Niamh Lynch, Teagasc Dairy advisor in Navan, joins Stuart Childs on the latest Dairy Edge podcast to talk about the Teagasc eProfit Monitor and the benefits of completing it. Niamh highlights the usefulness of building up a bank of information over years of completion to give you a good perspective of the costs of running the business through good and bad times. Niamh also says that while the year will be a good one for the majority of dairy farmers, the creep in costs is something that people w...
Dec 19, 2022•17 min
Gráinne Hurley, Teagasc Dairygold Joint Programme Monitor Farm advisor, and Paul Maher, Head of International Relations and Corporate Strategy in Teagasc, join Stuart Childs on this week’s episode of the Dairy Edge podcast to discuss a recent visit of the New Zealand Special Agriculture Trade Envoy to Teagasc Dairygold Signpost Farmer, Sean Moher which they both facilitated. Gráinne first explained the reason for the visit before describing the key elements of sustainability that Sean is putting...
Dec 12, 2022•24 min
For this week’s podcast version of the Let’s Talk Dairy webinar series, George Ramsbottom, Teagasc Dairy Specialist, was joined by James Dunne to review the key messages from the Winter Milk events that took place across the country recently with a focus on costs, feed and yield, and breeding fertility. 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....
Dec 09, 2022•26 min
Martina Gormley, Teagasc Dairy Specialist, is on this week’s Dairy Edge podcast to discuss the recent people management courses held in a number of locations across the country in the last few weeks. Martina began by explaining the agenda and course content over the two days and explained that one of the key items that people attend for is the legislation around employment which is covered very well by Workplace Relations Commission (WRC) personnel. Martina went on to explain that it is a common...
Dec 06, 2022•29 min
To better inform farmers of the principal causes of lameness and more importantly of the steps that they can take in minimising the incidence of the condition, Teagasc, one of the participating members of the Resilience for Dairy programme is hosting three short farmer-friendly webinars. For this week’s podcast version of the Let’s Talk Dairy webinar series, George Ramsbottom, Teagasc Dairy Specialist was joined by Paul Maher, a postgraduate student at Teagasc Moorepark, to discuss Paul’s area o...
Dec 02, 2022•36 min
To better inform farmers of the principal causes of lameness and more importantly of the steps that they can take in minimising the incidence of the condition, Teagasc, one of the participating members of the Resilience for Dairy programme is hosting three short farmer-friendly webinars. For this week’s podcast version of the Let’s Talk Dairy webinar series, George Ramsbottom, Teagasc Dairy Specialist was joined by Dr. Natasha Browne, Teagasc Moorepark. Natasha has recently completed her PhD in ...
Nov 25, 2022•27 min
Joe Patton, Teagasc’s Head of Dairy Knowledge Transfer previews the upcoming Teagasc National Dairy Conferences that are taking place in Cork on December 6th and Mullingar on December 8th. Joe gives a brief outline of each of the four sessions that will be delivered on the day from a market outline and future demands piece from Co-op representatives and an information piece on the value of high quality dairy products in human nutrition from the Food Safety Authority of Ireland. The second sessio...
Nov 21, 2022•23 min
To better inform farmers of the principal causes of lameness and more importantly of the steps that they can take in minimising the incidence of the condition, Teagasc, one of the participating members of the Resilience for Dairy programme is hosting three short farmer-friendly webinars. For this week’s podcast version of the Let’s Talk Dairy webinar series, George Ramsbottom, Teagasc Dairy Specialist was joined by Ned Dunphy from Waterford Farm Relief Service. Ned outlined the principal types o...
Nov 18, 2022•46 min
George Ramsbottom, Dairy Specialist in Teagasc Oakpark, joined Stuart Childs on this week’s Dairy Edge podcast to speak about his recent trip to Kenya. George went out to visit a masters student Michael O’Loughlin who is evaluating the efficiency of the extension programme being run by a charity called Development Pamoja. George explains how cows in Kenya aren’t large producers mainly driven by lack of availability of water and mediocre quality feed. George went on to tell of the discussion grou...
