to my old thread: https://touch.boards.ie/thread/2057681402/1/#post101948565

whelan2 · 09-04-2019 2:36pm

Best of luck with it

Panch18 · 09-04-2019 3:20pm

davidk1394 wrote: »

I’ve created a new thread so you can follow my journey into dairy farming. I’ve made the decision to start milking cows by February 2021. The first of the calves arrived today. I’ll post along the way

Here’s a link to my old thread: https://touch.boards.ie/thread/2057681402/1/#post101948565

Best of luck with it David

So what's the main jist of your plan at the moment?

_Brian · 09-04-2019 3:22pm

Good for you.
Sometimes making the decision to change is the hardest part. !

Say my name · 09-04-2019 3:29pm

Someone's fairly confident Boards won't be kaput by then. :pac:

KAMG · 09-04-2019 3:37pm

Best of luck with this. It's a massive move but once the decision is made you wont feel the 2 years flying by.

Buford T. Justice XIX · 09-04-2019 3:40pm

Best of luck with it, David.

Not that you'll need it:)

Pod123 · 09-04-2019 3:47pm

Best of luck and hope you enjoy it

davidk1394 · 09-04-2019 5:41pm

So at the moment I bought 10 diary calves. Average ebi of these calves is €180. I also bought some beef heifers so I can sell them later in the year to buy more stock. I bought the calves off 2 proven herds and they will have bulling heifers to sell the beginning of next year.

Currently working on transferring over the farm and herd number to my name. We looked into the benefits of a succession plan but decided an all out transfer is a lot easier.

My aim is to start out milking 70 top quality cows, then work myself upto 100 over a number of years.

jaymla627 · 09-04-2019 6:37pm

davidk1394 wrote: »

So at the moment I bought 10 diary calves. Average ebi of these calves is €180. I also bought some beef heifers so I can sell them later in the year to buy more stock. I bought the calves off 2 proven herds and they will have bulling heifers to sell the beginning of next year.

Currently working on transferring over the farm and herd number to my name. We looked into the benefits of a succession plan but decided an all out transfer is a lot easier.

My aim is to start out milking 70 top quality cows, then work myself upto 100 over a number of years.

Word of advice would be not to bank on all your bought-in stock pulling up trees and been top quality Milkers from year one even with high ebi and bought of good fountain herds, it will take a good number of years before you get a settled mature herd that your anyway happy with

blue5000 · 09-04-2019 9:57pm

Good luck with the milkers, apply for PP for the parlour soon, as any delays won't be long complicating things.

Tell me how · 10-04-2019 1:19pm

Best of luck David. Not an active farmer here so have no advice to give but I wanted to wish you luck.
Love seeing people striving to do something for themselves.

Muckit · 10-04-2019 1:33pm

Best of luck David

Sugarbowl · 10-04-2019 2:14pm

How many units will you put in David?

Muckit · 10-04-2019 3:05pm

Probably 27 and a half

kevthegaff · 10-04-2019 4:41pm

I started as a new entrant 12 yrs ago as a 24 yr old full of energy, tough at times but I'm still here☺ best of luck

davidk1394 · 10-04-2019 6:10pm

jaymla627 wrote: »

Word of advice would be not to bank on all your bought-in stock pulling up trees and been top quality Milkers from year one even with high ebi and bought of good fountain herds, it will take a good number of years before you get a settled mature herd that your anyway happy with

Very true. I know the first couple of years will have its ups and downs. Hopefully I’ll manage it

davidk1394 · 10-04-2019 6:12pm

kevthegaff wrote: »

I started as a new entrant 12 yrs ago as a 24 yr old full of energy, tough at times but I'm still here☺ best of luck

Ha ha same age as myself :P I think it’s a good age to start. I’m a bit more level headed than 2 years ago and I know what I want to do and have goals set.

davidk1394 · 10-04-2019 6:18pm

Sugarbowl wrote: »

How many units will you put in David?

If it’s a parlor it’ll be a 16 unit, plenty big for me. A friend of mine put in a new De Laval parlor last year and I enjoy milking in it. It’s all De Laval around here because one of my neighbors installs them and services them. Another friend of mine in the locality is currently putting in a GEA parlor. I’m want to see how it goes for them. It looks like a lovely parlor, well designed and built.

I am still undecided on going for a parlor or robots. After the last 2/3 years I have pros and cons for both. I am going to visit 2 more dairy farms with robots. There is going to be an open day held on one of them next week in Cappaquin in Waterford.
In the coming months I’ll make my decision.

