A FARMER SPEAKS

Gerald Dunne, Bree, Enniscorthy

Married, Kathy

Family, Four sons 23-15 years

All children still in education

Kathy working at home, full-time

FARM

• Home/Leased Farm: Liquid Contract1300 litres/day (78%)

• Cropping 2006

Ha

Maize 15

Wheat/Barley 30

Grassland 131

Ha Quota (Litres)

Owned 70 280,000

Leased 53 325,000

Managed 65 310,000

Total 176 910,000

MANAGED FARM• 11 kms from home farm

• Owner runs a business in UK

• Seven years, open ended, from 1st. October 2004

LEASED FARMS• 182,000 litres/28 ha since 1996

• 143,000 litres/25 ha since 1997

• Both Farm Retirement Scheme Participants

• Distance 20kms from Home Farm

• Rent paid on land and quota since 1996 = c. €500,000

• 1996 Existing Family Partnership dissolved, with land/quota divided

LIVESTOCK CARRIED

Own, plus two full-time in 2005

Extra man employed for 2006

LABOUR EMPLOYED

Dairy: Milking Cows 155

0-1 y.o. 70

1-2 y.o. 70

Beef: 0-1 y.o. 80

1-2 y.o. 80

S.R. 2.4lu/grass ha or 1.7lu/Farm ha (c. 150kgs org N/Ha)

2005 Yields produced per cow: Home Farm 7385 litres

Managed 4882 litres

2004 EFFICIENCY DETAILS

• Dairy Common Costs 13.22 cpl

• Dairy Common Profit 22.15 cpl

But…

Less i) Labour

ii) Interest

iii) Leases = Net Profit

• Profits are in top 10% of autumn calving winter herds – some (limited) scope for

efficiency gains

• Teagasc 2004 Profit Monitor Analysis ex. 134 winter herds:

Dairy Common Costs 12.40 cpl

Dairy Common Profit 21.70 cpl

MILK QUALITY DETAILS – HOME FARM

Milk Payment to reward solids yield?

2005 2004

Butterfat 3.95 3.98

Protein 3.42 3.39

TBC 12,000 11,000

SCC 180,000 182,000

Thermodurics 120 180

KEY INGREDIENTS OF FARM EFFICIENCY

• Nutrition

– Maize

– Alternative Forages

• Animal Breeding/Milk Recording

– AI

– EBI

• Grassland Management

– Reseeding

• Focus on Fixed Costs Control

THE FUTURE• I wish to remain in and expand milk production

• Further growth in production/quota

– Producing 1mil litres

– Managing 1 mil litres

• Quotas – How long more?

• Partnerships

• Continuation of Productivity Improvement

• Have a sustainable business, long-term

• Off-farm investment