John Daly is a sheep and grain farmer who also runs successful agricultural contracting and animal feeds supply businesses in Kilconnell, Co. Galway. Trading as John Daly Agri, Plant & Feeds, he is also his county’s IFA Grain Representative, having succeeded Eamonn Burke in the role last December.
John farms 250 acres between owned and rented land for tillage along with about 50 acres of grassland. He has over 200 Charollais, Texel and Suffolk crossed ewes and sows mostly spring barley, oats and maize. Last year, he decided to keep all of his own barley after investing in a new Kelvin Cave Bruiser Roller.
The quality of the rolled barley and oats produced by the state-of-the-art roller has received very favourable feedback from John’s ever-growing customer-base. He has been selling animal feed and rations to local farmers since opening his own grain store in 2009.
“I built the grain store to try to offer more competitive prices for farmers while trying to make a few bob for myself at the same time,” explains John, who is married to Claire and is father to Sarah (18), Niamh (16), Eoin (13), Cathal (10) and Sinead (eight).
“The grain store has its own weighbridge, computer system and roller. We bought the Kelvin Cave Bruiser Roller in England last August and it is already paying for itself. Farmers can buy rolled barley and oats from us as well as general purpose rations, weanling rations, dairy, beef finish and lamb nuts. Lakeland Dairies supply us with the nuts, while the rations come from Liffey Mills.
“This side of the business is going extremely well for us and keeps us busy during the winter months.”
John is settling into his new role as IFA Grain Representative for Galway. He reports to the National Grain Committee which represents Ireland’s 13,000 cereal growers. The Committee’s most important issues include feed grains, peas, beans and oilseed prices and malting barley premium. The Committee was instrumental in developing price risk management tools for malting barley growers to minimise grain price volatility.
“I’m more tunned into grain-related matters since I was elected to the position,” he says.
“I’m keeping a much closer eye on grain prices and on how they always seem to be fluctuating. I’ve already established a lot of good contacts in the short time I’ve been in this role and have picked up some useful tips on how to be a better grain farmer.”
John is celebrating 25 years as a farm contractor. He started out with his father Sean – who passed away two years ago – with two square balers and two silage harvesters (a single chop and a double chop) before going it alone in 1990 when he invested in a JF 900 precision chop, a Krone KR130 mini-stop round baler and a McHale bale wrapper.
The business has come a long way since then with John now overseeing a fleet of seven tractors and a wide range of other plant and equipment. He has four New Hollands (740, 6080, TM155 and TM140), two Deutz-Fahr 6180s and a new 200hp Fendt 720. You can also find the following in his yard (only during the off-season, of course!): two Volvo L70 loading shovels, a Claas Levin 620 combine harvester, a Claas 890 silage harvester, five Dooley silage trailers, two Major slurry tankers, three Kverneland mowers, two Kverneland ploughs, a slurry cat umbilical pipe system, a Hitachi 130 digger and a Connel 6500 hedge-cutter.
“We provide a complete farm contracting service,” continues the affable farmer, who can usually be found during the summer months backing up silage with one of the Volvo loading shovels on a pit somewhere out west.
“The contracting ties in well with the work I do for myself. We do everything from silage, round baling, whole crop and maize cutting to ploughing, harvesting, slurry, dung and lime spreading, hedge-cutting and drainage work. I have two lads with me full-time and we take on five or six more during the peak season.
“We work well as a team, and I wouldn’t be able to take on the amount of work I do without the help I get from the lads.”
Farm contracting has become a year-round business for John. Typically, the year begins with slurry spreading, followed by reseeding. Things get really busy when the silage season kicks off in May and runs until September. Cutting corn and maize then takes precedence, followed by more slurry spreading and finally servicing of machinery in preparation for the new season.
“Once January comes, the phone starts ringing again. After 25 years in this business, the one thing I’ve learned is that you will get the work if you have a good name. Price doesn’t come into it,” he maintains.
“Farmers want a neat and tidy job. They won’t hire a contractor who leaves a mess behind him. When I’m cutting silage, I treat the field and pit like it’s my own, and farmers appreciate that. I’m grateful for all the support I’ve received from them down through the years and look forward to catering for all their contracting needs for many more to come.”
John Daly Agri, Plant & Feeds operates from the east Galway village of Kilconnell, which is situated eight miles from Ballinasloe on the Athenry Road. John’s wife Clare and the children take a great interest in the farm and are always keen to help out, especially during the lambing season.
John Daly Agri, Plant & Feeds
Hillcrest,
Kilconnell,
Ballinasloe,
Co. Galway.
Telephone: 090 9686761
Mobile: 087 2547768
Email: [email protected]
Taken from Irish Tractor & Agri magazine Vol 3 No 3, April 2015
