The milking parlour is the engine of every dairy farm. For many farms it has been upgraded, improved, extended three or four times over the last 60 years. On this Monaghan farm the eight-unit herringbone is working perfectly, but the parlour and collecting yard was built for 40 cows, and now the farmer milks 130 cows. Milking is taking up to four hours, morning and evening, for the first half of the year.
There are no feeders in the parlour and the collecting yard is tight so hence the whole process is slow.
The farmer has decided to make an investment in a 20-unit herringbone parlour. Currently he is using hired help to share the workload. The existing site of the parlour leaves few options for meaningful extension. Any adaption would only be temporary. Doubling up, small extensions have all been considered and ruled out. Essentially the farmyard is built on a hill. There is a steep fall down behind the three- and four-bay sheds and the collecting yard. All the space between the dwelling and farmyard is needed. The other consideration is the farm will need a new calf house for 60 calves and 40 more cubicles.
The two viable options at this stage are options A and B as marked. Option A leaves the new investment closer to and potentially shades the dwelling house.
It would be convenient for milk collection. There would be some on-site digging of stone necessary which could be difficult and costly. Option B is further back into the yard, but the intention would be to use the existing three- and four-bay sheds as collecting yards and position the parlour so that the lorry driver could skirt around the outside of the yard.
The existing cubicle shed could then be extended into the space of the original parlour to allow for more cubicles and slurry storage.
The farmer is 45 years of age – is this the right move? Like many family dairy farms there are other considerations – very young family, land loans due to consolidation, outside farms leased, etc. Which position is right? What will it cost? Is it future proofed?More in coming weeks
Email jkennedy@farmersjournal.ie or abrennan@farmersjournal.ie. Answers on a post card.
1 Start the site planning process two years before you plan to construct.2 Drawings and planning permission can take up to a year.3 Get a good set of drawings created so you can visualise the investment.4 Consider site limitations – hills, hollows, streams, dwelling houses, lorry entrance etc.5 Consider what else you need in yard.6 Consider where the cows will enter and exit to paddocks.7 Consider your budget.8 Consider where additional land beside the parlour may come from in future. Read more
Watch: top-notch dairy parlour and cubicle shed in Co Laois
In pictures: adapting buildings and investments to work for you
The milking parlour is the engine of every dairy farm. For many farms it has been upgraded, improved, extended three or four times over the last 60 years. On this Monaghan farm the eight-unit herringbone is working perfectly, but the parlour and collecting yard was built for 40 cows, and now the farmer milks 130 cows. Milking is taking up to four hours, morning and evening, for the first half of the year.
There are no feeders in the parlour and the collecting yard is tight so hence the whole process is slow.
The farmer has decided to make an investment in a 20-unit herringbone parlour. Currently he is using hired help to share the workload. The existing site of the parlour leaves few options for meaningful extension. Any adaption would only be temporary. Doubling up, small extensions have all been considered and ruled out. Essentially the farmyard is built on a hill. There is a steep fall down behind the three- and four-bay sheds and the collecting yard. All the space between the dwelling and farmyard is needed. The other consideration is the farm will need a new calf house for 60 calves and 40 more cubicles.
The two viable options at this stage are options A and B as marked. Option A leaves the new investment closer to and potentially shades the dwelling house.
It would be convenient for milk collection. There would be some on-site digging of stone necessary which could be difficult and costly. Option B is further back into the yard, but the intention would be to use the existing three- and four-bay sheds as collecting yards and position the parlour so that the lorry driver could skirt around the outside of the yard.
The existing cubicle shed could then be extended into the space of the original parlour to allow for more cubicles and slurry storage.
The farmer is 45 years of age – is this the right move? Like many family dairy farms there are other considerations – very young family, land loans due to consolidation, outside farms leased, etc. Which position is right? What will it cost? Is it future proofed?More in coming weeks
Email jkennedy@farmersjournal.ie or abrennan@farmersjournal.ie. Answers on a post card.
1 Start the site planning process two years before you plan to construct.2 Drawings and planning permission can take up to a year.3 Get a good set of drawings created so you can visualise the investment.4 Consider site limitations – hills, hollows, streams, dwelling houses, lorry entrance etc.5 Consider what else you need in yard.6 Consider where the cows will enter and exit to paddocks.7 Consider your budget.8 Consider where additional land beside the parlour may come from in future. Read more
Watch: top-notch dairy parlour and cubicle shed in Co Laois
In pictures: adapting buildings and investments to work for you
This is a subscriber-only article
SHARING OPTIONS: