Teagasc is running a weekly Let's Talk Dairy webinar series which is also being made available as a bonus podcast episode. In this webinar, Stuart Childs, Teagasc Dairy Specialist, discusses keeping replacement heifers on target this Autumn. Stuart outlines the key target weights for the different breeds whilst also taking into consideration the Maintenance Sub Index. He also highlights the importance of weighing your stock regularly. To register for future Let’s Talk Dairy webinars go to: https...
Sep 17, 2021•23 min
On the third and final day from the Moorepark Open Day, this week’s Dairy Edge speaks to John Upton, Ryan Prendergast and Fergal Buckley from Teagasc to discuss the milking and energy use efficiency of herringbone and rotary parlours. John firstly explains that rotary parlours are becoming common place on large scale dairy farms with in excess of 300 cows to complete the milking procedure in a timely manner. Ryan outlines the milking efficiency achieved during the autumn with on average 105 cows...
Sep 16, 2021•18 min
On Day Two of the Moorepark Open Day, Jack Nolan from the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine joins Emma-Louise Coffey on the Dairy Edge to explain the measures proposed for the new Nitrates Derogation and challenges for farmers and industry as to how they can minimise negative environmental impacts. Jack estimates that 85% of nutrient loss into water comes from agriculture and expects measures such as a 10-15% in chemical N allowance and the extension of the closed period from mid-Se...
Sep 15, 2021•33 min
Stephen Butler joins Emma-Louise Coffey on this week’s Dairy Edge podcast with an insight into the Sexed Technologies lab that will be established in Moorepark later this year to provide a semen sorting service open to all AI companies. This offers the potential for a greater number and elite bulls to become available as sexed straws. Sexed semen in combination with high Dairy Beef Index bulls can help farmers produce sufficient high genetic merit dairy replacements while improving the carcass w...
Sep 14, 2021•18 min
Teagasc is running a weekly Let's Talk Dairy webinar series which is also being made available as a bonus podcast episode. In this webinar, Stuart Childs, Teagasc Dairy Specialist, discussed late season fertiliser N and planning for spring grazing. To register for future Let’s Talk Dairy webinars go to: https://www.teagasc.ie/corporate-events/lets-talk-dairy/ 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 10, 2021•34 min
Laurence Shalloo joins Emma-Louise Coffey on this week’s Dairy Edge podcast to explain the Nitrates modelling work completed by Teagasc which considered a reduction in chemical Nitrogen, consequence of non-compliance with closed dates for slurry, a reduction in stock rate, whole-farm v milking platform stocking rate and a banding system for the organic N per cow. Laurence details the new banding system for organic Nitrogen ranks cows based on milk yield (<4,500 kg milk = 80 kg N, 4,500-6,500 ...
Sep 06, 2021•18 min
Teagasc is running a weekly Let's Talk Dairy webinar series which is also being made available as a bonus podcast episode. In this webinar, Stuart Childs, Teagasc Dairy Specialist, was joined by Aoife Leader, Teagasc to discuss managing hedgerows. With hedge-cutting season commencing, Aoife gave an insight into how hedgerows are an important source of biodiversity on farms and how their management influences the quality of the biodiversity. To register for future Let’s Talk Dairy webinars go to:...
Sep 03, 2021•33 min
Grassland researcher Mike Egan joins Emma-Louise Coffey on this week’s Dairy Edge and quantifies the level of grass cover on dairy farms. Based on PastureBase Ireland figures, farm cover is on average 812 kg DM/ha which is 120 kg behind target. If you are behind target, Mike recommends that farmers consider increasing supplementation, remove non-milking cow stock from the milking platform, don’t cut bales and don’t reseed this autumn in order to build cover. Mike explains that getting grass righ...
Aug 30, 2021•27 min
Teagasc’s Head of Animal & Grassland Research and Innovation Programme, Pat Dillon, joins Emma-Louise Coffey on this week’s Dairy Edge podcast with a preview of the 2021 Moorepark Open Day event. It will take place over three days on Tuesday 14th, Wednesday 15th and Thursday 16th September with the normal face-to-face format during the day and an additional virtual online forum each evening at 7pm. The open day is a ticketed event and those who wish to attend on the day must register online ...
Aug 23, 2021•17 min
Teagasc is running a weekly Let's Talk Dairy webinar series which is also being made available as a bonus podcast episode. In this webinar, Stuart Childs, Teagasc Dairy Specialist, was joined by James Dunne to explore the decision around the best time to end the breeding season and considers the economics of spring calving herds milking on through the winter. To register for future Let’s Talk Dairy webinars go to: https://www.teagasc.ie/corporate-events/lets-talk-dairy/ For more episodes from th...
