Dairy
What to consider when spreading organic fertilisers at this time of year
What to consider when spreading organic fertilisers at this time of year Cathal Somers, Water Quality Specialist with Teagasc, joins Stuart Childs on this week’s Dairy Edge to discuss spreading organic fertilisers. Cathal gives a summary of the factors that need to be considered before spreading slurry or manure, even though the […]
22 January 2025
Calf housing – last minute adjustments
Calf housing – last minute adjustments Dairy farmers nationally are on the cusp of the busy spring-calving period. There is, however, an opportunity to make last-minute adjustments or tweaks to your calf housing to improve the health and welfare of your calves. A good quality calf shed has five key requirements, these […]
21 January 2025
Preparing for grazing – when’s best to buffer feed silage
Preparing for grazing – when’s best to buffer feed silage With calving commencing and grazing just around the corner, it is essential to understand the effects of offering silage in the diet during early lactation. The diet of dairy cows during early lactation can have a significant impact on animal performance. Increasing […]
21 January 2025
A refresher on colostrum management
A refresher on colostrum management As the busy spring calving season fast approaches, dairy farmers are reminded to prioritise colostrum management – an essential practice to ensure calf health is protected in early life. Through the ‘managing young calves for better health outcomes’ workshop at the Teagasc National Dairy Conference, Dr. Emer […]
20 January 2025
Contract rearing – a tool in the armoury for nitrates compliance?
Contract rearing – a tool in the armoury for nitrates compliance? Changed nitrates regulations, labour availability and the cost of acquiring additional leased land are just some of the reasons why dairy farmer interest in entering a contract rearing agreement has increased in recent times. As part of a ‘Contract Rearing’ webinar, […]
17 January 2025
Reducing spring workload pressures on dairy farms
Reducing spring workload pressures on dairy farms Spring is always a challenging time for dairy farmers and spring 2024 was particularly difficult. So what lessons can be learned and what actions can be taken to reduce the pressure and stress during spring 2025? As part of a Today’s Farm article, Martina Gormley, […]
15 January 2025
Minimising the risk of milk fever and associated risks this spring
Minimising the risk of milk fever and associated risks this spring Careful management of the transition cow will set the animal up for a successful start to lactation, Ruminant Nutrition Specialist, Aisling Claffey takes a closer look at nutrition during the transition period. There are a number of key components which play […]
13 January 2025
How to prepare for the busy spring period without compromising on performance
How to prepare for the busy spring period without compromising on performance Monaghan dairy farmer, Paddy Traynor joins James Dunne on this week’s Dairy Edge to outline his simple grass-based, block spring-calving system that is capable of producing a good economic return. Paddy explains what he does to ensure he is best […]
13 January 2025
CalfCare events reconvene
CalfCare events reconvene After weather disruptions last week which resulted in the postponement of a number of CalfCare events, the series of on-farm events organised by Teagasc and AHI, and supported by Feed for Growth, have recommenced this week. Teagasc and Animal Health Ireland (AHI) are running a series of CalfCare on […]
13 January 2025
Why dietary whey proteins are good news for women
Why dietary whey proteins are good news for women Research has found women respond better to whey protein than men when it comes to weight management. As part of a recent RTÉ Brainstorm article, Kanishka Nilaweera, VistaMilk Research Ireland Centre, explores whey protein’s role in reducing fat. Over the last century, the […]
11 January 2025