Expansion Review 2007-2012 O’ Donnell Dairy Farm Cow and Heifer Numbers Cash left to Pay: Labour,loans,tax,pension,&capital Key Facts 800feet above sea.

Maintenance12% Paddocks,

Roadways 18%

Drainage 41%

Reseeding 27%

0

20000

40000

60000

80000

2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017

Milk Price @28c/litre

Milk Price @30c/litre

Expansion Review 2007-2012Expansion Review 2007-2012 O’ Donnell Dairy O’ Donnell Dairy FarmFarm

Cow and Heifer Cow and Heifer NumbersNumbers

52

14

56

14

64

14

61

14

80

24

82

43

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 Cash left to Pay: Labour,loans,tax,pension,&capital Key Facts

•800feet above sea level•Milking 81 cows 2012•54ha total area•36.6ha milking area•8 unit milking parlour•Heifer contract reared•Machinery work contracted

Farm Expenditure Farm Expenditure 2009-20122009-2012

Lessons Learned – Expansion•Young stock numbers increase•Need facilities for young stock•Reseeding priority•Need good plenty of roadways•Plan your expenditure•Focus on bulk purchase•Reaching targets a challenge with more stock0 5000 10000 15000 20000 25000

2008

2009

2010

2011

2012

Money spent 2009-Money spent 2009-2012 2012 €€

Current Farm UpdatesCurrent Farm Updates

0

50

100

150

200

250

300

Jan Feb Mar Apr May June July Aug Sept Oct Nov Dec

2012

10 year average

Index 265%

Index 115%Index 3

18%

Index 42%

K index of the farm Jan 2012 2011 2012Milk solids/cow 401 351Milk solids/ha 878 815EBI (fertility sub index)

100(82) 125(59)

Start date of calving 11-Feb 9-Feb6 week calving rate 67% 79%Not In Calf % 10% 7.5%Herd Predicted 6 wk calving rate 2013

- 90%

Soil FertilitySoil Fertility

16

11.5

9

0 5 10 15 20

2013+

2012

2011

Milk production & Fertility Milk production & Fertility UpdateUpdate

Index 234%

Index 142%

Index 322%

Index 42%

P index of the farm Jan 2012

Grass Grown 2011 and Grass Grown 2011 and 20122012

•Cows out day&night from calving•3kg meal fed/day avg. (Feb-Aug)•Fed 110 round bales except Jun•Housed 20 days & 9 nights•27 days of on /off grazing•Fertiliser was kept up to date•Heifers bred indoors 2 wks in May•Cut silage 12th June•Bought 200 round bales in June

Average Farm CoverStocking RateCover/CowGrowth RateMealSilageMilk Kgs/cowProtein (%)Fat (%)SCC

Today’s Farm Today’s Farm UpdateUpdate

2012 2012 ManagementManagement

RainfallRainfall

Key Facts•800feet above sea level•53.77ha total area•36.57ha milking area•8 unit milking parlour•Heifer contract reared•Machinery work contracted

Current Yard

Slurry Storage 475m³ /90 cows

78 cubicles

100 feet of feed space

Poor cow flow in collecting yard

No cow drafting facility

8 unit Milking parlour (3hrs/day)

Milk storage limited at peak

Proposed Development

Slurry storage for 100 cows,

30 0-1yrs+30 1-2yrs

Better cow flow to parlour

Reduced silage pit area

ExistingExisting Yard &Yard & ProposedProposed

Drainage problems

Test pits (at least 2.5m deep)

• Soil texture & structure

• Water movement (transmit or retain)

• Rooting depth, cracking

• Depth/Thickness of various layers

Groundwater Drainage System

Impermeable soils

Conventional or deep pipe drains:

• If a soil layer will transmit water

• If excess water can percolate to watertable.

• Drain spacing dependent on hydraulic properties of drainage layer.

Mole drain or gravel mole drain:

• Aim to fracture and crack the soil

• Dependent on:• Soil type • Implement used• Weather conditions

• In tandem with collector drains