Once a day milking

No I haven't my mind made up for sure yet but 1 thing I do know is I don't like milking cows twice a day and want to be in a scenario in a couple of years where I have no 1 to do any thing so I would be interested in the 10-7 or OAD ?
I know all of ye are sick of me by now but I was talking to a man yesterday that said I was doing the right thing exploring my options now rather than when I would be on my own .
Nothing wrong with exploring your options and I think everyone on here would agree .however a lot of very good advice has been given that wouldn't have cost anything to try out and you choose to ignore which of course is your right .I personally have got a lot of advice through the forum over the yrs and been very thankful for it .I wish you the very best for the future whatever direction you take .
 
Another thing is multi tasking. Doing the mats as taking cows out of shed. Not standing at teat feeder waiting for calves to drink it all, bedding the shed or giving out meal instead. Etc
This is the reason why basically every single business owner with staff should be able to justify their time being worth the likes of 50e/hour (worth I did say, not necessarily you are drawing this down, you might be expanding the business etc with it). But anyways the reason you have to do this is because of your ability to multitask against most staff, who will literally take 3 times as long to do the same amount of work. It really lets you hone in then on ditching the jobs which genuinely you can't multitask as (lets say basic tractor work like slurry, or pure labouring jobs), and you should be outscoring them 1stly, while you stay going at your efficient multitasking jobs. I include milking as an easy to outsource job myself, springtime I always have someone in the parlour one milking a day, they milk solo until they get hardship, while I do other multitasking jobs like feeding calves, nuts, lime clubicles etc.
 
Doing out my profit monitor for 2021 today. I had been half fearing that I'd of blown my labour budget, given I've employed 3 lads part time for most the year (they basically did half the milkings between them, alongside a dozen or so hours a month general labour), however total amount came to under 20k, including all taxes etc that I had to cover. Lets say I skimmed and did all that work myself, and drew down the 20k instead, I'd be left with at best 12k in my pocket, and I'd be a hell of alot more stressed out and had to sacrifice alot more off farm stuff to rush home early to milk etc. So yep, moving forwards I'm absolutely never going to sacrifice that.
 
Last edited:
Would you say getting heifers contract reared Tim would come in under that bracket too for labour saving(I know you don't do it but just in general )?
 
Podge you have some mental block in your head thinking that spending money or changing your whole system is going to be a magical way to fix your problems. How in gods name are you going to do any of the huge changes when you can’t even get out the fucking bed an hour or two earlier. Your going around in circles here asking the same questions over and over. I know we as farmers have come along way with identifying people who are suffering with depression but your starting to push people too far now. You need to get off the internet and get some professional help.
 
I think there is an admirable strength in podge for being so honest and anyone trying to help only mean the best and are equally admirable to me. I have dealings with similar folk all my life and i ve hit some high walls too as I'm sure many here have.
Podge, i would suggest that if you can force yourself to make 1 change, your choice, doesn't have to cost the earth. Is it in you? You d be surprised how it might help . I agree with Neat sentiment also that it is only Podge can do this, no one else.
 
Most people posting in this thread are trying to help podge. Only he can help himself though. Hopefully we'll get an update of decisions being made and worked on soon.
 
The last part of the sentence you quoted is a bit much, most replies have shown a lot of patience but the rest is true.
If the OP is truly depressed, then to do what he has done is fair going - getting in Grasstec, talking to father, visiting doctor, speaking with neighbours about a way forward etc... is good progress in the timeframe.

In regards to getting "out the fucking bed an hour or two earlier" well that's what depression does to you. Some farmers have come a long way in identifying and engaging with people with depression, others haven't.

I'm not giving the OP a bye-ball on this though as there are some simple changes they can make to make their life better. I'm sure they know it too, its just a matter of doing it.
 
That's a bit strong. Maybe you should unsubscribe from the thread if you are being pushed too far.
Pick out whatever bits you like lad. If you read back over the thread, the op actually has two threads going with much the same content, you’ll see that I’ve been very supportive of the problem the op has. But at some stage someone has to speak up and say something truthfully which is get up two hours earlier like they have been asked to try maybe 20 times. So maybe getting out the bed is a better shout then drastically changing your whole life. Anyway if you don’t like what I wrote unsubscribe from the thread. Works both fucking ways.
 
Steady on lads.

Ye're getting frustrated at posts on the internet going round in circles, indecision, nothing changing.

Put yourselves in the shoes of the man who's baring all to post this stuff and despite all the good advice he know's he's getting is struggling to change anything.

Podge isn't some teenager dreaming about being a silage contractor on the internet, he's not doing this for some fantasy.

Imagine how frustrating it must be living like that. Mental health problems take many forms, anxiety can be utterly paralyzing. If you haven't experienced it you wouldn't believe how illogical it can be.
 
So an update from my corner still in dairying anyway,I have brought forward the evening milking time,but to be honest it doesn't make much difference to me it's the empty feeling I get during the day from working on my own most of the time that gets me ( is this normal in dairy farming I dunno ?)

So please don't slate me but before I pull the plug on dairy farming should I try getting in a lad for 3 days a week and I go look for a job them 3 days then not related to farming and see if it's want I want to do for sure ?..
 
I would get in a him or a her to milk and I would use the time for self development eg. a hobby or education . If you go for a job it will be €15 an hour and dancing to someone else’s tune.
Working on your own with an empty feeling is not a good place to be . Next week I am starting a course on heritage and researching family trees. I have done one’s on photography and first aid . Being away from the farm is not being idle . Go to religious meetings or join Sinn Fein or the Green Party.
 
So an update from my corner still in dairying anyway,I have brought forward the evening milking time,but to be honest it doesn't make much difference to me it's the empty feeling I get during the day from working on my own most of the time that gets me ( is this normal in dairy farming I dunno ?)

So please don't slate me but before I pull the plug on dairy farming should I try getting in a lad for 3 days a week and I go look for a job them 3 days then not related to farming and see if it's want I want to do for sure ?..
Podge , the price of milk has never been so good , get someone with you full time . If nothing else it would be company for you .
 
So an update from my corner still in dairying anyway,I have brought forward the evening milking time,but to be honest it doesn't make much difference to me it's the empty feeling I get during the day from working on my own most of the time that gets me ( is this normal in dairy farming I dunno ?)

So please don't slate me but before I pull the plug on dairy farming should I try getting in a lad for 3 days a week and I go look for a job them 3 days then not related to farming and see if it's want I want to do for sure ?..

Go for it. It’s a great solution without too much commitment. You get to see if you like the job without anything too dramatic on the farm

You might as well go for a full time man so that you can have some time off, if you’re working off farm 3 days and on farm 4 days you’ll never get a break. Get a man 5 days and then yer both happy
 
Podge , the price of milk has never been so good , get someone with you full time . If nothing else it would be company for you .
One of the 18yr olds who has been milking part time here the last 2yrs told me he's off to Australia in afew week's time to work on a 800 or so dairyfarm. He's not from a farming background and got most his farm experience here, so its also rewarding to know that me employing him has helped lead him towards this opportunity. And I guess that sums up dairying for me nowadays, I'm nearly more a farm manager than actual farmer, with 4 different part time staff, so it totally changes the dynamic and environmental of your job. I was in Podges situation before, and I didn't enjoy it at all, especially while having arguments with my dad about the direction of the farm, it took afew yrs but I've a totally different outlook on everything nowadays and having good staff and a much more manageable workload for myself has been a huge part of that change.
 
Back
Top