Nov 15, 2022•27 min
For this week’s podcast version of the Let’s Talk Dairy webinar series, George Ramsbottom, Teagasc Dairy Specialist is joined by Stuart Childs, Teagasc Dairy Specialist to discuss roadway surfaces. They also give an overview of a large scale survey of dairy farm roadways from all around the country by Paul Maher, a Masters student working in Teagasc. Poor quality roadways are a major risk factor for lameness. To register for future Let’s Talk Dairy webinars go to: https://www.teagasc.ie/corporat...
Nov 11, 2022•21 min
Padraig McCormack, Dairy Advisor in Teagasc Moorepark, joins Stuart Childs on this week’s episode of The Dairy edge podcast to speak about the nitrates compliance issues for farmers both derogation and non-derogation before the end of 2022 and in advance of 2023. Padraig reminds farmers of their requirements to complete twenty grass covers for the year where necessary and also to get any outstanding lime requirement dealt with as soon as the weather allows before year end. He also highlights tha...
Nov 07, 2022•16 min
For this week’s podcast version of the Let’s Talk Dairy webinar series, Stuart Childs, Teagasc Dairy Specialist, discusses maiden heifer weight targets to coincide with a new herd weight profile which has been launched recently by ICBF. 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/...
Nov 04, 2022•17 min
Pat Tuohy, Programme Coordinator of the Heavy Soils Programme, joins Stuart Childs on this week’s episode of The Dairy Edge podcast, to speak about the findings from the last ten years that have helped to develop a blueprint for resilient dairy farms on heavy soils across the country. Pat started by revisiting the wet years of 2009 and 2012 which were the catalyst for the commencement of the programme and explained that while, the initial focus on the programme was on drainage, after the first f...
Oct 31, 2022•24 min
For this week’s podcast version of the Let’s Talk Dairy webinar series, Stuart Childs, Teagasc Dairy Specialist, discusses on-off grazing. On-off grazing is often associated with the springtime but it's also part of the grazing repertoire at this time of the year. If ground conditions are gone tricky, on-off grazing may be the solution. 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...
Oct 28, 2022•23 min
Michelle McGrath, a vet working with Animal Health Ireland, tells Stuart Childs on this week’s Dairy Edge podcast about a number of Department of Agriculture funded animal health consultations that farmers can avail of through their vets. Michelle says that, for farmers struggling with their bulk SCC, there is an in-lactation consult available to help farmers take the first steps towards getting control of their cell count. This process involves farm advisors and milking machine technicians as w...
Oct 24, 2022•25 min
For this week’s podcast version of the Let’s Talk Dairy webinar series, Stuart Childs, Teagasc Dairy Specialist, discusses milk sensitivity analysis and its increasing importance for drying-off cows. 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/
Oct 21, 2022•12 min
Seamus Kearney, Teagasc Training and Development Specialist on the Signpost Programme, joins Stuart Childs on this week’s episode of The Dairy Edge to discuss some of the ways that farmers can reduce greenhouse gas and ammonia emissions from their farms. Seamus explains that 65% of farm emissions are coming from methane and approximately 30% are coming from nitrous oxide which is derived mainly from how slurry is spread and the chemical fertiliser that is used on farms. Seamus says that by switc...
Oct 17, 2022•25 min
For this week’s podcast version of the Let’s Talk Dairy webinar series, Stuart Childs, Teagasc Dairy Specialist, discusses the last rotation and closing up the farm to leave it in a good situation for 2023. 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/
Oct 14, 2022•18 min
John McCabe, Teagasc Aurivo Joint Programme Group Facilitator and Monitor Farm Advisor, joins Stuart Childs on the latest episode of the Dairy Edge podcast to discuss how Autumn grass build-up has gone this year as well as the Autumn closing strategy. John explains that if farms want to build cover, it is imperative that they use some supplement in August to actively build cover and that good growth through September has baled many out of a scenario where they would have a lot less grass on the ...
Oct 12, 2022•21 min
For this week’s podcast version of the Let’s Talk Dairy webinar series, Stuart Childs, Teagasc Dairy Specialist, discusses managing somatic cell count (SCC) in late lactation. Stuart emphasises the importance of the use of milk recording information, acting on it and the follow through that is required around that. 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: ...
