Pallaskenry Farm Manager Brendan Ryan joins Emma-Louise Coffey on this week’s Dairy Edge podcast to discuss the use of selective dry cow therapy (DCT). Brendan gives his insight and experience where they have practiced selective DCT for 4 years. Brendan explains that in Year 1, cows considered for selective DCT required a SCC of <50 (from milk recording) and quarter sampled each quarter to ensure all quarters are low which accounted for 10% of the cows in the herd. In 2019 in Year 4 of select...
Oct 12, 2020•17 min
With the current Covid restrictions in place, Teagasc is running a weekly Let's Talk Dairy webinar series which is also being made available afterwards as a bonus podcast episode. This latest webinar highlighted the many steps being taken by the Fitzgerald family to reduce the carbon footprint of their milk production and to improve sustainability on farm, providing an opportunity to share their experiences with the wider farming community. Teagasc/Glanbia Future Farmer Shane Fitzgerald, who far...
Oct 09, 2020•1 hr 9 min
Francis Bligh, Health and Safety Specialist at Teagasc, joins Emma-Louise Coffey on this week’s Dairy Edge podcast to discuss health and safety on the farm workplace. Francis documents the source of farm accidents on Irish farms with dairy farms accounting for the greatest proportion of accidents. He explains that it is a legal requirement of farms to have a Risk Assessment (less than three staff members) or a Safety Statement (more than three staff members) for the farm. Completing this documen...
Oct 05, 2020•18 min
With the current Covid restrictions in place, Teagasc is running a weekly Let's Talk Dairy webinar series which is also being made available afterwards as a bonus podcast episode. On this week’s show, Stuart Childs, was joined by John Trant, 2019 Young Grassland Farmer of the Year in order to get an insight into his career path to date. For more episodes from the Dairy Edge podcast go to the show page at: https://www.teagasc.ie/animals/dairy/the-dairy-edge-podcast/
Oct 02, 2020•33 min
Dairy farmer, Shane Fitzgerald, and Masters researcher, Aoife Leader, join Emma-Louise Coffey on this week’s Dairy Edge to highlight examples of farms achieving top performance in combination with high levels of biodiversity. Aoife is working with eleven dairy farms as part of the Teagasc/Glanbia joint programme to establish the features and level of biodiversity on each of the farms and has identified biodiversity KPIs including average field size, biodiversity score and biodiversity percentage...
Sep 28, 2020•19 min
With the current Covid restrictions in place, Teagasc is running a weekly Let's Talk Dairy webinar series which is also being made available afterwards as a bonus podcast episode. On this webinar, Stuart Childs is joined by advisor, John McCarthy, who speaks to researcher, Deirdre Hennessy, about the inclusion of white clover in grazing swards. For more episodes from the Dairy Edge podcast go to the show page at: https://www.teagasc.ie/animals/dairy/the-dairy-edge-podcast/
Sep 26, 2020•20 min
With the current Covid restrictions in place, Teagasc is running a weekly Let's Talk Dairy webinar series which is also being made available afterwards as a bonus podcast episode. On this webinar, Stuart Childs, Teagasc Dairy Specialist outlines some derogation and farm management points that farmers need to be aware of. For more episodes from the Dairy Edge podcast go to the show page at: https://www.teagasc.ie/animals/dairy/the-dairy-edge-podcast/
Sep 24, 2020•42 min
Dairy Grassland Farmer of the Year Mike Bermingham joins Emma-Louise Coffey on the latest Dairy Edge podcast to discuss his autumn grazing strategy. Firstly, Mike summarises his farming year to date including grass production of 12.5 tonnes/ha, 8 grazing rotations and 450 kg MS per cow. Mike estimates he will feed 1 tonne of concentrate per cow, up 200 kg on last year owing to greater supplementation during heavy rainfall in February, March and August as well as during the drought in June. Mike’...
Sep 21, 2020•19 min
Dairy farmer Jeremiah Daly joins Emma-Louise Coffey on this week’s Dairy Edge to explain how he finds the balance of running a 60-cow dairy farm and a full-time off farm job. The total labour input is 44 hours which includes 24 hours own labour and 20 hours of family labour completed by his wife Maria and his children. Additionally, Jeremiah completes a full-time off farm job and Jeremiah measured his labour input from February to July with specialist Martina Gormley as part of the Labour Effici...
