High input/output not for average farmer
High input/output systems of dairying are rare in Ireland. However, if practised at a very high level of management, and with the right type of cows, they can be successful, especially in liquid milk situations. Look out for the regular Irish Holstein Friesian Association farm walks on high-output farms.
While the inputs per cow might be regarded as high on these farms, the input per litre of milk is generally relatively low due to excellent high yielding cows, excellent grassland management, and even more importantly, excellent overall farm management, resulting in high profitability. This system is not for the average farmer. Herd averages are generally around 2,000 gallons per cow and despite high levels of concentrate feeding, the profit margin over purchased feed is generally high.
There are other successful farmers with relatively high concentrate feeding and yields of 1,500 to 1,700 gallons per cow in spring-calving herds. Typically, these farmers would have a limited grazing base and are fairly highly stocked. They use about one tonne of concentrates per cow, and often import maize silage or fodder beet. Their Teagasc profit monitors show that this system is quite profitable, if well managed.
While feeding high levels of concentrates is not widely applicable, it is obvious from examples that it can be very successful, with suitable genetics and where grassland management is excellent.
There are situations where land and facilities are very scarce, and management might be top notch, where a high or medium to high input/output system may be the best option.
Grass-based systems with relatively low concentrate use, 500 to 700kg per cow with yields of 1,200 to 1,400 gallons of good quality milk per cow, will continue to be the most profitable system for the majority of farmers. This is the system that most farmers are practising. But there is a lot of room for improvement on many farms, because average concentrate use per cow is over 800kg, while average milk yield is only about 1,000 gallons per cow.
Obviously a lot of farmers are using concentrates to cover up for the poor management and poor quality grass which are common on low-profit farms.
