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While the shift away from conacre over the last few years is positive, you would still have to question the value that even some land leases are returning to many farmers. Paying big money to secure land to rear young stock, beef animals or produce silage is questionable. You are immediately locking yourself into a high cost and a high workload system.
Alternatives exist with farmers looking to get into contract rearing and contract silage making, especially as returns from alternative sectors are so low. Why would you rent land and pay all associated costs of growing the grass (often with poor soil fertility) when you can get heifers reared for you or silage delivered into your yard for similar costs. Of course, renting land that you can milk cows on is a different matter entirely.
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