Contract rearing to free up additional ground requires careful consideration

Cuts to organic nitrogen stocking rates, the increasing difficulties in sourcing land to lease, and ever higher land rental rates, are now adding to labour shortages, as reasons for dairy farmers to consider having their replacement heifers contract reared by another farmer

By contracting out the rearing of the heifers from when they are calves to 21 months old, the farmer can drop their overall stocking rate to 217kg of organic N/ha.

Many of the dairy farmers faced with reducing their stocking rate may do better by having heifers contract reared rather than by leasing additional ground.

The details have been spelled out by Teagasc Collaborative Farming Specialist Ruth Fennell with the example of a 100-cow farmer.