Aug 20, 2021•1 hr 4 min
Danny Bermingham joins Emma-Louise Coffey on this week’s Dairy Edge podcast with an insight into his dairy farm, including how his management practices differ from the standard guidelines. Through participation in the heavy soils programme, Danny has learned the correct drainage techniques for his soil types and this in combination with improved soil fertility and grazing infrastructure, days at grass has increased which has had a positive impact on milk solids and fertility. Danny explains that...
Aug 16, 2021•28 min
Teagasc is running a weekly Let's Talk Dairy webinar series which is also being made available as a bonus podcast episode. In this webinar, Stuart Childs, Teagasc Dairy Specialist, was joined by Tomás Tubritt, Teagasc Moorepark, to discuss the grazing utilisation star index. Tomás starts by giving an overview of the Pasture Profit Index (PPI) which is a variety selection tool used to select varieties when reseeding. Tomás also gives an introduction to the grazing utilisation star index which was...
Aug 13, 2021•42 min
On this weeks episode of The Dairy Edge, Tom Fallon gives insight into important practices to win the second half of the lactation. Tom explains that after the busy calving and breeding season and conservation of silage, farmers tend to take a step back from the farm but Tom urges farmers to continue to pay attention to cow health and in particular, mobility to ensure cows are achieving their milk production potential while holding and gaining body condition and pregnancy. Tom recommends that al...
Aug 09, 2021•22 min
Teagasc is running a weekly Let's Talk Dairy webinar series which is also being made available as a bonus podcast episode. In this webinar, Stuart Childs, Teagasc Dairy Specialist, was joined by John Douglas, Teagasc Grass10 Advisor to discuss an Autumn Grass Strategy. It is important that we build covers during the Autumn period in order to have grass for the remainder of the year and it's also very important that we do it right in order to have grass for the spring time. To register for future...
Aug 06, 2021•52 min
On this week’s episode of The Dairy Edge, Beth Dooley explains what makes individual farmers an employer of choice and has tips on complying with employment regulation. Beth explains that employees are attracted to farms that are safe places to work, have processes and are streamlined (including SOPs), a clear working roster and an opportunity to upskill. Beth recommends that farmers complete a written contract for all employees which should always include; - Name and address of employer and emp...
Aug 02, 2021•25 min
Barbara McGrogan from the Irish Cancer Society joins Emma-Louise Coffey on this week’s Dairy Edge with tips and advice on how to be Sun Smart and protect ourselves against skin cancers. Barbara provides some statistics about skin cancer, including the fact that skin cancer accounts for 1 in every 3 cancers diagnosed in Ireland each year, with outdoor workers having a 2-3 times greater risk compared with indoor workers. Most importantly, it is the most preventable cancer where correct steps are t...
Jul 26, 2021•22 min
Teagasc is running a weekly Let's Talk Dairy webinar series which is also being made available as a bonus podcast episode. In this webinar, Stuart Childs, Teagasc Dairy Specialist, discusses setting up your fertiliser spreader. He was joined by guest speaker Francis Quigley, Machinery Specialist at Kildalton College, Teagasc. They spoke about protected urea, how it spreads and problems with fertiliser spreaders. Francis also gave a demonstration on maintenance of the spreader and how to set it u...
Jul 23, 2021•57 min
It’s Farm Safety Week and on this week’s Dairy Edge podcast, Francis Bligh joins Emma-Louise Coffey to discuss the potential risks on Irish dairy farms during the summer months. Francis points to autumn herds calving outdoors, 2nd cut silage, agitating and spreading slurry and children on the farm as some of the activities that present risk as well as day to day farming activities. Francis recommends that farmers and farm staff take the opportunity to all aspects of the farm to consider potentia...
Jul 19, 2021•27 min
Teagasc is running a weekly Let's Talk Dairy webinar series which is also being made available as a bonus podcast episode. In this webinar, Stuart Childs, Teagasc Dairy Specialist, and guests discuss smarter milking. Andrew Hogan, FRS Training, speaks about the cow flow process, which can have a significant impact on how quickly cows can be milked. Padraig O’Connor, Teagasc, gave a demonstration on cluster attachment, how to do it efficiently and its positives. While Michelle McGrath, Assistant ...
Jul 16, 2021•1 hr 12 min
Tom O’Dwyer and Siobhán Kavanagh join Emma-Louise Coffey on this week’s Dairy Edge podcast to consider whether the agri sector can achieve emission reduction targets. Siobhán first outlines national, European and international climate action policy that will dictate the need to reduce total emissions from agriculture to the tune of 15%. When considering new and emerging technologies that have the potential to reduce environmental footprint, Tom explains that research is ongoing in areas such as ...
