Introduction• We are farming near Cappoquin,Waterford

• 800 feet above sea level

• I am married to Amy and we have 1 child

• Invested €116,500 on farm since I started in 1998, this doesn’t include a land loan which I am also funding from the farm

• Expanded from 52 cows in 2007 to 92 cows in 2013.

• Rainfall in 2012 was 1233mm

• Why? To provide a more sustainable business.

Cows Development

1998-2007 52 Slurry storage

Housing

Land Purchase

2008 56 ---------------------

2009 64 Reseeding

2010 61 Reseeding

Paddocks/Roadways

Drainage

2011 80 Reseeding

Paddocks

Drainage

2012 82 Reseeding

Paddocks/Roadways

Drainage

Fencing

Milking facilities

Cows Development

1998-2007 52 Slurry storage

Housing

Land Purchase

2008 56 ---------------------

2009 64 Reseeding

2010 61 Reseeding

Paddocks/Roadways

Drainage

2011 80 Reseeding

Paddocks

Drainage

2012 82 Reseeding

Paddocks/Roadways

Drainage

Fencing

Milking facilities

€116,500 InvestedExcl. Land

Leased Farm(1) x ha (x miles)

Humps and Hollows

Dairy Milking Area(36.57Ha) 42ha if humps included

Farmyard

Details of My Farm

41.84ha available incl. humps& hollows

Soil Fertility Status - 2012

P Status K Status

Average ph 5.73

Index 265%

Index 115%Index 3

18%

Index 42%

K index of the farm Jan 2012

Index 234%

Index 142%

Index 322%

Index 42%

P index of the farm Jan 2012

Stock Numbers & Stocking RateStocking Rate

Cow No. 0-1yrs(Heifers)

1-2yrs (Heifers)

2013 2.52 92 23 31

2012 2.19 82 31 44

2011 2.19 80 44 20

2010 1.67 61

Grass Production

• Grew 9 T Dm /Ha in 2012

• Grew 11.5T Dm/Ha in 2011

• 7.6 Tonnes DM/ha(79%) utilised in 2012

• 700 Kgs Concentrate fed/cow

Grass Growth Rates 2012

• Insert the graph

05

1015202530354045505560657075808590

28-Jan11-Feb25-Feb11-Mar25-Mar08-Apr22-Apr06-May20-May03-Jun17-Jun01-Jul15-Jul29-Jul12-Aug26-Aug09-Sep23-Sep07-Oct21-Oct04-Nov18-Nov02-Dec

2011

2012

2012 Demand/ha = Growth Rate/ha from:

Early May

EarlyJuly

Milk Solids Production on Daniels farm 2011,2012 and 2013 forecasted

0

1000

2000

3000

4000

5000

6000

Jan. Feb. Mar. Apr. May. Jun. Jul. Aug. Sep. Oct. Nov. Dec.

Milk solids produced per month

Kgs mi

lk soli

dsMilk solids/month2011

Milk solids/month2012

20132011-400kgMs/cow or 851 kgMs/Ha2012-338kgMs/cow or 739kgMs/Ha2013 -Forecast 352kgMs/cow or 886kgMs/Ha

Milk Solids Production(kgs Milk solids produced)

13.Total kgs Milk Solids Produced 2011 -20132013 is forcasted

25000 26000 27000 28000 29000 30000 31000 32000 33000

2011

2012

2013

Herd Fertility2012 2013

% Heifers NIC 7.5%

No. weeks breeding 10

% Cows NIC 2.5%

No. Weeks breeding 10

Start Date Calving 10-Feb 28-Jan

Days when 50% herd calved 11 12

No. Cows calved by 20th March 62 90

Herd EBI 124 140

• Reseeding

• Roadways

• Good Fencing between paddocks & roadways

• Phased Development worked well

Things we got right √

Things we got wrong

• No where for maiden/breeding heifers to go

Things we got wrong X

Lessons learned along the way

1.As you increase cow number- young stock numbers increase, pressure on yard facilities

2. Heifers really under stress this year = high SCC

3.As young stock increase so too does grass demand

4.Plan expenditure for the priority areas

5.Reaching targets a challenge i.e. heifer weights

6.More bulk buying e.g. meal for calves

Lessons learned along the way7. Feb and Mar -driest months of the year on my farm over 10 yr

period

8. Not having enough milk produced in Feb & Mar means it will be Apr before there is a milk cheque

9. No Poaching

10.Walk and measure farm 1-2 times /wk

11. Close with adequate grass cover (700kg DM/ha)

12.Expanding means there is more demand on silage & grass

Lessons learned along the way

13. Expanding means there is more demand on silage & grass

14.Choosing good EBI bulls will lead to a better cow for the system

15.Be flexible in a bad weather year

16.Measure your winter feed stocks early

17.Calf rearing = same time as it takes to milk = too long!

18.Need to be super organised with a 1 MAN OPERATION

In Summary

• Phase 1 Getting the grass growing/drainage/roadways

• Phase 2 Growing the herd

• Phase 3 Now! Slurry Storage cubicles/milk tank