Contract-rearing is presently attracting a lot of interest. Contract-rearing provides an excellent heifer-rearing option for dairy farmers.

Research has shown little difference in dairy replacement costs whether a farmer opts to:

  • Rear replacements themselves.
  • Have replacements contract-reared.
  • Buy in replacements.
  • Land, stocking rate and fodder requirements are reduced.

    Labour requirements are reduced.

    Contract-rearing has really proved beneficial where milking platform land has been released, or where it has reduced stocking rates for nitrates, or where labour is in short supply.

    On the flip side, contract-rearing provides an excellent alternative, add on or stepped back enterprise for rearer farmers. It has proven to be an attractive option as an add on for beef and suckler farmers or as an enterprise for retiring dairy farmers.

  • The rearer remains an active farmer.
  • Income is known and received monthly.
  • There is no money tied up in stock.
  • Typically, the rearer will have two batches of heifers from the dairy farmer.

    Batch 1: calves/weanlings received weaned at the end of May each year.

    Batch 2: yearling/bulling heifers for the bull in May that will return to the dairy farm in December or January, one or two months prior to calving.

    On average, the heifers remain on the rearer farm for 600 days with a typical daily rate between €1 and €1.40 per head per day, the more the rearer does or provides the higher the rate.

    Important dos and don’ts:

  • Do have an agreement that clearly outlines who does and who is responsible for what.
  • Do record all movements through the DVO/AIMS.
  • Don’t mix different batches of cattle.
  • Don’t consider contract-rearing if your farm has a TB issue.
  • The Land Mobility Service is presently updating its database of potential rearer farms and dairy farmers looking at contract-rearing. This database is then used to match people up.

    Anyone wishing to be included or interested in exploring contract-rearing should send an e mail to info@landmobility.ieLand Mobility Opportunities

    A key element of the Land Mobility Service is matching people to opportunities. This is a brokerage service to find the ideal farmer match for you. Call 01-4199555 to speak with our specialist team and provide your details and preferred option. Confidentiality is assured. Qualified leads will be passed to you for further consideration.

    Farms for Lease

  • Wanted grassland farmer with land to graze beef cattle on a headage based system. Willing to make upfront payment if required. | REFERENCE tx39
  • Dairy Opportunity

  • DAIRY FARM FOR Lease Tipperary/Borrisleigh/Thurles area. 90 acre dairy farm with an additional 16 acres support ground if required. 10 unit Dairymaster milking parlour with feeders, 10,000 litre Bulk Tank, 120 cubicles, Calf house, 120 cubicles, surplus slurry storage. Grassland of excellent quality and good fertility laid out in paddocks. The owner wishes to retire and is looking to lease the farm long term either as a milking farm or else a heifer/support farm. | REFERENCE OK16
  • Dairy Farm Millford/Dromocolliher area. 42 Hectares in one block with a tidy, easy to manage farmyard which includes an 8 unit milking parlour, 7200 litre bulk tank, meal feeders & meal bin, collecting yard, silage slab, 80 cow cubicles, adjacent loose sheds, weanling cubicles and surplus slurry storage. The farm is laid out in paddocks with roadways and water. Farm soil fertility and reseeding is good, the farm is dry and grows significant amounts of grass. The owners wish to step back and explore a long term lease option. | REFERENCE NV07
  • SOUTH CORK DAIRY farm for lease in the Carrigaline area. 80 acres all in one block and all in grass with farm roadways and paddocks in place. Facilities include a 12 unit Dairymaster parlour with stall work in place to increase to 16 units, Dairymaster feeders with 10 tonne mean bin and 6 tonne secondary meal bin, 11,000 litre bulk tank, 84 cubicles with automatic scrapers, slats for 70 cattle, calf shed, calving shed, various other storage sheds and slurry storage capacity of 350,000 gallons. Also current silage stocks of 166 tonnes of 2018 pit silage and 420 2018 silage bales. Owner is looking to establish a long term lease. | REFERENCE TX40
  • CORK- MITCHELSTOWN AREA, 120 acre dairy farm all in one block presently carrying 90 cows. Infrastructure includes 90 cubicles, calving area, calf shed, 250,000 gallons of slurry storage, 12 unit Dairymaster Parlour, 6,500 litre bulk tank & water system. The owner is open to the farm being used as either a milking farm or heifer farm. This farm is naked land with No Entitlements attached. The owner is looking to identify a suitable collaborator with a view to establishing a long term lease. | REFERENCE TX37
  • SHARE MILKER WANTED for 200 cow dairy farm operating on 220 acres of land of which 160 acres are owned and the remainder is on long lease. The dairy platform is 180 acres. The owner is working and living off farm. Owner wishes to link up with a skilled young dairy farmer to develop a share milking or dairy partnership arrangement. Co. Kerry. | REFERENCE CA03
  • WORKING DAIRY FARM 140 acres in one block with good infrastructure including 16 unit parlour and 140 cubicles. Farm presently milking 120 high EBI cows. Accommodation available on the farm. The Owners are looking at a 3 to 5 year share milking or partnership scenario, an excellent opportunity for someone to get established in dairying. Cork, Fermoy. | REFERENCE TX35
  • 250 ACRE DRYSTOCK farm in two blocks 150 and 100 with livestock housing on both. Land owner is looking at a switch to dairying under a collaborative arrangement be that a long lease, dairy partnership or share farming. East Cork, Conna. | REFERENCE TX34
  • Seeking Opportunity

