Moving a 150-cow herd to a green field site would be a daunting task for many farmers but that's just what Michael Bateman did in 2005. Three years later he is milking 235 cows, has put in place all the necessary facilities and learned a few lessons along the way.
With a total of €425,000 spent on the farm in the past three years, the Cork man was candid about what he spent his money on and why. For the first winter, the cows were kept on an out-wintering pad. At 7sqm/cow, Michael warned that he overloaded the pad but says, at the proper stocking rate of 12sqm/cow, the pads would "work a dream".
He approached the farm set up on a 'no frills' basis but refused to skimp on the areas that will return value for money. The 28-unit milking parlour is modest and without many of the possible added extras. The feeding system is a simple batch system.
On the other hand, Michael invested heavily in roadways and underpasses. At a cost of €30,000 for 3km of roadway and €75,000 for three underpasses, he is adamant that the labour requirement is vastly reduced by the investment.
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