8th November 2024

Farmer	Location	Litres /Cow	Fat %	Prot %	kg MS /Cow	Meal kg	SCC	Weeks Breeding	Scan Empty Results	Feed Actions	Lime Spread Tonnes	Milking Platform SR	Average Farm Cover	Pre grazing Yield	Demand	Growth Rate/Ha
Micheal & Alex McCarthy	Feenagh	17	4.65	4.19	1.55	4.0	134	11	13%	Out full time	50	1.81	688	1900	29	30
Andrew & Bernadette Killeen	Doonbeg	14	5.32	4.21	1.37	4.0	106	10	8% overall	4 hours grass by day	125	2.72	417	1100	22	22
Dermot & Michael Kavanagh	Lispole	16.2	4.69	3.99	1.45	4.4	201	14		Cows in at night	75	3.40	678	1350	54	42
Patrick and Paula O’Hanlon	Tarbert	14.5	5.16	4.12	1.39	4.0	124	10	12% Heifers Only	Out full but will house by night	150	2.81	525	2000	39	17
Joe Carroll	Ballyheigue	14.5	5.59	4.35	1.48	3.5	160	10		Cows in at night	40	2.78	695	1350	22	17
John & Micheal Casey	Causeway				0.00			10	8% Overall	Cows in at night	65	2.84	789	2500	48	25
John Galvin	Ardfert	16.2	5.26	4.16	1.57	4.0	130	11	8% Overall	Cows in at night	20	2.48	489	1100	17	15
Niall &Gerry Moloney	Crecora	16.5	5.03	4.32	1.59	4.0	128	13	6% Overall	4kgs PKE	25	3.07	623	1200	31	32
Kieran, Eileen &Declan Murphy	Effin	18.6	4.95	4.22	1.76	4.5	73	11		Zerograzed grass 3 loads/night	50
Diarmuid and Sean Fitzgerald	Cratloe				0.00			11	6% Heifers only	2kg Silage	140	2.19	590	1700	28	19
Stephen McAuliffe	Loghill	14.5	4.93	4.01	1.34	3.5	191	10	13% overall	Cows in at night	125	2.30	754	1500	37	28
William & Mary Dennehy	Currow	12	4.98	4.48	1.17	4.0	89	9	10% Heifers only	Out full time	60	2.59	876	1800	44	40
Average		15.4	5.06	4.21	1.22	4.0	134	11			77	2.64	648	1591	34	26

Farmer Diarmuid Fitzgerald, Cratloe, Clare.

We are grazing full time and have taken silage out of the diet. We plan to graze to the 20th November to keep grass for the spring and also avoid carrying heavy covers on the paddocks as we have a lot of clover established. The soil indexes are good and the farm will grow grass over the winter. There are 16 cull cows being sold this week. I am planning to dry heifers this weekend to give them about 12 weeks of a dry period. I worked with my vet in a consultation to pick 35 cow that are suitable for teat sealer only. We also took a culture and sensitivity sample from four cows with high SCC and this has been sent off. The results of this will be used in conjunction with my vet to pick what dry cow therapy tubes will be used.

At the last weighing the weanling heifers were behind target so they are now being fed 2kgs of meal and I am keeping the red clover silage that tested high quality for these when they are housed. I have completed a fodder budget and plan to feed meal to stretch silage as the budget looks tight for the silage stocks. Pictured are pre and post grazing on farm currently.

Adviser Update: John McCarthy, Listowel, Kerry.

Aim to keep grass in the diet, by day at least if possible, this will lower costs and keep milk protein % up. Avoid going back over closed paddocks this grass will be worth a lot more in the spring. Target cows to graze clover paddocks and paddocks that need early slurry application for the remainder of the grazing season. For farmers in derogation, complete your 20 grass measurements. Make sure to trim cow’s tails and udder to help with hygiene when drying cows off this winter. Book a service for you automatic slurry scrappers. Ground conditions are excellent for the time of year so consult your most recent soil samples and order lime for spreading if required.