Sep 14, 2020•22 min
With the current Covid restrictions in place, Teagasc is running a weekly Let's Talk Dairy webinar series which is also being made available afterwards as a bonus podcast episode. On this webinar, Stuart Childs was joined by John Maher, Teagasc Grass10 Programme Manager to discuss managing grass and grass supply right now. For more episodes from the Dairy Edge podcast go to the show page at: https://www.teagasc.ie/animals/dairy/the-dairy-edge-podcast/
Sep 11, 2020•41 min
Researcher James Humphreys joins Emma-Louise Coffey on this week’s Dairy Edge with practical steps to reduce emissions while maintaining milk output and profit. James outlines the emissions for dairy farms which are: 50% methane, 20% nitrous oxide (fertiliser), 20% ammonia (slurry, urine, faeces) and 10% carbon dioxide (electricity, diesel). At Solohead Research farm, a trial is being carried out to measure the reduction in nitrous oxide and ammonia emissions resulting for changes to farming pra...
Sep 07, 2020•25 min
Dairy advisor Mark O’Sullivan joins Emma-Louise Coffey on this week’s Dairy Edge to discuss the key mandatory practices for Nitrates Derogation farms. Mark explains that these practices allow farmers to farm more intensively while protecting the environment. He documents the key practices including a mandatory liming programme, use of low emission slurry spreading, inclusion of clover seed when reseeding, lower levels of crude protein and grassland management. For paddocks with a low soil pH, Ma...
Aug 31, 2020•24 min
Labour Specialist Martina Gormley joined Emma-Louise Coffey on this week’s Dairy Edge podcast with insights into labour measures and efficiencies on six dairy farms across the spring and summer months of 2020. Martina checked in with the six farmers weekly to account for the hours worked; 57 hours in spring and 50 hours in summer. The common trends across the six farms that offer labour efficiency include the number of rows milked (milking infrastructure), compact calving, number of groups of st...
Aug 24, 2020•26 min
Dairy farmer Michael Doran joins Emma-Louise Coffey on this week’s Dairy Edge to discuss the decision to convert from drystock to dairy farming. After 20 years of mixed drystock farming, Michael made the decision to convert to dairy farming. The idea of dairy farming had been mooted before, but it wasn’t until his son James was born with an illness that he focused his mind on dairying and the ability to make more money from the farm. Michael explains the importance of people to the dairy farm in...
Aug 17, 2020•33 min
The Lean business model of reducing waste and increasing efficiencies has become increasingly popular on dairy farms and on this week’s Dairy Edge, labour researcher Marion Beecher and Head of Continuous Improvement at Dairygold Co-Op, John Murphy, join Emma-Louise Coffey to discuss the role of Lean practices on dairy farms. Lean is not rocket science, but it can be the small changes to work organisation that add up to big savings and differences over time. Firstly, John documents the process of...
Aug 10, 2020•21 min
Johnstown Castle farm manager Aidan Lawless joins Emma-Louise Coffey on this week’s Dairy Edge to give an update on the performance of the winter and spring milk herds. Aidan explains that 50% of the autumn calving herd have been dried off to allow a 60 day dry period and autumn calves have produced 600 kg milk solids. A lot of these cows are still producing a high milk yield so Aidan explained they removed concentrate from the diet and offered the last grazing to reduce diet quality which reduc...
Aug 03, 2020•22 min
With the cost of energy on Irish dairy farms on average €5 per 1,000 litres, ranging from €2.50-59, this week’s guest, research officer John Upton, joins Emma-Louise Coffey to give tips to save money on farm energy bills. John explains that the biggest consumers of energy include milk cooling (30%), water heating (23%) and machine/vacuum (20%) and gives tips on how to reduce consumption in each area by up to 60%. John advises that farmers should check for the most competitive energy provider ann...
Jul 27, 2020•27 min
Just when is the appropriate time to remove the bull? On this week’s episode of the Dairy Edge, advisor John McCabe joins Emma-Louise Coffey with advice and information for farmers. John documents the calving pattern over the last 2 years, explaining that 27% of cows in the category of late calvers in spring calving dairy herds in the months of April, May and June differs from the target of 10% calvings in April and no calvings in May and June. He recommends that farmers reach a 12-week breeding...
Jul 20, 2020•17 min
With the current Covid restrictions in place, Teagasc is running a weekly Let's Talk Dairy webinar series which is also being made available afterwards as a bonus podcast episode. On this webinar, host Stuart Childs was joined by Dr. Orla Keane, Teagasc researcher to discuss anthelmintic resistance in gut worms of cattle. Orla gave an insight into the background of gut worms in cattle, discussed anthelmintic resistance in Ireland and the risk factors associated with the development of anthelmint...
Jul 17, 2020•1 hr 10 min
Michael O’Donovan joins Emma-Louise Coffey on this week’s Dairy Edge to give tips and advice to improve the quality of grazing swards. Michael explains that farmers should maintain pre-grazing herbage mass of 1,300-1,600 kg DM/ha to maximise the leaf content and achieve good graze out with any cover that exceeds that should be removed in the form of surplus bales. If the farm is not in surplus and there is a build-up of stem and seed heads, Michael recommends such paddocks can be topped. Michael...