Bullocks · 10-04-2019 7:04pm

Best of luck David. Will you keep a few ewes aswell still or get out completely?

topnotch · 10-04-2019 7:11pm

Good man David hope everything works out well for ya.

SuperTortoise · 10-04-2019 7:48pm

Good luck in you new venture, i know very little about dairying never grew up around it and where i am dairy men are few and far between so i have'nt much advice for you, but i hope it all pans out.

Dunedin · 10-04-2019 8:51pm

Best of luck to you. I know nothing about milk so no advice for you on that front only that I hope it works out for you I always hate to see something not work out for a lad that really tried.

visatorro · 10-04-2019 9:45pm

kevthegaff wrote: »

I started as a new entrant 12 yrs ago as a 24 yr old full of energy, tough at times but I'm still here☺ best of luck

What would you say to that 24 year old kev now if you got a hold of him?!

I spent my twenties drinking and acting the bolox. When the quota went my quota for the good times was well full up. Playing serious catch up now trying to make my farm a viable enterprise. Just as well the kids are out of nappies now.
Looking back I couldn't Insist on money being spent around yard or using AI and me down the town chasing some beautiful lady around supermacs. And still going home alone 99% of the time!

Dunedin · 10-04-2019 9:52pm

visatorro wrote: »

What would you say to that 24 year old kev now if you got a hold of him?!

I spent my twenties drinking and acting the bolox. When the quota went my quota for the good times was well full up. Playing serious catch up now trying to make my farm a viable enterprise. Just as well the kids are out of nappies now.
Looking back I couldn't Insist on money being spent around yard or using AI and me down the town chasing some beautiful lady around supermacs. And still going home alone 99% of the time!

Yeah, but think of the memories for that 1%.......priceless

visatorro · 10-04-2019 10:00pm

Dunedin wrote: »

Yeah, but think of the memories for that 1%.......priceless

Oh I dunno about that either!!

anthony500_1 · 10-04-2019 10:07pm

Like many others I can offer no advice on the dairy side of things, but wish you every success in your new venture.

Timmaay · 10-04-2019 10:15pm

I was 26 when I came back here full time, I'll admit me and my dad certainly didn't see eye to eye them early days in terms of the farm direction, and I remember maybe 2yrs later talking to a neighbour with a dairyfarm, he had a 16yr son who was enthusiastic about dairying, I got talking about how I was 26 when I came home and some days I wondered was that too young, the neighbour jsut goes "26, hmm 10yrs until my lad that age, I'm defo not hanging on that long dairying if he doesn't come back till then" hahah.

But there really is no correct age to start out, see some of the world when your young and free in your early 20s defo, but equally so if you have a well managed compact calving dairyfarm with good relief labour no reason you can't take good lengths of time off, I know a good few dairyfarmers who take a month or more off in the quiet season.

kevthegaff · 10-04-2019 10:25pm

visatorro wrote: »

kevthegaff wrote: »

I started as a new entrant 12 yrs ago as a 24 yr old full of energy, tough at times but I'm still here☺ best of luck

What would you say to that 24 year old kev now if you got a hold of him?!

I spent my twenties drinking and acting the bolox. When the quota went my quota for the good times was well full up. Playing serious catch up now trying to make my farm a viable enterprise. Just as well the kids are out of nappies now.
Looking back I couldn't Insist on money being spent around yard or using AI and me down the town chasing some beautiful lady around supermacs. And still going home alone 99% of the time!

I have a masters in soft ware engineering so maybe I went the wrong track! No things worked out, reading that post I still enjoyed meself chain and drink in. I think its getting harderbin dairying with numbers increasing, I'm aching atm hurling a little after a hectic spring. I'm considering with 3 kids of a few different options in the future. Oad is one

visatorro · 10-04-2019 10:55pm

kevthegaff wrote: »

I have a masters in soft ware engineering so maybe I went the wrong track! No things worked out, reading that post I still enjoyed meself chain and drink in. I think its getting harderbin dairying with numbers increasing, I'm aching atm hurling a little after a hectic spring. I'm considering with 3 kids of a few different options in the future. Oad is one

Like that if you didn't love it you wouldn't be at it!
No fear of expansion here thank god. I couldn't handle it!!

Reggie. · 10-04-2019 11:12pm

visatorro wrote: »

Like that if you didn't love it you wouldn't be at it!
No fear of expansion here thank god. I couldn't handle it!!

If ya got out of bed at a reasonable hour it would help

David's going Dairying.

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