15th November 2024

Farmer	Location	Litres /Cow	Fat %	Prot %	kg MS /Cow	Meal kg	SCC	Weeks Breeding	Scan Empty Results	Feed Actions	Lime Spread Tonnes	Milking Platform SR	Average Farm Cover	Pre grazing Yield	Demand	Growth Rate/Ha
Micheal & Alex McCarthy	Feenagh	17	4.65	4.19	1.55	4.0	134	11	13%	Out full time	50	1.81	688	1900	29	30
Andrew & Bernadette Killeen	Doonbeg	14	5.32	4.21	1.37	4.0	106	10	8% overall	4 hours grass by day	125	2.72	417	1100	22	22
Dermot & Michael Kavanagh	Lispole	16.2	4.69	3.99	1.45	4.4	201	14		Cows in at night	75	3.40	678	1350	54	42
Patrick and Paula O’Hanlon	Tarbert	14.5	5.16	4.12	1.39	4.0	124	10	12% Heifers Only	Out full but will house by night	150	2.81	525	2000	39	17
Joe Carroll	Ballyheigue	14.5	5.59	4.35	1.48	3.5	160	10		Cows in at night	40	2.78	695	1350	22	17
John & Micheal Casey	Causeway				0.00			10	8% Overall	Cows in at night	65	2.84	789	2500	48	25
John Galvin	Ardfert	16.2	5.26	4.16	1.57	4.0	130	11	8% Overall	Cows in at night	20	2.48	489	1100	17	15
Niall &Gerry Moloney	Crecora	16.5	5.03	4.32	1.59	4.0	128	13	6% Overall	4kgs PKE	25	3.07	623	1200	31	32
Kieran, Eileen &Declan Murphy	Effin	18.6	4.95	4.22	1.76	4.5	73	11		Zerograzed grass 3 loads/night	50
Diarmuid and Sean Fitzgerald	Cratloe				0.00			11	6% Heifers only	2kg Silage	140	2.19	590	1700	28	19
Stephen McAuliffe	Loghill	14.5	4.93	4.01	1.34	3.5	191	10	13% overall	Cows in at night	125	2.30	754	1500	37	28
William & Mary Dennehy	Currow	12	4.98	4.48	1.17	4.0	89	9	10% Heifers only	Out full time	60	2.59	876	1800	44	40
Average		15.4	5.06	4.21	1.22	4.0	134	11			77	2.64	648	1591	34	26

Farmer Diarmuid Fitzgerald, Cratloe, Clare.

Adviser Update: John McCarthy, Listowel, Kerry.

22nd November 2024

Farmer	Location	Litres /Cow	Fat %	Prot %	kg MS /Cow	Meal kg	SCC	Weeks Breeding	Scan Empty Results	Feed Actions	Cows dry %	Lime Spread Tonnes	Milking Platform SR	Average Farm Cover	Growth Rate/Ha
Micheal & Alex McCarthy	Feenagh	14.5	4.75	4.27	1.35	4.0	178	11	13% overall	7 days grazing left	12%	50	1.81	688	30
Andrew & Bernadette Killeen	Doonbeg	14	5.4	4.2	1.38	4.5	81	10	8% overall	Fully Housed	20%	125	2.72	417	22
Dermot & Michael Kavanagh	Lispole	15	4.8	3.89	1.34	4.0	241	14	9% overall	Fully Housed	2%	75	3.28	538	32
Patrick and Paula O’Hanlon	Tarbert	13.5	5.07	4.09	1.27	4.0	111	10	8% overall	Fully Housed	14%	150	2.81	419	22
Joe Carroll	Ballyheigue	13.6	5.65	4.46	1.42	4.0	167	10		5 day grazings left	0%	40	2.78	782	31
John & Micheal Casey	Causeway	12.6	5.8	4.24	1.30	4.0	116	10	8% overall	Fully Housed	23%	65	2.16	795	21
John Galvin	Ardfert	15.2	5.25	4.01	1.45	4.0	99	11	8% overall	Fully Housed	0%	20	2.48	489	15
Niall &Gerry Moloney	Crecora	14.8	5.46	4.17	1.47	4.0	127	13	6% overall	4 day grazings + 4kg PKE	14%	25	3.07	662	25
Kieran, Eileen &Declan Murphy	Effin	14.7	5.18	4.07	1.40	3.0	65	11		2 day grazing left	0%	50
Diarmuid and Sean Fitzgerald	Cratloe	12.7	5.48	4.48	1.30	4.5	133	11	6% Heifers only	Fully Housed	20%	140	2.19	512	32
Stephen McAuliffe	Loghill	13.8	4.83	3.93	1.25	3.0	174	10	13% overall	Fully Housed	10%	125	2.15	734	24
William & Mary Dennehy	Currow	11	5.37	4.48	1.12	4.0	109	9	10% Heifers only	Fully Housed	24%	60	2.59	449	15
Average		13.8	5.25	4.19	1.34	3.9	133	11			12%	77	2.55	590	24

Farmer Update: Niall Moloney, Crecora, Limerick

Cows are housed with the snow there are 3 to four days grazing left but these might be kept to spring if ground conditions are too soft. The average farm cover is 660Kgs DM/Ha so this puts us in a good position for spring grass. The cows are getting 4 kgs of palm kernel and this will be fed until used up about the second week of December. This feeding has helped to build grass and stretch silage stocks. We have dried off 14% of the cows made up of first lactation cows that are calving in February. We take out the meal and palm kernel from the group we plan to dry a few days before. We will dry the second lactations that are calving in February or any thinner cows next week to give them time. We are using selective dry cow, we selected cows below 60 SCC for teat sealer only. We will dose them when all are housed. The heifers and weanling will be housed this weekend depending on ground conditions. We will weigh heifers and group them in the shed based on weight. We will feed any group if they are behind weight. We will sell 12 cull cows next week these are made up of empty cows, poor feet and poor performers. Pictured are cows housed on farm Thursday.

