20 November 2024
Edwin Thompson’s steps to reducing greenhouse gas emissions
Tipperary dairy farmer, Edwin Thompson was crowned the winner of the reducing greenhouse gas emissions category of the Teagasc FBD Environmental Sustainability Awards 2024.
Dr Siobhán Kavanagh, Signpost Programme Communications and Engagement Specialist, and Liam Quinn, Signpost Programme Advisor, detail the actions being taken on the farm.
Edwin is milking 160 cows, farmed on about 86ha near Golden, Co. Tipperary. When you look at the 12 steps to reduce greenhouse gas emissions on dairy farms, Edwin Thompson is ticking all the boxes.
Soil fertility
Edwin has worked hard to maintain a high level of soil fertility, realising that soil fertility is the foundation of his farming system. Soil fertility on this farm is exceptionally good, with 75% of his soils optimum for pH, phosphorus (P) and potassium (K). On an individual basis, 90%, 94% and 89% optimum for K, P and pH, respectively.
Reliance on nitrogen
When Edwin first joined the Signpost Programme, he identified areas that he could improve on, in particular reducing his reliance on chemical nitrogen (N). He immediately reseeded some land and incorporated white clover into the grassland swards. Having good soil fertility helped establish and retain high clover content in these swards.
Edwin has used the clover scorecard to estimate the clover content in his swards. About 51% of the farm is growing a high level of clover and another 23% has a medium score. Following the scorecard gives him the confidence to reduce chemical N on these fields during the main grazing season.
He has the tractor set up with GPS, reducing waste on the farm. Slurry is used more efficiently on the farm; it is tested so that he knows the nutrient content before spreading and he is using LESS. Slurry storage is adequate so that he can spread the slurry when he gets the best response from it.
Edwin is spreading about 40% to 50% of what they used to spread of chemical nitrogen. He reduced their chemical nitrogen last year to c. 110 kg of nitrogen / ha. All of the chemical nitrogen is spread in a protected form (NBPT-protected urea).
Edwin walks the farm on a weekly basis and uses a combination of plate metre and eyeballing for grass measuring.
The herd
Edwin’s herd of cows have an EBI of €240, with 2024 heifers being €247. His milk solids per cow for the last three years were 503 in 2021, 521 in 2022, and 455 in 2023.
Edwin places a big emphasis on picking beef sires that have a high Dairy Beef Index (DBI), producing calves with high a high Commercial Beef Value (CBV). This gives the beef farmer greater confidence when purchasing calves from this farm that these animals have the genetic potential to perform. This also helps reduce age at slaughter and consequently reduces greenhouse gas emissions.
Space for nature
Edwin and his family are quite happy to leave a little bit of land for nature and for the environment, including hedges, ponds and reed beds. They are not obsessed with farming every square inch of the land and are quite happy to leave areas of the farm for nature.
In the past, they kept the hedges neatly trimmed and manicured, but now are trying to leave them escape and grow to produce flowers, and provide cover and food for wildlife and birds. Carbon sequestration potential on the farm is high with an extensive network of high and wide hedges and plenty of mature trees.
For more insights to Edwin Thompson’s farming business, watch the below video:
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