Oct 07, 2022•23 min
Willie Buckley, Veterinary Surgeon at Riverview Veterinary Group in Bandon and Animal Health Ireland, Cellcheck Technical Working Group member, joins Stuart Childs on this week’s Dairy Edge podcast to discuss the January change in legislation that now means that blanket dry cow antibiotic use is a thing of the past. Willie explains why the legislation has changed and what it means for farmers. In short, dry cow treatment has moved from a whole herd approach to an individual cow approach. If farm...
Oct 03, 2022•31 min
For this week’s podcast version of the Let’s Talk Dairy webinar series, Stuart Childs, Teagasc Dairy Specialist, discusses the changes to the closed periods, specifically for slurry. 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 30, 2022•18 min
Teagasc Drystock advisor in Moorepark, Michael Bourke, joins Stuart Childs on this week’s Dairy Edge podcast to discuss how he views contract rearing from a drystock and dairy farmer’s point of view. Michael has nearly 15 years’ experience in setting up contract rearing arrangements. Michael first explains that while getting the price right in terms of what is paid per head per day is important, the success of contract rearing arrangements is very much about the relationship between both parties...
Sep 26, 2022•21 min
Since The Dairy Edge launched in January 2018 as Ireland’s first dairy-focused podcast, there have been 245 episodes released weekly as well as additional bonus content from the Let’s Talk Dairy webinars presented by Stuart Childs. The Dairy Edge has now reached the remarkable milestone of half a million listens and to celebrate that incredible achievement, we have compiled clips from some of our most popular episodes. Hear from Grass 10 manager John Maher outlining the principles of grassland m...
Sep 23, 2022•26 min
Dairygold Joint Programme Group Facilitator, William Burchill, joins Stuart Childs on this week’s Dairy Edge podcast to discuss further work that can be done to improve soil fertility even though the date has passed for the spreading of chemical nitrogen and Phosphorus. William outlines the offtakes of Potassium (K) associated with grazing and the impact that even one cut of bales can have on a paddock in terms of K required to maintain the correct index from one year to the next as well as the ...
Sep 19, 2022•23 min
For this week’s podcast version of the Let’s Talk Dairy webinar series, Stuart Childs, Teagasc Dairy Specialist, was joined by Teagasc’s John McCabe and John Douglas, Teagasc Grass10 Advisor to get an update on the current grazing conditions as well as an insight into the latest advice for farmers. 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.teaga...
Sep 16, 2022•39 min
Grass10 advisor, Joseph Dunphy, joins Emma-Louise Coffey on this week’s Dairy Edge podcast to review the grassland situation on dairy farms and provides advice for the remainder of the grazing season. Joseph explains that, depending on the level of rainfall during July and August, the average farm cover and consequently, grass availability, is completely variable; some farms are on a predominantly grass-based diet with low levels of concentrate supplement while others are feeding a silage and co...
Sep 12, 2022•26 min
Dairy specialist, George Ramsbottom, joins Emma-Louise Coffey on this week’s episode of The Dairy Edge podcast to consider whether to cull empty cows early or milk them until December. George estimates that there are 80-100 days left in lactation for spring calving dairy herds; at on average 15 litres per day this will return an income of €700-900 per cow. George explains where grass growth and winter fodder supplies are in short supply and whether farmers should consider culling cows early to r...
Sep 05, 2022•17 min
For this week’s podcast version of the Let’s Talk Dairy webinar series, Stuart Childs, Teagasc Dairy Specialist, gives an update on grass supply on farms using data available from PastureBase Ireland. 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 02, 2022•26 min
Dairy Farmer, Joe Leonard, and Seed Merchant, Tom McGuinness, join Emma-Louise Coffey on this week’s Dairy Edge podcast to discuss the integration of multi-species swards into dairy farm systems. During a trip to South Africa in 2016, Joe observed multi-species swards in practice and his interest was piqued. From 2017, Joe set about incorporating multi-species into his reseeding plans. Tom McGuinness explains that in the mid 2010s, there was little interest in multi-species and it was limited to...
Aug 29, 2022•25 min