Adviser Update: John Conway, Newcastlewest, Limerick

With 2024 season soon drawing to a close it may be a suitable time for farmers to analyse this season such as preparing profit monitor material especially for any discussion groups having a PM meeting in Jan 2025 so that farmers can have accurate data and learn from what was a difficult year.

While farms may not be as busy this time of year farmers should take time to rectify any safety issues around the yard such as lights, calving camera’s etc. It’s also a time of year where farmers should take the opportunity to prepare for the busy calving season such as having calving pens, calf pen and materials prepared in good time so that there’s no rush in January before calving season starts.

Many farms are having soil samples taking this time of year, farmers will need to analyse soil samples with advisors to indicate how to best utilise slurry in 2025 as farms in 2025 will most like have a significant difference in the amount of P that can be spread in 2025 due to more meal being fed on farms in 2024.

29th November 2024

Farmer	Location	Litres /Cow	Fat %	Prot %	kg MS /Cow	Meal kg	SCC	Weeks Breeding	Scan Empty Results	Cows dry %	Lime Spread Tonnes	Milking Platform SR	Average Farm Cover	Growth Rate/Ha
Micheal & Alex McCarthy	Feenagh	15	4.78	4.01	1.36	4.0	126	11	13% overall	29%	50	1.81
Andrew & Bernadette Killeen	Doonbeg	13	5.25	4.17	1.26	4.0	94	10	8% overall	30%	125	2.72
Dermot & Michael Kavanagh	Lispole	13.3	4.58	3.82	1.15	4.0	309	14	9% overall	32%	75	3.28
Patrick and Paula O’Hanlon	Tarbert	13	5.12	4.06	1.23	4.0	102	10	8% overall	20%	150	2.81	503	8
Joe Carroll	Ballyheigue	12.5	5.68	4.49	1.31	3.5	160	10		0%	40	2.78
John & Micheal Casey	Causeway	12	6.12	4.49	1.31	3.0	173	10	8% overall	31%	65	2.16
John Galvin	Ardfert	13.2	5.43	3.95	1.28	4.0	140	11	8% overall	0%	20	2.48
Niall &Gerry Moloney	Crecora	14	5.78	4.16	1.43	4.0	140	13	6% overall	14%	25	3.07
Kieran, Eileen &Declan Murphy	Effin	14	5.11	4.12	1.33	3.4	103	11		18%	50
Diarmuid and Sean Fitzgerald	Cratloe	11.1	5.76	4.48	1.17	4.0	202	11	6% Heifers only	35%	140	2.19	512	32
Stephen McAuliffe	Loghill	13	4.88	3.96	1.18	3.5	168	10	13% overall	20%	125	2.15
William & Mary Dennehy	Currow	10.9	5.27	4.39	1.08	4.0	113	9	10% Heifers only	24%	60	2.59	449	15
Average		12.9	5.31	4.18	1.26	3.8	153	11		21%	77	2.55	488	18

Farmer Update: Diarmuid Fitzgerald, Cratloe, Co. Clare

My herd is pretty young with over 50% as 1st and 2nd lactations this year, all 1st lactations are now dried off with calving due to commence the 1st week of February. I weighted all my young stock this week the target for my weanlings is 238Kgs for the 1st of December, 85% are either on target or ahead with most of the others pretty close to target. I will feed all heifers across the winter with a well-balanced ration for protein and energy, these animals are also on a 76DMD silage. These will be weighted again before calving starts to ensure they hit their target weights. My in-calf heifers are behind target weight but over the past few months have closed the gap on their target weight, these are also on this high quality silage and balanced ration and I’m hopeful that most will be close to target weight at calving down. Improving young stock performance has been a target of the farm this year and I’m happy that I now have a plan to ensure my young stock hit their target weights.

All stock are housed and I will complete a closing cover in the next few day. My winter fodder stocks are tight and I plan to feed some ration right through to all stock.

Adviser Update: Denis Brassil

As John and Claire outlined over the past few weeks this is a time of the year where a lot of data is being processed by farmers.

Whether it be milk recording data to select cows for selective dry cow therapy, filling out the profit monitor input sheet to identify strengths and weaknesses of the business, completing soil analysis to review how the fertiliser plan and allowances look like or reviewing pasturebase performance to make reseeding and stocking rate decisions for the year ahead.

Many farmers will use a whiteboard in the parlour to list tasks that need to be completed before the busy calving period begins again, by doing this you can tick off a job as it gets done and it can help you see that tasks are being completed and the list is getting shorter.

Grouping cows by body Condition score (BCS) and calving date can help with management of stock. Remember mineral feeding needs to start a minimum of 6-7 weeks before first cow is due to calve. Use a high quality mineral to help reduce potential problems at and around calving down, if in any doubt ask you Advisor, Vet or Nutritionist for advice.

Kerry Agribusiness Farm Updates 2024