Farming Chit Chat sticks it to six.

Reading the current teagasc magazine here at breakfast and fair play to the lad who went from 50 cows in 2014 to 120 this year,having spent savings on buying the extra cows and borrowing a shed load of money for new housing

However, the last line in the article I find Ironic, when he says 'if it doesn't pay why do it?'

How long will he need to be farming to get the probably well north of 100k he apparently spent of his own money (having gone back to work to earn it,he looks at most about 30 so must be a heart surgeon to have gathered that so quick) to buy the 70 in calf heifers, not to mention maybe a total of up to 200k on the new housing, half of which is bank borrowings

The opportunity cost at even 0.5% interest lost on the hundred k plus and say 6% that has to be paid on the other 100k

Not a decision I'd like to have taken with current milk prices
I'd have changed tack and sold 40 of the cows this year,postponing the building and cancelling the rest of the borrowing

Have to wish them the best of luck though and to each their own etc

Wonder what Whelan is getting me today