Jul 13, 2020•15 min
Dan Clavin joins Emma-Louise Coffey on this week’s Dairy Edge to give an insight into organic dairy production systems in Ireland. Currently, there are 62 organic dairy producers. These farms range in herd size from 20-200+ cows, producing between 5,000-6,000 litres of milk. Dan explains the different reasons farmers opt for organic dairy including profitability, lifestyle and legislation. In terms of profitability, Dan estimates that milk price ranges for 50-60 c/l during winter months and 30-4...
Jul 06, 2020•19 min
With the current lockdown restrictions in place, Teagasc is running a weekly Let's Talk Dairy webinar series which is also being made available afterwards as a bonus podcast episode. This week’s webinar discusses milk recording with Don Crowley. For more episodes from the Dairy Edge podcast go to the show page at: https://www.teagasc.ie/animals/dairy/the-dairy-edge-podcast/
Jul 03, 2020•58 min
Catherine Keena joins Emma-Louise Coffey to discuss the benefits of biodiversity for Irish dairy farms. Catherine explains that biodiversity is all about flora and fauna and the habitats that they live in. Typical examples of biodiversity include hedgerows, watercourses and field margins. Catherine considers the benefits of biodiversity on dairy farms including income from schemes and marketing of dairy products. She explains that all farms have a level of biodiversity and encourages farmers to ...
Jun 29, 2020•21 min
With the current lockdown restrictions in place, Teagasc is running a weekly Let's Talk Dairy webinar series which is also being made available afterwards as a bonus podcast episode. This week’s webinar discusses opportunities in dairy farming and the career progression pathways with Gordon Peppard, Farm Business Structures Specialist. For more episodes from the Dairy Edge podcast go to the show page at: https://www.teagasc.ie/animals/dairy/the-dairy-edge-podcast/
Jun 26, 2020•1 hr
Teagasc dairy advisor Colm Doran joins Emma-Louise Coffey to give strategies on recovery from drought conditions. Colm gives information on the average farm cover on dairy farms in North Wexford, averaging 720 kg DM/ha but ranging from 360 to 1,200 kg DM/ha. These farmers are actively measuring grass production once-twice weekly and supplementing according to grass supply, typically in the form of concentrate and silage. Colm recommends that farmers continue to monitor grass production and compl...
Jun 22, 2020•19 min
With the current lockdown restrictions in place, Teagasc is running a weekly Let's Talk Dairy webinar series which is also being made available afterwards as a bonus podcast episode. This week’s webinar discusses dairy farm financial outlook and management advice for 2020 with Patrick Gowing, Teagasc and Tadgh Buckley, AIB. For more episodes from the Dairy Edge podcast go to the show page at: https://www.teagasc.ie/animals/dairy/the-dairy-edge-podcast/
Jun 19, 2020•59 min
Dairy farmer and Grass 10 champion Bryan Daniels joins Emma-Louise Coffey to give his insights into running a sustainable and profitable dairy farm. Bryan considers the key elements of sustainable dairy farming and to him this equates to a stocking rate of approximately 2.5 cows per ha on his farm, incorporating white clover, maintaining high levels of soil fertility, spreading 220 kg N and feeding a maximum of 400 kg concentrate supplementation per cow. Additionally, Bryan wants to have a farm ...
Jun 15, 2020•34 min
With the current lockdown restrictions in place, Teagasc is running a weekly Let's Talk Dairy webinar series which is also being made available afterwards as a bonus podcast episode. On this webinar, Richard O'Brien, Teagasc was joined by Teagasc/Glanbia Future Farm participants Tom & David Fennelly from Co. Laois to discuss how they are farming in an environmentally friendly way. This was followed by a social media takeover by the Fennellys on Teagasc Twitter & Instagram. For more episo...
Jun 12, 2020•53 min
Firstly, John gives a view on the current agri-sector outlook from a banking perspective. On the supply side, he acknowledges that milk production across the world is up year-on-year in 2020 while the supermarket consumption of dairy products has not compensated for the significant drop in demand food service industry. In terms of family farm incomes, Patrick explains the many dynamics at play including a reduction in milk price, potential loss of off-farm income and increased costs resulting fr...
Jun 08, 2020•29 min
Niamh explains that calves have no immunity to parasites when they are turned out to grass. Gutworms and Lungworms are the main parasites the challenge calves at grass. Symptoms of a gutworm burden include loose faeces, ill thrift and low growth rates. Niamh recommends that farmers alternate calf paddocks from year to year because gutworm eggs can survive over winter. Symptoms of a gutworm burden include coughing and in severe cases pneumonia. Niamh recommends that farmer carry out faecal sampli...
Jun 02, 2020•20 min