  • EXPERIENCED FARM MANAGER with proven track record looking for opportunity in the Bandon/Dunmanway/Clonakilty areas. All options considered including share-milking, partnership and whole farm leasing of cows & land. | REFERENCE TX38
  • CONTRACT HEIFER REARING

  • CONTRAT REARER AVAILABLE to Rear 100 Heifer calves from weaning stage to point of calving. Good grassland farm, in paddocks and reseeded on a yearly basis. Heifers to be weighed on a monthly basis. Previous experience in rearing heifer calves. Midland’s area. | REFERENCE IL03
  • CONTRACT HEIFER REARING service available in Co. Kilkenny. Can take up to one hundred 0-1 year olds and one hundred 1-2 year olds. Calves must be weaned. 1-2 year olds returned by end of November. Good husbandry skills and good grassland management skills. | REFERENCE TN14
  • CONTRACT REARING SERVICE available in east Co. Clare. Can take up to fifty 1-2 year old heifers from late March to December 31st. Good husbandry skills. Operating paddock system with good grassland management on dry farm. Regular weighing’s can be provided. | REFERENCE NM06
  • CONTRACT REARER REQUIRED in the north Munster or south Leinster areas to rear thirty 0-1 year olds and twenty 1-2 year olds. 0-1’s would go out at 14 to 16 weeks old and all stock returned at end of their 2nd grazing season. Stock bull can be supplied for service. |REFERENCE PA07
  • LOOKING TO RENT

  • DAIRY FARMER LOOKING to lease grassland farm of 50-150 acres in size for a minimum of 5 years in order to expand farming enterprise. Would use farm for grazing replacement heifers and dry cows and for silage making. Would maintain farm to the highest standard. South Limerick area. | REFERENCE NV10
  • YOUNG FARMER LOOKING to lease land in east/mid Clare with a view to expanding current enterprise. All farms (both dairy and beef) considered regardless of size. References available from landlords of existing lease arrangements. | REFERENCE NM07
  • QUALIFIED FARMER LOOKING to rent 100-150 acres on a long term lease. Ideally located within a 5-6 mile radius of Dromcolliher, Co. Limerick. Intended to use this farm as a support block to a well established dairy enterprise. Open to different types of arrangements. | REFERENCE NV09
  • 150-200 ACRES WANTED in the north east area for a beef enterprise. Minimum 5 year lease sought by enthusiastic and trained young farmer. 5 years experience in farm management and holder of Bachelors degree in Agricultural Science. Willing to upgrade farm infrastructure if required. References available and upfront payment if preferred. | REFERENCE WN08
  • QUALIFIED DAIRY FARMER looking to take on a farm lease in the north Cork area on a long term basis. Ideally a grassland farm but would consider other options. | REFERENCE TX33
  • YOUNG ENTHUSIASTIC DAIRY farmer looking to lease 60 acre plus block of land in the Munster or Leinster areas for minimum of 7 years. Preferably on existing dairy farm. Open to different types of arrangements. |REFERENCE OK13