Over the last few years, Brendan Collins has made the transition from part-time suckler farmer to full-time dairy farmer. While many would suggest the switch from sucklers to dairy would lead to increased workload, the opposite is true in Brendan’s case.
“Before I went full-time, I’d have to do three or four hours’ work every evening after five o’clock but now when I finish work at 5pm or 6pm, I’m free for the evening,” he says.
Brendan and his father, John, started milking with 40 cows in 2016 and have gradually increased numbers to 101 cows today. Over that time, they have developed the farmyard and improved the land to cater for the larger numbers.
There’s a total of 200 acres on the farm just outside Corofin but, being so close to the Burren, about 50 acres of this is scrubland or turlough ground.
All the land is in one block and the replacement heifers and heifer calves are all grazing on the same platform as the cows. The farm is long and narrow, so the heifers graze the further away sections.
Most of the farm has been reseeded in recent years, with some clover oversown in some fields last year and some multispecies sown this year also.
A total of 190kg N/ha was spread last year and there is 100kg N/ha spread to date.
The farm grew 12.3t DM/ha last year.
Milk quality is excellent with Brendan and John milk recording four times per year and thinking of doing a few more such is the value they get from it.
About 75% of the cows got teat sealer only at drying off last winter, with Brendan saying the fact that he only dries off six cows at a time is a critical factor in its success as this ensures good hygiene is maintained.
The cows are Holstein Friesian with an average EBI of €199 and they delivered 490kg MS/cow last season from just over 1.1t of meal per cow.
Brendan and John Collins built a new cubicle shed for 120 cows.
Brendan normally wants to feed less than 1t of meal but a prolonged dry spell hampered that plan last year.
He is currently feeding 2kg of 14% dairy nut per cow and will keep that up for most of the summer.
The carbon footprint of the farm is exceptionally low at 0.79kg/kg FPCM. Over 100 trees were planted last year and the farm uses protected urea, low emissions slurry spreading and a new silage slab is planned for next year, which will reduce time spent making and feeding out bale silage.
Brendan Collins is farming with his father, John, at Corofin in Co Clare. The Collins family are new entrants to dairy farming and are now milking 101 cows. Brendan is interested in multispecies and establishing clover across the farm.
Over the last few years, Brendan Collins has made the transition from part-time suckler farmer to full-time dairy farmer. While many would suggest the switch from sucklers to dairy would lead to increased workload, the opposite is true in Brendan’s case.
“Before I went full-time, I’d have to do three or four hours’ work every evening after five o’clock but now when I finish work at 5pm or 6pm, I’m free for the evening,” he says.
Brendan and his father, John, started milking with 40 cows in 2016 and have gradually increased numbers to 101 cows today. Over that time, they have developed the farmyard and improved the land to cater for the larger numbers.
There’s a total of 200 acres on the farm just outside Corofin but, being so close to the Burren, about 50 acres of this is scrubland or turlough ground.
All the land is in one block and the replacement heifers and heifer calves are all grazing on the same platform as the cows. The farm is long and narrow, so the heifers graze the further away sections.
Most of the farm has been reseeded in recent years, with some clover oversown in some fields last year and some multispecies sown this year also.
A total of 190kg N/ha was spread last year and there is 100kg N/ha spread to date.
The farm grew 12.3t DM/ha last year.
Milk quality is excellent with Brendan and John milk recording four times per year and thinking of doing a few more such is the value they get from it.
About 75% of the cows got teat sealer only at drying off last winter, with Brendan saying the fact that he only dries off six cows at a time is a critical factor in its success as this ensures good hygiene is maintained.
The cows are Holstein Friesian with an average EBI of €199 and they delivered 490kg MS/cow last season from just over 1.1t of meal per cow.
Brendan and John Collins built a new cubicle shed for 120 cows.
Brendan normally wants to feed less than 1t of meal but a prolonged dry spell hampered that plan last year.
He is currently feeding 2kg of 14% dairy nut per cow and will keep that up for most of the summer.
The carbon footprint of the farm is exceptionally low at 0.79kg/kg FPCM. Over 100 trees were planted last year and the farm uses protected urea, low emissions slurry spreading and a new silage slab is planned for next year, which will reduce time spent making and feeding out bale silage.
Brendan Collins is farming with his father, John, at Corofin in Co Clare. The Collins family are new entrants to dairy farming and are now milking 101 cows. Brendan is interested in multispecies and establishing clover across the farm.
SHARING OPTIONS