Jul 12, 2021•27 min
Teagasc is running a weekly Let's Talk Dairy webinar series which is also being made available as a bonus podcast episode. In this webinar, Stuart Childs, Teagasc Dairy Specialist, discusses roadways and water systems. Stuart explains that this time of the year is a good opportunity to examine roadways as it is easier to assess the quality of the surface layers compared to the winter period. He then goes through different examples of poor and good quality roadways. Finally, Stuart discusses the ...
Jul 09, 2021•23 min
Jason Melbourne joins Emma-Louise Coffey on this week’s Dairy Edge podcast to give an insight into how built his career in dairy farming and how he has implemented learnings from the Agricultural College to take his herd from average to top performance in a short period of time. Jason explains that he first gained an interest in agriculture in his early years while spending time milking and feeding calves on his uncle’s farm. Wanting to pursue a career in dairy, Jason completed the Level 5 Cert ...
Jul 05, 2021•22 min
Teagasc is running a weekly Let's Talk Dairy webinar series which is also being made available as a bonus podcast episode. In this webinar, Stuart Childs, Teagasc Dairy Specialist, discusses the process of liner changes and the advantages that come with it. He also talks about the disadvantages that come with not changing the liners. Stuart emphasises we have to be aware that over the past few years we have increased our livestock numbers and also the rows we're milking which has resulted in a c...
Jul 02, 2021•19 min
Teagasc Dairy Specialist, George Ramsbottom, joins Emma-Louise Coffey on this week’s Dairy Edge podcast to provide context on the appropriate time to finishing the breeding season in order to facilitate compact calving next spring. George quantifies the average 6 week calving rate being achieved nationally at 65%, owing the 10% increase in the last decade to a combination of improved management, genetics and reduced disease burden. He acknowledges that despite gains being made, there is signific...
Jun 28, 2021•22 min
Teagasc is running a weekly Let's Talk Dairy webinar series which is also being made available as a bonus podcast episode. In this webinar, Stuart Childs, Teagasc Dairy Specialist, discusses the fact that we are coming to the end of the breeding season. It's now time to assess what has happened in the time gone by and also to plan for the rest of the year. Stuart also takes us through silage pits and also touches on the issue of how to reduce nutrient and sediment run off into the water. For mor...
Jun 25, 2021•29 min
NDC & Kerrygold milk quality award winner, Richard Starrett, and his Teagasc dairy advisor, Tommy Doherty, join Emma-Louise Coffey on the latest Dairy Edge podcast to give an insight into Richard’s farm system and how good management decisions over the last 25 years has culminated in recognition in the prestigious milk quality awards. Richard documents the growth in cow numbers from 70 cows in 1994 to 160 cows today and while expanding, he explains that he focused getting the basics right: g...
Jun 21, 2021•29 min
Teagasc is running a weekly Let's Talk Dairy webinar series which is also being made available as a bonus podcast episode. In this webinar, Stuart Childs, Teagasc Dairy Specialist, is joined by Micheál O'Leary from PastureBase Ireland. Micheál discusses the changes that have been made within PastureBase particularly around Nitrogen planning. He also talks about the availability of a nitrogen planner in PastureBase which can help people to plan their Nitrogen planning. For more episodes from the ...
Jun 18, 2021•37 min
Teagasc researcher Pat Tuohy joins Emma-Louise Coffey on this week’s Dairy Edge to give an insight into the key issues that arise on farms with heavier soils and practical steps to overcome these issues. Pat explains that 30% of Irish soils are characterised as ‘heavy soils’ and are typically associated with drainage issues - a high water table or farms located in a high rainfall area. Consequently, heavy soils farm have a shorter grazing season and lower grass utilisation compared with farms on...
Jun 14, 2021•20 min
Teagasc is running a weekly Let's Talk Dairy webinar series which is also being made available as a bonus podcast episode. In this webinar, Stuart Childs, Teagasc Dairy Specialist, discusses fertiliser requirements for second cut silage and also in terms of surplus silage taken off of milking platforms over the last couple of days. The level of grass growth is very high at the moment which as a result is creating the surplus silage. This emphasises two things: 1) We need to walk farms more regul...
Jun 11, 2021•24 min
Dairy farmer Eamon Sheehan and Róisín Horan from Teagasc join Emma-Louise Coffey on this week’s Dairy Edge podcast with an insight into the staggering rise of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) among animal and human populations and key practices to minimise the risk in your dairy herd. Róisín explains that AMR is an ongoing concern, accounting for 700,000 deaths annually and has the potential to be more fatal than cancer by 2050 if growth in the level of resistance continues. Eamon considers some o...
Jun 07, 2021•33 min
