Conversion from beef to dairy

Description

  • Increase output, more profitable system
  • Job satisfaction, economically more sustainable
  • Getting used to the dairy animal and the dairy system
  • More profitable system
  • Economic results
  • Farmer focus: planning, bank loans, knowledge, new investments
  • Support team
  • Discussion groups
  • Increase profits

Reason for the innovation

Increase output while minimising costs:

  • Pasturebase
  • Planning
  • Bank loans and repayments
  • New knowledge

Farm description

Environment

  • Soil type: Clayey-loam
  • Climate type: Temperate Oceanic Climate
  • Agricultural area (ha UAA): 140
  • Arable land area (ha): 44
  • Permanent grassland area (ha): 96
  • Average stocking rate (agriculture area) (LU/ha UAA): 2.4
  • Average stocking rate (grassland area) (LU/ha): 2.8
  • Altitude: Variation across the farm (200m)
  • Slope: Variation across different paddocks (20%)

Grassland management

  • Grazing: Yes
  • Grazing management type: Rotational grazing

Structure

  • Annual work units (AWU): 2.5
  • Main animal type: Dairy
  • Number of animals (heads): 300
  • Total Livestock unit (LU): 270
  • Number of reproductive animals (heads): 280
  • Breed type 1: Fr*Je
  • Breed type 2: Fr

Animal performance

  • Milk production per head (l/year/dairy animal): 5000l
  • Grassland management type: Rotational
  • Length of grazing period: 280 days
  • Fertilization rate (kg N/ha): 245

Why it is working

  • Increase output, more profitable system
  • Job satisfaction, economically more sustainable
  • Getting used to the dairy animals and the dairy system
  • More profitable, sustainable system
  • Planning, bank loans, knowledge, new investments
  • Support team
  • Discussion groups
  • Pasturebase

Additional information

Farming system

conventional farming

Domains of innovation

farm system, grazing management system

Main types of animal

dairy cattle

Country

Ireland

Product type

Farmer portrait

Language

English

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