Major tillage farmers swap combines for the milking parlour

Two well-known tillage farming families are switching from crops to milk as the effect of low grain price is felt.

Caitríona Murphy

17 May 2017

Major tillage farmers swap combines for the milking parlour

Willie John Kehoe, and his wife Sarah, are leaving tillage to go into dairying on their 530ac farm.

Two of Wexford’s best-known tillage farmers are making the leap from tillage to dairying as low grain prices take their toll on the sector. Willie John and Sarah Kehoe of Rosegarland, Wellingtonbridge, and their neighbours Willie John, Martin Jr and Martin Sr Kehoe of Ballybrack, Foulksmills, are gearing up to milk cows.

Two of Wexford’s best-known tillage farmers are making the leap from tillage to dairying as low grain prices take their toll on the sector.

Willie John and Sarah Kehoe of Rosegarland, Wellingtonbridge, and their neighbours Willie John, Martin Jr and Martin Sr Kehoe of Ballybrack, Foulksmills, are gearing up to milk cows.

Sarah and Willie John, whose farm hosted the World Ploughing Championships and the National Ploughing Championships, are reseeding their 530ac farm in preparation for milking 550 cows next spring. Starting on a greenfield site, they are installing a 50-unit rotary parlour and 520 topless cubicles for a Friesian/Jersey crossbred herd.

Sarah told the Irish Farmers Journal that switch was based on the outlook for both sectors and their three sons.

“It’s about the future sustainability of Rosegarland and what can make a living for the boys in the future,” she explained. “The global outlook for tillage in Ireland is not good. Ok, we would probably survive but we want to grow the business. The farm has 530ac in one block so it is absolutely ideal to switch.”

The couple researched their plan with Teagasc, large dairy farmers and, in particular, new entrants.

“The feedback was largely positive. We heard that a bad year in dairying was equivalent to a good year in tillage,” she said.

Meanwhile, the Kehoe Farming trio of Willie John, Martin Jr and Martin Sr are also converting to dairy at nearby Ballybrack. The national and international ploughing champions are taking a different approach however, opting for a 100% indoor system with a DeLaval robot.

“Tillage is beat. There is no money out of renting to grow corn,” Willie John told the Irish Farmers Journal. “Land rental is €100/ac up to €250/ac around here and even if you get it at the cheaper rate, you can’t make money. It costs €400 to grow the crop and at €130/t, that’s a 3tc/ac crop before land rental.”

The Kehoes are in the midst of sourcing a Holstein herd of 60 to 65 first- and second-calvers through David Clarke to be milked by mid-June.

The cows will be fed a total mixed ration (TMR) diet of maize silage, straw and ration, all sourced from the family’s own crops and mill, while they are dropping some rented land.

“Dairy is the only sector of agriculture that has a future,” maintained Willie John. “It’s the only place you can make a proper living.”

Poor prices stall forward grain trade