Dairy

Where is the dairy stocking rate sweet spot?
0 Where is the dairy stocking rate sweet spot? Higher milk output doesn’t always translate into additional profits if stocking rates aren’t matched by a farm’s grass-growing capacity, Stuart Childs, Nora O’Donovan, Adrian O’Callaghan and Donal Patton tells us more in this article from Today’s Farm. In January 2015 at the Irish Grassland […]
7 October 2024

Tipperary triumph in inaugural Teagasc/FBD Environmental Sustainability Awards
0 Tipperary triumph in inaugural Teagasc/FBD Environmental Sustainability Awards John and Brendan Walsh from Ballylooby, Co. Tipperary were announced as the Teagasc / FBD Environmentally Sustainable Farmer of the Year 2024 at the awards ceremony in Co. Laois on Tuesday, October 1. John and Brendan Walsh from Ballylooby, Co. Tipperary were announced as […]
2 October 2024

Heifer rearing with Hazel Costigan
0 Heifer rearing with Hazel Costigan Hazel Costigan from Teagasc Moorepark joins Stuart Childs on this week’s Dairy Edge to discuss heifer rearing and the targets associated with it. Hazel references a study done 10 years ago by Laurence Shalloo, which put the cost of rearing a heifer at €1,545. A further study […]
2 October 2024

Autumn closing: Disciplined approach to housing date needed
0 Autumn closing: Disciplined approach to housing date needed Hitting grazing targets has been a challenge throughout 2024, and it appears that the end of the grazing year is going to be no different. Dairy Specialist at Teagasc, Stuart Childs provides a timely reminder on autumn grassland management to facilitate a supply of […]
1 October 2024

How to take a sterile milk sample for culture and sensitivity
0 How to take a sterile milk sample for culture and sensitivity One of the tools available to dairy farmers in relation to managing and controlling mastitis is culture and sensitivity testing, Padraig O’Connor, Teagasc, tells us more. This is where a milk sample from an infected quarter (clinical case of mastitis or […]
1 October 2024

RVLs identify Schmallenberg antibody positives in some dairy herds
RVLs identify Schmallenberg antibody positives in some dairy herds Testing undertaken by the Regional Veterinary Laboratories (RVLs), and prompted after the receipt of a number of reports of milk drop syndrome in dairy herds this summer, has confirmed the circulation of Schmallenberg virus (SBV) in some herds. A statement released by the […]
26 September 2024

Peak risk period for lameness on dairy farms
Peak risk period for lameness on dairy farms As autumn marks the peak risk period for lameness on dairy farms, Tom Murphy, B&T Dairy Advisor at Teagasc Galway/Clare, looks at the costs and possible avenues to alleviate this pressure. One of the hidden costs when it comes to milking cows is lameness, […]
23 September 2024

Dairy Edge: Advisor update from the grassroots
Dairy Edge: Advisor update from the grassroots Ronan Mulligan, Teagasc Dairy Advisor based in Claremorris, Co. Mayo, joins James Dunne on this week’s Dairy Edge with an update on the current situation on dairy farms within his catchment. Topics covered include: fodder and fodder security in the north west region; strategies to […]
23 September 2024

An update on reducing milking frequency from Moorepark
An update on reducing milking frequency from Moorepark Dr Emer Kennedy and Kieran McCarthy from Teagasc Moorepark join Stuart Childs on the latest Dairy Edge to discuss the reduced milking frequency work that is ongoing there. Emer first outlines the reduction in yield that farmers would be likely to see if they […]
16 September 2024

Consider investing to improve herd genetics
Consider investing to improve herd genetics Should farmers with lower genetic merit herds take the opportunity this autumn to purchase high EBI stock in order to improve overall farm performance? James Dunne, Teagasc Dairy Specialist, discusses the benefits and considerations in this article. Given the cull cow value relative to the purchase […]
16 September 2024