Farmers take 19 days holidays on average while target is 60 - Teagasc

Farmers on average take just 19 days holidays per year and the target they should be aiming for is greater than 60, according to Teagasc.

Speaking at the Moorepark open day on Wednesday, researcher Conor Hogan said that profitability and working hours are key to making dairy farms a more attractive place to work.

The average dairy farmer according to Teagasc research is working over 12 hours per day - starting before 7am and not finishing until after 7pm in the evening.

Dairy farmers, Hogan said, should be aiming to start at 7am in the morning and be finished 6pm in the evening, reducing total hours worked per week to less than 48.

The top 25% of farmers are working 51 hours per week and take 33 days holidays per year.

"We're suggesting that farmers take a day a week as well as a two week holiday. Luckily with these things, they are all within our control and we have the ability to change them," Hogan said.

Milking interval

There are also four must haves according to Hogan for making these farms a more attractive place to work - an eight-hour milking interval, using contractors particularly in spring, having efficient facilities and building a farm team for support.

"Milking and calf care - they're consuming about half of our labour input in spring. They have to be the priority, we're particularly looking at rows of cows during milking and targeting that seven or eight rows mark."