Dairy Farming

L&Jfarms · #1 01/07/10, 05:58 PM

So i'm thinking of buying about 20 jersey bottle calves this winter, and then milking them when they are older. Im just doing this for a little extra cash. I grow corn and oats for all my other animals so i will just feed them that and i also grow my own hay so i'm not to worried about the feed. So what do you all think of this venture?

springvalley · #2 01/07/10, 06:16 PM

Do you have a place for your milk to go. We had this problem, we have no small farms left around here. Only bigger farms(not huge) so milk haulers don`t want to stop for the little guys. We had this happen this last fall, as our cows were drying off our milk went down, no one wants to stop for a small amount of milk. So we have been selling raw milk off the farm starting in November. It has gone ok, and what milk we don`t sell goes to the pigs. When spring comes and the cows calf, we may then go back to selling to the company. And maybe not, because they are not going to pay me what I`m getting now. Where are you from, some places like small farmers better. Thanks Marc

triple divide · #3 01/07/10, 06:23 PM

Bad idea.

There is no extra cash to be found in the dairy business right now unless you are direct marketing to an established crowd already, and have the market demand. Furthermore, I don't see there being any real appreciable rise in prices for fluid milk sold to plants vs. the rise of production cost.

I'm not even going to get into equipment, inspections, and kissing your free time good-bye.

I'm the fourth generation farmer in the family taking over the business. Our primary effort the last 95 years has been milk production. We sold the cows a couple years ago and have never seen the future of dairying look so bleak.

topside1 · #4 01/07/10, 06:40 PM

From what I've been told most small operations are losing 10% into the red per month...Sure makes me ill just thinking of the time spent losing money...Something needs to change and soon....topside

topside1 · #5 01/07/10, 06:42 PM

P.S. watch the movie Food Inc...it will give you some perspective on farming these days.

FarmerChick · #6 01/07/10, 06:56 PM

my best friend Barb is a dairy farmer
milking 125 now.

they lost $140,000 this year

they are in trouble. they are older now, tired, worn down to the bone--FIL started the biz, his son took it over. Barb has milked for over 30 years. She is worn out! Very hard life. 365 24/7 no way around it.

insurance for the 3 of them (her, hubby and son) was $23,000 for the year

a small dairy---I wouldn't touch it with a 39 1/2 foot pole.

But if you stay small enough, don't throw in tons of money and have a market, sure some cash can be made! If there is a customer base and you can find it and they have money...good combo!

best of luck if you proceed

copperhead46 · #7 01/07/10, 09:18 PM

First off, do you have an idea of what 20 Jersey heifers would cost? I don't know what area you are in but around here, they are pretty pricey, when you can find them. Second, you will probably lose some of them, so factor in the losses, then in three years you will be able to start milking heifers, who won't be into full production till the second lactation. then last but not least, there is not a lot of money in dairying anymore. I really can't see where this venture would lead to "extra money", but more than likely, a lot less money in your pocket.

myersfarm · #8 01/07/10, 11:31 PM

24 / 7 for ever no vacatins no staying over night any were.....no nothing but milking cows feeding getting feed and making feed

tjm

topside1 · #9 01/08/10, 04:28 AM

Oh and breaking ice on the water troughs four times a day....brrrr

Tad · #10 01/08/10, 05:02 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by topside1

P.S. watch the movie Food Inc...it will give you some perspective on farming these days.

First of all food inc is a LOAD of the cow manure I deal with everyday. Thats like fact gathering from the peta website! Depends how you do it really, if you can supply the grain you feed them and all the feed you will do well. If you work smart things can go well. We rotational graze and feed very little grain in the summer and also feed only balage and grain in the winter. We have only a few hay tools and no seed/ fertilizer bills. My father and I can make a liveing off of 70 cows, we were in the black all year with prices in the $10 range. The 2010 forcast is $15.90 avg blend price so by Feb we will be makeing $6,000 to 8,000 over expences, thats after salary too. Who knows what the price will be in 2 years when your cows freshen but it is alot of work but it is also rewarding.

sammyd · #11 01/08/10, 06:29 AM

If you have a place to milk them that is all ready set up, if you graze, if you don't lose too many, if you don't get too many that won't settle, if you're in an area that still takes small shippers maybe you might make a few bucks.
Buddy of mine bought 20 ready to milk, he's still working for free, milk check is pretty much spoken for, has to hang gutters to have money to live on.

Up North · #12 01/08/10, 06:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by springvalley

Do you have a place for your milk to go. We had this problem, we have no small farms left around here. Only bigger farms(not huge) so milk haulers don`t want to stop for the little guys. We had this happen this last fall, as our cows were drying off our milk went down, no one wants to stop for a small amount of milk. So we have been selling raw milk off the farm starting in November. It has gone ok, and what milk we don`t sell goes to the pigs. When spring comes and the cows calf, we may then go back to selling to the company. And maybe not, because they are not going to pay me what I`m getting now. Where are you from, some places like small farmers better. Thanks Marc

The same thing happened to us.

I'd say if you can pay cash along the way then go for it. I wouldn't go in debt to milk cows. I do know folks who went this route and they are better off for it.

Jennifer L. · #13 01/08/10, 06:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by L&Jfarms

So i'm thinking of buying about 20 jersey bottle calves this winter, and then milking them when they are older. Im just doing this for a little extra cash. I grow corn and oats for all my other animals so i will just feed them that and i also grow my own hay so i'm not to worried about the feed. So what do you all think of this venture?

If you can grow 100% of your feed and have the barn and the set up for milking now, so you won't be buying equipment, then you could try it. Otherwise, don't bother. You can't just milk a cow and sell the milk like you can do other farming, you have to have a barn with proper equipment, drains, water supply, etc. It's about like running a restaurant, with US public health inspections and your own state inspectors in your barn three or four times a year.

Or you could raise the calves up to springers and sell them in two years to someone else. There won't be a lot of money in that if the prices don't start moving up for milk.

Good luck. I did it for most of my working life and for the most part enjoyed it.

Jennifer